Helldivers 2: Best PC Settings to Improve FPS & Gameplay

Hey Super Citizens! Are you ready to dive into the action of Helldivers 2? It’s an amazing game where you get to be a brave Helldiver, fighting for freedom and democracy across the galaxy! You’ll be landing on alien planets, battling giant bugs called Terminids and tough robots called Automatons. It’s super exciting, with big explosions and lots of teamwork!

But sometimes, when you’re playing Helldivers 2 on your computer, it might not run as smoothly as you want. Maybe things look a little choppy, or the game feels slow. That’s because your computer is working really hard to show you all the cool stuff happening in the game – the alien planets, the explosions, and all those enemies!

Just like a car needs the right settings to go fast, your computer needs the right settings to make games like Helldivers 2 run their best. That’s where PC settings come in! Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. We’re going to show you some easy ways to tweak the settings in Helldivers 2 to make it run smoother, look great, and be even more fun to play.

Think of it like this: you’re building a super cool LEGO spaceship. You want it to be awesome, right? But if you use too many tiny pieces in one spot, it might get wobbly and not stand up straight. PC settings are like choosing the right LEGO pieces and putting them in the right place so your game spaceship (Helldivers 2!) runs perfectly!

Also read: How to Fix Helldivers 2 Servers at Capacity

Why are PC Settings Important for Helldivers 2?

Helldivers 2 is a really cool game with lots happening on the screen at once. There are tons of bugs and robots, big explosions, and detailed planets to explore. All of this cool stuff needs your computer to work hard – especially your graphics card (that’s like the engine of your computer for games!).

If your settings are too high, your computer might get tired and struggle to keep up. This can make the game look jerky or slow, which we call “lag” or low FPS (frames per second). FPS is like how many pictures your computer shows you every second to make the game look like it’s moving smoothly. The higher the FPS, the smoother the game looks!

We want to find the sweet spot – settings that make the game look good and run smoothly so you can have the best time blasting those bugs and bots! It’s like finding the perfect balance between making your LEGO spaceship look awesome and making sure it’s strong and stable.

Getting Ready to Tweak Your Settings

Before we jump into changing settings in Helldivers 2, there are a couple of things to do to get ready:

1. Update Your Graphics Card Drivers: Think of graphics card drivers as instructions for your graphics card. Sometimes, the instructions get old, and your graphics card doesn’t work as well as it could. Updating your drivers is like giving your graphics card new, updated instructions so it can run games better!
   • If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you can go to the NVIDIA website and find the latest drivers for your card.
   • If you have an AMD graphics card, you can go to the AMD website and find the latest drivers there.
   • It’s usually pretty easy – just follow the steps on the website!
2. Restart Your Computer: Sometimes, just restarting your computer can help clear out any little glitches and make things run smoother. It’s like giving your computer a quick nap so it can wake up refreshed and ready to play!

Read also: Best Grenades in Helldivers 2

The Best Graphics Settings to Make Helldivers 2 Run Faster

Now, let’s get into the settings that will make Helldivers 2 run smoother and give you more FPS! We’re going to go through each setting and explain what it does and what to change it to for the best performance. Don’t worry, you can always change them back if you don’t like how it looks!

First, the “Display” Settings:

• Render Scale: This is like choosing how detailed you want the game to look. “Ultra Quality” makes the game look super sharp and clear, like a really detailed drawing. “Native” is also very sharp. But both of these can make your computer work harder.
  • Setting: Start with “Ultra Quality.” If your game is still a little slow, you can try switching to “Native.” “Ultra Quality” can actually sometimes help FPS a little, but “Native” makes sure the game is showing you everything your screen can handle. Experiment to see what works best for you!

