HELLDIVERS 2 vs High On Life 2
Chaotic 4-player co-op vs absurdist solo FPS — one demands teamwork, the other accepts your pace.
Still the best chaotic 4-player co-op shooter on PC despite the playerbase falling from 458k peak to 30k after Arrowhead's balance churn.
Falls short of HoL1's voice-cast peak — HoL2 trades sharper writing for skateboard mechanics, leaving the gunplay split 56/44 among critics.
Steam popularity
Shared scale — sparklines are directly comparable across both games.
HELLDIVERS 2
May 2026 peak CCU 56,995 ↓ 32% MoM
All-time peak 458,208
High On Life 2
May 2026 peak CCU 147 ↓ 28% MoM
All-time peak 2,937
Key differences
Multiplayer requirement
Helldivers 2 is strictly 4-player co-op with friendly fire and strategem cooldowns that demand coordination.
High On Life 2 is a single-player FPS with no multiplayer component, letting you go at your own pace.
Comedy style
Helldivers 2 mocks Super Earth propaganda with over-the-top patriotic satire but stays earnest in its action.
High On Life 2 doubles down on Squanch's signature cynical absurdism, though critics note weaker writing than the original.
Movement mechanics
Helldivers 2 uses standard third-person movement with no traversal gimmicks beyond dive and sprint.
High On Life 2 introduces skateboarding traversal that splits player opinion, with some finding it fun and others clunky.
Which one is for you?
Pick HELLDIVERS 2 if
- You want pure co-op with no solo or PvP options
- You enjoy strategic loadout planning and friendly-fire chaos
- You are willing to accept playerbase decline and server issues
Pick High On Life 2 if
- You prefer single-player games with no matchmaking
- You liked High on Life 1 and want more of its humor style
- You are curious about FPS games that mix shooting with skateboarding
Bottom line
Pick Helldivers 2 for frenetic co-op mayhem; pick High On Life 2 if you're a solo player who values bizarre comedy over polished gunplay.