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Squad-based gameplay is the default in Helldivers 2, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go it alone. Just like in Ready or Not and other squad-based games, playing solo brings unique challenges that can make things considerably more difficult than taking on an alien bug army with friends. To play solo you’ll not only need to tweak some settings but also change your entire approach to combat. You’ll only have yourself to rely on, but the reward is a thrill unlike any other in the game. Here are some essential tips if you want to play Helldivers 2 solo.
Change Your Settings
One of the most important tips if you want to play Helldivers 2 solo is that the game doesn’t officially feature a single-player mode. It always assumes you’re playing with teammates and scales its difficulty accordingly. That means you’re in for a difficult time if you’re playing solo on anything but Trivial or Easy difficulty, at least until you get the hang of playing without a squad. Here are the steps you need to take to play Helldivers 2 solo:
- Open the menu
- Navigate to “Options” and then “Gameplay”
- Navigate to “Matchmaking Privacy”
- Select “Friends Only”
- Launch a mission without any friends in your party
Avoid Overspecialization
If you’re playing Helldivers 2 solo, you’re an army of one, which changes how you need to approach the game. Avoid specializing too much in any one area. You can make yourself the best swarm destroyer possible, for example, but if you have no way to take down armored enemies, you’re done for. Every solo loadout should include the following:
- One anti-swarm weapon
- One anti-armor weapon
- One backpack Stratagem
- One hybrid Stratagem for mixed groups
If you don’t have an anti-armor weapon such as the Railgun on hand, at least make sure you have access to a Stratagem such as Orbital Strikes that’s capable of taking down Chargers and other armored foes before they can do too much damage.
Divide and Conquer With Sentries
Take advantage of sentries when confronting swarms. Using sentries is one of the best ways to suppress enemy groups when playing without squad support. You need to clear out weak enemies as quickly as possible to avoid getting overrun. Deploy sentries below you while taking the high ground yourself, putting as much distance as possible between yourself and the bugs. Between the sentries and strong sightlines, you’ll stand a much better chance of escaping alive. Here are our picks for the best sentries for solo play:
- Autocannon Sentry
- Mortar Sentry
- Gatling Sentry
Mind Your Backpack and Armor
We recommend using either Light or Medium Armor instead of Heavy. Maneuverability is too important to sacrifice when you have no squadmates to bail you out of a tight spot. The Shield Generator Pack is a fantastic Stratagem for solo play, but other backpacks may better help fill gaps in your loadout. You won’t need pay-to-win armor. Here are our top recommendations for solo armor and backpacks:
- CE-35 Trench Engineer
- CM-09 Bonesnapper
- SC-34 Infiltrator
- Shield Generator Pack
- “Guard Dog” Rover
How To Level Fast Solo in Helldivers 2
Leveling solo in Helldivers 2 is more difficult, but there are ways to smooth the process. You’ll want to finish missions quickly, which makes the GL-21 Grenade Launcher ideal as it minimizes the time you waste. Mission selection and difficulty both make a big difference in how fast you can level up. Try to play on planets and missions without Modifiers, as they’ll only slow you down. Here are our top picks for missions to level up fast in solo:
- Terminate Illegal Broadcast
- Eliminate Brood Commander
You can complete Terminate Illegal Broadcast almost instantly by dropping right next to the tower, calling in your Grenade Launcher, and shooting it three times, making it one of the best solo leveling missions in Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2 is available for PC and PlayStation 5.
