Helldivers 2 seems to be a shooter filled with all sorts of silly over-the-top violence much like Starship Troopers, which it was clearly inspired by. This has all been detailed a little more in the Helldivers 2 ESRB listing that goes through some of the violent actions players can partake in.
Helldivers 2 is rated M for mature
This listing reveals that the co-op shooter is rated M for mature and lists out the pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles, flamethrowers, turrets, grenades, and rocket launchers players can use to blow up robots, cyborgs, and giant insects. Combat also has “realistic gunfire, cries of pain, and blood-splatter effects” as well as bloodstained and “dismembered corpses.” Blasting dead enemies can cause them to dismember even further, and players can even kill human civilians. Some of these acts can be seen in the most recent gameplay trailer.
This all seems rather standard for a third-person shooter, but this is a step up in detail when compared to the first game. This isometric shooter was rated T for teen and its ESRB listing has some of the same features like dismembered corpses and screams of pain. However, it appears as though the more intimate perspective and added fidelity of the PS5 and PC may have caused the rating to jump up one step.
This rating also implies that Helldivers 2 is coming out somewhat soon. A date has yet to be nailed down, but it appears as though Arrowhead is aiming for October.