Now, let’s dive into the “Graphics” Settings:

Here’s a list of settings and what we recommend for a good balance of looking good and running smoothly:

• Motion Blur: This makes things look blurry when you move the camera quickly. It’s supposed to make things look more realistic, but it can also make it harder to see clearly, especially when you’re fighting lots of enemies!
  • Setting: 0 (Off). Turning this off will make things clearer and can help your FPS.
• Depth of Field: This makes things that are far away look blurry, like when you take a picture with a camera and the background is fuzzy. It can look cool, but it can also make it harder to see enemies in the distance and can slow down your game.
  • Setting: Off. Turning this off will make everything clearer and can help your FPS.
• Bloom: This makes bright lights look like they’re glowing and spreading light around. It can make explosions look really cool, but too much bloom can make things look too bright and can slow down your game a little.
  • Setting: On. We can keep this on for cool explosions, but if you need more FPS, you can try turning it off.
• Sharpness: This makes edges in the game look sharper and more defined. A little sharpness can make things look clearer, but too much can make things look too harsh.
  • Setting: 1. This is a good middle ground for sharpness. You can tweak it a little higher or lower if you want to see what looks best to you.
• Texture Quality: Textures are like the “skin” of objects in the game – they give them detail and color. “High” texture quality makes things look really detailed and realistic, like you can see every little bump and scratch. But higher textures need more power from your graphics card.
  • Setting: High. Textures don’t usually slow down your game as much as other settings, and they make a big difference in how good things look. So, we’ll keep this at High for now. If you have a really old computer, you might try “Medium.”
• Object Detail Quality: This controls how detailed objects in the game world look, like rocks, trees, and buildings. “Medium” is a good balance. “High” looks a bit better, but “Medium” can save you some FPS without making a huge difference in how things look overall.
  • Setting: Medium. This is a good setting for performance and looks.
• Render Distance: This is how far away you can see things in the game. “High” render distance lets you see enemies and cool stuff far away, which is helpful in Helldivers 2! But seeing further away also means your computer has to work harder.
  • Setting: High. Seeing further is important in Helldivers 2, so we’ll keep this at High. If you really need more FPS, you could try “Medium,” but try to keep it on High if you can.
• Shadow Quality: Shadows make the game look more realistic, but they can also be hard for your computer to draw. “Medium” shadows still look pretty good but are easier for your computer to handle than “High” or “Ultra” shadows.
  • Setting: Medium. Good balance of looks and performance.
• Particle Quality: Particles are things like sparks, smoke, and explosions. “Low” particle quality means there will be fewer particles in explosions and stuff. “High” means more particles, which can look really cool but can also slow down your game, especially when there are lots of explosions happening at once!
  • Setting: Low. Lots of explosions in Helldivers 2! Turning particles to “Low” can really help your FPS in big fights.
• Reflection Quality: Reflections are like when you see yourself in a mirror or in water. “Low” reflection quality means reflections won’t look as detailed or might not show up as much. Reflections can make the game look prettier, but they can also be hard on your computer.
  • Setting: Low. We don’t need super fancy reflections to fight bugs and robots! “Low” is fine and will help your FPS.
• Space Quality: This setting might control how detailed the sky and space backgrounds look. “Low” space quality means the space backgrounds might be a little less detailed.
  • Setting: Low. We’re usually looking at bugs and robots, not the sky! “Low” space quality is fine.
• Ambient Occlusion: This makes corners and edges look a little darker, which can add depth and make things look more realistic. “On” is good, but “Off” can save you a little FPS.
  • Setting: On. Ambient Occlusion usually doesn’t slow things down too much and makes the game look a bit better. But if you need more FPS, try turning it off.
• Screen-Space Global Illumination (SSGI): This is a fancy lighting effect that makes light bounce around and look more realistic. But it’s also very hard on your computer!
  • Setting: Off. Turn this off for a big FPS boost! It’s one of the settings that can slow your game down the most.
• Vegetation and Rubble Density: This controls how much grass, bushes, rocks, and broken stuff (rubble) is on the ground. “High” means lots of vegetation and rubble, which can make the planets look really full and alive, but also harder for your computer to draw.
  • Setting: High. We’ll keep this at High because planets look cool with lots of stuff on them! If you need more FPS, try “Medium.”
• Terrain Quality: Terrain is the ground and hills and valleys of the planets. “Medium” terrain quality is a good balance. “High” looks a bit smoother, but “Medium” is still pretty good and easier on your computer.
  • Setting: Medium. Good balance.
• Volumetric Fog Quality: Volumetric fog is like thick, misty fog that you see in some games. “Lowest” volumetric fog quality means there will be less fog, or it won’t look as detailed. Fog can look cool, but it can also slow down your game.
  • Setting: Lowest. Less fog means more FPS!
• Volumetric Cloud Quality: Volumetric clouds are puffy, 3D clouds that look really cool in the sky. “Lowest” volumetric cloud quality means the clouds might be less detailed or not as puffy. Cool clouds are nice, but they can slow down your game.
  • Setting: Lowest. Less cloud detail for more FPS!
• Lighting Quality: This controls how detailed and realistic the lighting in the game looks. “Medium” lighting quality is a good balance. “High” lighting looks better, but “Medium” is still pretty good and easier on your computer.
  • Setting: Medium. Good balance.
• Anti-Aliasing: This smooths out jagged edges and makes lines look less blocky. “On” is good because it makes things look smoother. “Off” can make things look a bit rougher, but it can also give you a little bit of FPS.
  • Setting: On. Keep this on for smoother visuals. If you really need a tiny bit more FPS, you could try turning it off, but it’s usually better to keep it on.
• Async Compute: This is a more advanced setting that can help some computers run games better. For now, we’re going to say “No” (Off). Sometimes turning it “On” can help, but it depends on your computer. If you’re curious, you can try turning it “On” later to see if it helps, but for now, let’s keep it “Off.”
  • Setting: No (Off).

