After months of speculation, Helldivers 2 players finally got a proper look at the Illuminate thanks to a huge leak.
Since the game’s launch, Helldivers 2 players have been awaiting the inevitable arrival of the Illuminate faction from the first game. Helldivers have been delighted by various signs and omens, from in-game hints to more obvious inclusions like a gaping purple hole in the fabric of space.
Each new breadcrumb on the tantalizing trail leaves players convinced that an Illuminati takeover is imminent. Thanks to this latest piece of the puzzle, that might actually be the case.
A major leak shared on r/HellDiversLeaks shows the first-ever screenshot of an Illuminate enemy in the game. Verified leaker IronS1ghts showed off an Illuminate “tripod” and it’s going to be a real blast to destroy.
The Illuminate Tripod, also called the Sentinel, is one of the larger enemy types in the game and resembles a Terminid Bile Titan or Automaton Factory Strider. IronS1ghts also had details on its behavior in the game.
“Its eye fires a beam that has three different firing modes: Horizontal, Vertical, and Irregular,” they explained. “You can disable the beam ability by destroying the Sentinel’s eye, which will create an electrical arc.”
Similar to previous leaks regarding the Illuminati, the Tripod is quite different from its counterpart from the first Helldivers game. In the predecessor to Helldivers 2, Tripods were roughly the same size as the player and served as a fairly easy enemy for the faction.
Players are already speculating how these massive evolutions will lead to one of their many deaths. “They look like they’ll definitely kill me from impact damage if their corpse falls on me,” speculated one Helldiver.
Currently, Helldivers 2 players are arguing with the game’s developers over controversial nerfs added in the Escalation of Freedom update. At least they have something to look forward to after the Let Super Earth burn campaign.
