Memorial is an emotional Helldivers 2 live-action movie that reminds players why they fight

A small group of Helldivers 2 fans created a very different kind of fan film to put out on July 4, 2024. While the game is all about spreading managed democracy and freedom, values everyone on this date across the world could get on board with, the movie instead focuses on the powerful yet subdued theme of remembrance.

The fan film is called Memorial and lasts just under 4 minutes, but it will take any Helldivers 2 player back in time to the first moment we got that fateful Major Order to head to Malevelon Creek and take it from the Automatons. We were green, unprepared for the absolute hell of those jungles, and we lost so many Helldivers fighting for it. That’s where the phrase “remember the creek” originates, and it’s what this movie is all about.

Remember the creek

Memorial features just a single solitary Helldiver as they visit Malevelon Creek 5 years after our ordeal there. It’s a desert world now, devoid of the lush jungles that made it so difficult to fight there. They arrange a few rocks and carefully place a set of dog tags on them before giving them a Helldiver salute and returning to their Superdestroyer.

We’re much more used to seeing players lean into the way Helldivers 2 pushes extreme patriotism in every part of its galaxy. It’s rare to see such a vulnerable moment picked from this universe and showcased. The only other one we’ve had is Spill it All, which looks instead at the 60 seconds a Helldiver is in its Hellpod before they’re deployed into the heart of battle.

In a way, Memorial is a spiritual successor to Spill it All. We’ve seen the moments many Helldivers went through before picking up a weapon and running through the thick overgrowth on Malevelon Creek shortly before they were mowed down by laser swords or explosive fire. Now, we’ve seen how Helldivers remember those who gave their lives on the creek so that we could push the Automtaons back and maintain freedom on Super Earth.

Memorial was created by streamer weak.links and is a moment of calm in a storm for Helldivers 2. Around the time of its release, there was a lot of talk about falling player numbers, bugs, and a lack of new content due to an upcoming summer break. The video reminds me of the best moments I’ve had with the game and the reasons I’ll keep coming back to play it, and for that, I’m thankful it was released.