Parents' Guide to Helldivers

Though Helldivers can be fun, especially when played with friends, it's not without its problems. On the plus side, the game's tight controls and old-school approach make it fun for people who prefer their shooting to be arcade-esque. Using standard top-down shooter controls -- you run with the left thumbstick and aim with the right -- you take on waves of alien enemies, some of whom are smart enough to hit the alarm button, which calls in reinforcements. You also, after completing your mission, have to make your way to an evacuation point, where you'll again have to battle enemies while waiting for the shuttle to pick you up.

Unfortunately, not everything in Helldivers works well. For starters, though each planet you invade has its difficulty clearly labeled, the game's difficulty still varies wildly. On one of the "easy" planets, for instance, this reviewer was dropped into a huge gathering of aliens, who killed the player instantly. But during another mission on that same planet, the reviewer was left totally alone waiting for a ride. The game also boasts a rather useless map, which makes it difficult to figure out exactly where you're supposed to go, while the Vita version uses the back touchscreen in awkward ways. But the most divisive design choice is that, even though your soldier is well trained and on an important mission, he begins each battle with a minimal amount of ammo (though you can ask for more mid-level) and doesn't know how to automatically reload his weapon when he runs out of bullets. Which, admittedly, is something some people will get used to but can be rather aggravating when you're panicking because aliens are attacking you from all sides. Helldivers might be fun for dedicated old-school arcade fans, but the inconsistencies keep it from being enjoyable for most players.