HELLDIVERS 2 vs High On Life 2
Pick Helldivers 2 for chaotic team tactics, or High On Life 2 for a shorter, comedy-driven shooter with skateboard traversal.
Updated 27d ago
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.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 9; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 9.
| Measure | HELLDIVERS 2 | High On Life 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Value HELLDIVERS 2 wins on value | ||
| Price now | $34.99 −13% · GameBillet | $39.99 Steam |
| All-time low | $25.47 | $39.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.10/hr $34.99 · 32 h main story | $3.38/hr $39.99 · 12 h main story |
| Off its low | +37% low was Mar 2025 | At its low low was Aug 2026 |
| Main story | 32 h | 12 h |
| Health HELLDIVERS 2 wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 76% 1.2M reviews | 72% 3k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 83% 6k votes · vs 76% lifetime · improving | 74% 61 votes · vs 72% lifetime |
| Peak players | 144,799 Aug 2026 · ↑ 231% MoM | 125 Aug 2026 · ↓ 52% MoM |
| Launch peak | 32% of Feb 2024 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 4% of Feb 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 458,208 Feb 2024 | 2,937 Feb 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 4 weeks ago | 4 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 4 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Gold | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
HELLDIVERS 2
The core co-op PVE loop remains engaging and fun for hundreds of hours despite ongoing frustrations.
Persistent balance changes, performance bugs, and poor developer communication erode trust and enjoyment over time.
from our May 2026 verdict
High On Life 2
Improved puzzles and humor over the first game are the highlights long-time players consistently enjoy.
Recurring bugs and soft locks across levels are the frustrations that undermine many playthroughs.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick HELLDIVERS 2 if
- You want a cooperative online shooter with friends and don't mind friendly fire
- You appreciate strategic loadout planning and a persistent war meta
- You prefer a longer, content-rich experience with frequent patches
Pick High On Life 2 if
- You want a shorter, single-player comedy shooter you can finish in a weekend
- You're a fan of High on Life 1 and want more of its signature absurdist humor
- You like skateboarding mechanics in your FPS
Bottom line
Choose Helldivers 2 for its strong co-op and 32-hour main story; pick High On Life 2 if you crave a 12-hour comedic single-player with skateboarding, but beware its fair reception.