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What to Do If Your Game is Still Slow

Even with these settings, sometimes Helldivers 2 might still be a bit slow. Here are a few more things you can try:

1. Close Other Programs: Make sure you don’t have lots of other programs running on your computer while you’re playing Helldivers 2. Close internet browsers, music players, and anything else you don’t need. It’s like making sure your spaceship isn’t carrying extra stuff it doesn’t need so it can fly faster!
2. NVIDIA App Fix (If You Have an NVIDIA Graphics Card): If you have a newer NVIDIA graphics card, you might have the NVIDIA app. Sometimes, a part of this app called “Overlay” can actually slow down games a little bit.
   • To fix this, open the NVIDIA app.
   • Go to “Settings” (it might be a gear icon).
   • Find “Features” and then “Overlay.”
   • Turn off “Game Filters and Photo Mode.”
   • This can sometimes give you a little FPS boost!
3. Clear the Shader Cache: Sometimes, games save temporary files called “shaders” to help them load faster. But sometimes, these files can get messed up and actually slow things down. Clearing the shader cache is like cleaning out old, messy files so the game can start fresh.
   • Important: Ask a grown-up to help you with this part!
   • Press the Windows Key and R key at the same time. This will open a little box.
   • Type %appdata% in the box and press Enter.
   • This will open a folder. Look for a folder called “Arrowhead” and open it.
   • Inside the “Arrowhead” folder, you should see a folder called “shader_cache.” Delete this folder.
   • Don’t worry, the game will make a new, clean “shader_cache” folder the next time you play!
4. Try Different DirectX Versions (A Bit More Advanced): DirectX is like a set of tools that games use to talk to your graphics card. Helldivers 2 can use two different versions of DirectX: DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. Sometimes, one version might work better than the other on your computer.
   • Important: Ask a grown-up to help you with this!
   • Open Steam and find Helldivers 2 in your game library.
   • Right-click on Helldivers 2 and choose “Properties.”
   • In the “Properties” window, find the box that says “Launch Options.”
   • Type –d3dx11 in the box.
   • Close the “Properties” window and try playing Helldivers 2.
   • If the game runs worse or has problems, go back and remove –d3dx11 from the “Launch Options” box. This will switch it back to DirectX 12. See which one works better for you!
5. Check Your Computer Temperature (If You Know How): If your computer is getting really hot, it might slow down to protect itself. If you know how to check your computer’s temperature (sometimes there are programs that can show you this), make sure it’s not getting too hot while you’re playing. If it is, maybe take a break and let your computer cool down.
6. Try Older Graphics Drivers (Last Resort): Sometimes, new graphics drivers can have problems with certain games. If you’ve updated your drivers recently and the game started running worse, you could try going back to an older version of your drivers. This is a bit more advanced, so maybe ask a grown-up for help if you want to try this.

See also: Become a Helldivers 2 Hero: The Ultimate Gear Guide for Awesome Missions

Gameplay Settings to Make Helldivers 2 Even Better!

Besides graphics settings, there are some gameplay settings you can change to make Helldivers 2 even more fun and easier to play! These won’t make your game run faster, but they’ll make your game experience even better!

