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0 Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is the latest offering from game developers Fatshark released on 30th November 2022. The devs have had success previously with best-selling and award-winning Vermintide. Here however you are flung into a dystopian world full of corruption and war. The game sees you take the role of a repurposed prison escapee thrown into serving the army, who are fighting off a heretical cult known as the Admonition.
STOP…..HAMMER TIME!
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide’s main feature is teaming up with others to work together in a multiplayer co-op style of gameplay. I find myself gravitating towards this style of gameplay. I love where games feature a more co-op style of gameplay as opposed to the PVP games such as Warzone. Do you enjoy co-op games like this? If so, leave a comment below with your favourite games.
Gameplay
Warhammer, from the off, feeds you the plot which you can’t help but get caught up in due to a great intro and voice-over work. You are told the story of how Tertium is falling due to a relentless attack by a heretical cult known as the Admonition. Through clever character creation, your protagonist is built from the ground up. From beliefs, origins, style and importantly you get to choose your class. The four options given to you are Sharpshooter specialising in ranged combat, Psykinetic who excels in special attacks, Peacher who has strength in melee and Skullbreaker, an oversized brute who is good versus hordes.
Your starting point is prison. You discover the reasons why in character customisation. Soon, however, fate in the form of a lucky explosion means you are free to escape. Here you learn the ropes and controls which were easy to get to grips with. You are soon recruited to fight for the city that incarcerated you. They see promise in you and quickly give you the arsenal and tools to use against the relentless tide of enemies soon to be thrown at you. The hub/headquarters is where combatants can buy and rank up their items. Here a giant mission table is located, similar to that of Marvel’s Avengers, where you can choose battles based on difficulty.
You are given a selection of battle areas. Once chosen you are teamed up with three others and thrown into the mission are. These are often a dark industrial area with gangways and tunnels. You and your team are given missions to progress towards. These range from scanning areas to clearing out the sector of all enemies. Shortly after setting off towards these missions the game throws the enemies at you and then some. Here you and your team have to hack, slash and shoot your way viscerally through them to advance towards your goals. Upon completing each mission you are granted XP and given currency. With this wealth you can buy new gear and cosmetics to make your combat look even more epic. As you earn enough in-game currency more and more advanced weaponry and armour are opened up for you giving you the incentive to keep battling through the areas again and again.
Graphics & Audio
The visual style is part industrial and part fantasy. For anyone familiar with the Warhammer series this style will resonate with them a lot. The levels you enter are full of metal tunnels, gangways, and expansive areas. These areas are often lit by glowing chemicals and molten metal giving the industrial feel another level as you progress through them.
The score of the game evokes the same kind of feel as the visuals being a cross between industrial rock and fantasy with an added orchestra. I found the music almost primal with a constant beat encouraging and leading you into battle. The voiceover work was strange at first with many of the characters sounding like they were from Yorkshire or London but you got used to it as they were often drowned out by the intense action and fighting.
Longevity
The nature of the game means a serious amount of time can be spent hacking and slashing through the hoards through many battle areas given to you in various difficulties. The grind for that sweet improved gear both visually and power/defence means you are enticed to replay many areas until you gain enough in-game currency to purchase them. The varying set of challenges means the missions never get too boring and you always feel challenged by whatever the game throws at you.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent with this game. Its immersive surroundings, sounds and action made you feel in the thick of the action. The graphics were extremely detailed. The sound was fitting with the feel of the game. The voice acting was great and so were the animations by all of the characters. It could be overwhelming at times with constant hordes being thrown at you. This just meant teamwork and sticking together were vital for survival and completing the levels. It may not be for some, however. I tend not to choose these types of games but I do appreciate them. For those who like the visceral action given by games like Doom Eternal, Metal: Hellsinger, and Vermintide this game is for you. With updates and additions planned for the game by the developers, it’s well worth getting if you have been meaning to for a while.
I award Warhammer 40,000: Darktide the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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