GamesFPSWarhammer 40,000: DarktideSpace Marine 2 is an excellent intro to Warhammer 40,000, but Darktide just got one of its best updates yet and might be even better than crushing TyranidsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesFPSWarhammer 40,000: DarktideSpace Marine 2 is an excellent intro to Warhammer 40,000, but Darktide just got one of its best updates yet and might be even better than crushing TyranidsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Fatshark)
Like a lot of people, I spent most of my September soaked in virtual Tyranid viscera and the warp-scorched ashes of the Thousand Sons inSpace Marine 2. As a Warhammer 40,000 fan, it’s been excellent to see not only the hulking Adeptus Astartes and their foes realized so faithfully with meaty and challenging combat, but also the critical and commercial success, which was far beyond what I thought was possible for a 40K game.
But, while it has set a high standard for Warhammer games going forward as ourSpace Marine 2 reviewsays, some glaring issues mean it’s just not quite holding my attention in the way I hoped it would – missions are long and there aren’t many of them, enemy variety is lacking, and it all just feels far too repetitive. And that has quickly led me back to Fatshark’s far scrappier Darktide, which I think is thoroughly deserving of another look-in since it just got one of its greatest updates yet.
Nobody expects the Emperor’s Inquisition
(Image credit: Fatshark)
Break it to make it(Image credit: Saber Interactive)Space Marine 2 directors on defying trends to find success: “Somebody was willing to take that risk instead of making another battle royale”
Break it to make it
(Image credit: Saber Interactive)Space Marine 2 directors on defying trends to find success: “Somebody was willing to take that risk instead of making another battle royale”
(Image credit: Saber Interactive)
Space Marine 2 directors on defying trends to find success: “Somebody was willing to take that risk instead of making another battle royale”
For the uninitiated, Darktide is a Left 4 Dead-like horde FPS also set in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. But instead of taking on the role of an armor-clad Space Marine, planet-hopping to carve up xenos filth and your traitorous brethren, you’re an utterly expendable asset serving the secretive Inquisition, deployed against a plague-ridden cult of Chaos worshippers.
Every mission pits you against unending legions of zombie-like poxwalkers, corrupted soldiers of the Astra Militarum, and monstrous Chaos beasts hellbent on overrunning the hive city of Tertium. Facing these foes means every mission is absolute carnage in the best possible way, and that’s what has kept me and my friends coming back to Darktide over the last year.
(Image credit: Fatshark)
With the recent Unlocked and Loaded update, developer Fatshark has made some excellent quality-of-life improvements to the game, freeing up weapon customization and substantially cutting out the loot casino aspects that made the game feel previously quite unrewarding. New players will obviously know nothing of the pre-weapon mastery system days, but this a blessing for any returning players who tired of spending all their ordo dockets and plasteel on what were effectively weapon slot machines.
Both new recruits and veteran players will have an absolute blast in the new Rolling Steel mission, which sees you battling your way along a colossal runaway train bound for friendly reinforcements. It takes just 10 minutes – a big step down from the usual 25-35-minute Darktide missions – but you’ll spend about 95% of that time fighting for your life with almost no time to catch your breath. Even if the hordes temporarily thin out, there are bombs to defuse and an overbearing timer that you’ve got to beat, turning an already tough mission into a tense race against the clock, making for one of the game’s most exciting offerings.
Fully Loaded
(Image credit: Fatshark)
Nurgle’s reign continues(Image credit: Focus Entertainment)While everyone is busy killing Tyranids in Space Marine 2, I’m bringing the stink as Nurgle’s number one Bulwark in PVP
Nurgle’s reign continues
(Image credit: Focus Entertainment)While everyone is busy killing Tyranids in Space Marine 2, I’m bringing the stink as Nurgle’s number one Bulwark in PVP
(Image credit: Focus Entertainment)
While everyone is busy killing Tyranids in Space Marine 2, I’m bringing the stink as Nurgle’s number one Bulwark in PVP
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It also doesn’t help thatSpace Marine 2 Operationscan be gratingly dry in a lot of places. While each environment and object is a visual treat and captures the spectacular scale of the Imperium, I can’t help but find its characters rather boring. I’ve played a lot of the Assault class, and I’m so tired of hearing Vespasius talking about how he wants to send cherubs to his brothers, or how he’d make a great chaplain because of how devoted he is.
(Image credit: Fatshark)
Of course, I’d be remiss to forget that getting Darktide to this high point has been a long road after a disappointing launch that no doubt quickly turned off many players. Continued support and new updates mean Darktide finally feels like it’s in a complete state, but taking almost two years to reach this point hasn’t been ideal. On the other hand, Space Marine 2, despite my gripes, is a solid foundation to work from that has done immense good for Warhammer 40K in general.
At this point, it seems that fans of the grim-dark setting are almost spoiled for choice. While there’s a lot that these two horde shooters can learn from each other, they’re undoubtedly two of thebest Warhammer gamesyou can play right now, and with developers committed to improving and expanding what they offer, I can’t wait to see how these games evolve.
Space Marine 2 and Darktide are both superb horde shooters but can they contend with theundisputed best zombie horde shooter Left 4 Dead 2?
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