• “Gameplay” Tab Settings:
  • Remember Aim Mode: Set this to “Per Weapon.” This is super handy! If you like using the scope (sniper sight) on some weapons but not others, this will remember your preference for each weapon. No more having to zoom in and out every time!
  • Remember Weapon Functions: Set this to “Yes.” Some weapons have different firing modes (like single shot or automatic). This will remember which firing mode you were using last time you used that weapon.
  • Auto-Climb During Sprint: Set this to “No.” Sometimes, when you’re running fast and get near something you can climb, your Helldiver will automatically climb it. This can be annoying if you’re trying to run past something, not climb it! Turning this off means you’ll only climb when you want to.
• “Display” Tab Settings:
  • Vertical Field of View: Try setting this to 90. Field of View (FOV) is how much you can see around you. A higher FOV means you can see more to the sides, which can be really helpful for spotting enemies sneaking up on you! 90 is a good FOV for many players. If you make it too high, things can start to look a little stretched out (like a fish-eye lens).
  • Display Mode: Set this to “Fullscreen.” Fullscreen mode usually makes games run a little smoother and is more immersive because the game takes up your whole screen without any windows borders or other stuff around it.
  • Framerate Limit: Set this to “Off.” We want the game to run as fast as it can! If you really need to limit your FPS for some reason, it’s better to do it in your NVIDIA or AMD control panel, not in the game settings.
• “Audio” Tab Settings:
  • Voice Chat: Set this to “Push-To-Talk.” If you’re playing with friends and using voice chat, “Push-To-Talk” is much nicer for everyone else! It means your microphone will only be on when you press a button to talk. Otherwise, your teammates won’t have to hear your background noise, like your family talking or your dog barking!
• “HUD” Tab Settings:
  • Heads Up Display (HUD) Scale: Try setting this to 0.75. The HUD is all the stuff on your screen like your health, ammo, and mini-map. Making the HUD a little smaller can make it less distracting and give you a clearer view of the action!
  • Reticle Visibility: Set this to “Visible.” The reticle is the little crosshair in the middle of your screen that you use to aim. “Visible” means it will always be there, even when you’re running or not aiming down sights. This makes it easier to keep track of where you’re aiming.
  • Compass Ordinal Directions: Set this to “Visible.” This adds directions like “Northwest” and “Southeast” to your compass. This can be helpful for telling your teammates exactly where enemies are or where you want to go.
  • Map Navigation Mode: Set this to “Separated.” This makes it easier to ping locations and mark things on your mini-map without accidentally opening the big map.
• “Accessibility” Tab Settings:
  • Reticle Color: Choose a color that you like and that stands out well against the game backgrounds. A bright color can make it easier to keep your aim on enemies, especially when there are lots of explosions and action happening!
• “Mouse & Keyboard” Tab Settings:
  • Mouse Smoothing: Set this to “Off.” Mouse smoothing tries to make your mouse movements smoother, but it can actually make it harder to aim accurately in games. Turning it off gives you more direct control of your mouse.
  • Mouse Acceleration: Set this to “0.00.” Mouse acceleration makes your mouse move faster when you move it quickly, and slower when you move it slowly. This can also make aiming harder. Turning it off makes your mouse movement consistent and easier to control.
  • Toggle HUD: You can set a key to turn the HUD (all the on-screen info) on and off. The default is usually Mouse 5 (if you have a mouse with extra buttons). This is cool for taking screenshots without the HUD or for a more immersive experience if you want to play without it sometimes (though it can be harder to play without the HUD!).

Also read: Helldivers 2 Patch Update: New Gloom Bugs, Missions, and Bug Cities

See Your FPS and Ping in Helldivers 2!

Want to see how many FPS you’re getting and how good your internet connection is (ping)? Helldivers 2 has a built-in way to show you this info!

• Just press F2 or F5 while you’re in the game! One of these keys will toggle the FPS counter and other info on and off.
• You’ll see your FPS, how much VRAM (video memory) your graphics card is using, your ping (how fast your connection to the game server is), and other technical stuff.
• This is a great way to see if the settings changes you made are actually helping your FPS!

Have Fun Super Citizens!

That’s it! You’ve now learned how to tweak your PC settings in Helldivers 2 to make it run smoother, look great, and be even more fun to play! Experiment with these settings, find what works best for your computer, and get back to spreading managed democracy across the galaxy! Good luck, Helldiver!