Helldivers 2 Has Its Own 'Let Me Solo Her'
In every generation there is a chosen one. One who alone will stand against the dark forces of unpredictable mobs and over-tuned bosses. "Helldivers 2" has just given us our most recent chosen one, and he's giving us flashbacks to an ancient hero from the days of "Elden Ring." 2022 was a simpler time, when most of us hadn't heard of ChatGPT and the biggest struggle gamers faced was defeating Malenia at the Haligtree in "Elden Ring." Malenia is fearsome with a sword, and her Waterfowl Dance maneuver has killed countless Tarnished who still can't understand how to parry or dodge it. Just when many players lost all hope of ever defeating Malenia, a hero known as Let Me Solo Her arose and carried basically the entire "Elden Ring" community through the boss fight.
Today, the big challenge in the gaming world is "Helldivers 2," and a player called .atasu has become the co-op hero that the world needs right now. He's been responding to distress beacons throughout the galaxy and is making a name for himself along the way. Though they're very different games, there's something about "Elden Ring" and "Helldivers 2" that makes both of them ideal places for legends to be born.
The Legend of Let Me Solo Her
Previous FromSoftware games used somewhat similar co-op mechanics to "Elden Ring," but none of them created a legend on par with Let Me Solo Her. Maybe it's because "Elden Ring" attracted more players than other FromSoft games. Maybe Malenia really is a challenge unlike anything the Soulslike genre has ever seen — or maybe the world was just more in need of a true hero than it ever had before.
Let Me Solo Her doesn't exactly look how you'd imagine a Soulslike hero would appear. He fights Malenia completely naked, save for a large clay jar on his head. His name lets players know his intention the moment they summon him in for help, and as the host Tarnished stands back, Let Me Solo Her typically brings Melania down swiftly, all while deftly dodging her Waterfowl Dance. In the early days of "Elden Ring," Tarnished at the Haligtree would often find Let Me Solo Her's summon sign waiting, and he would wordlessly slaughter the boss for anyone who asked. The player was spoken of in whispers until we learned that Let Me Solo Her was a YouTuber named Klein Tsuboi, and his name was marked down in the annals of gaming history.
A new Helldivers hero rises
"Helldivers 2" lacks the epic hair-pulling bosses of "Elden Ring," but it more than makes up for that with scores of bugs and Automatons that can slay even the most experienced divers. Heroes are born out of adversity, and the raging war in "Helldivers" has inspired one player to go above and beyond the call of duty. He calls himself .atasu, and after mastering the game for himself, he's taken to spending his time responding to SOS beacons dropped by other players.
In an interview with IGN, .atasu explained his motivation behind seeking out divers in need: "I remember being a cadet and trying to figure out how to kill a Charger. Now if I see someone struggling with something, I try to reach out and help them." Unlike Let Me Solo Her, .atasu doesn't insist on handling missions alone. He carries teams when needed, but also tries to hand out powerful gear and solid gameplay tips. He'll even slow down to teach new players some of the mechanics that they haven't figured out yet.
However, .atasu doesn't have a perfect record, and he also relies on the kindness of strangers from time to time. "I want to clarify, I'm not flawless," he told IGN. "I usually kill myself with my Scorcher a few times per operation. And the best thing is when someone you came to help aids you and saves you from a Bile Titan that suddenly appears behind you."
Co-op builds community in Helldivers 2
He may already be on his way to legendary status, but .atasu isn't resting on his laurels. "Helldivers 2" is constantly dishing out new challenges to players, so even as a pro diver, .atasu can be as surprised as the rest of us by the big ongoing changes coming to the game. Even so, he's still out there seeking divers in need, as seen in a Reddit thread celebrating his hero status.
What is it about games like "Helldivers" and "Elden Ring" that creates these gaming legends? Obviously there needs to be some kind of cooperative element for people to interact, but the difficulty level is also part of the formula. If people were able to breeze through either game's content, Let Me Solo Her and .atasu wouldn't have had opportunities to become heroes. Not every game needs to be brutally difficult, but when a game lets players work together to overcome massive challenges, worthwhile stories are bound to emerge.