Warhammer 40,000has the unique privilege of being one of the most iconic board game and video game franchises out there, with hordes of loyal fans and a multitude of critically acclaimed and commercially successful games to go along with it.Warhammer 40Khas featured dozens of games, spanning across multiple genres, meaning there’s something in there for nearly everyone.
The vast and expansive Sci-Fi fantasy world ofWarhammerhas a lot to offer to newcomers, be it fans of the books or tabletop games, or just newcomers who want to see what the hype is all about. While the franchise is very established in certain gaming genres, it has branched out to the likes of hack-and-slash, turn-based strategy, and first-person shooters as well. With the diversity of this historic franchise in mind, here are a fewWarhammergames spread across multiple genres that are ideal for newcomers or players who aren’t longtime fans of the universe.
This is the latest (and easiest) suggestion for newcomers to the Warhammer 40K universe.Space Marines 2has only just come out — and to massive critical and fan praise.Space Marines 2is a unique blend of hack-and-slash, action RPG, and third-person shooter mechanics. It does a lot of things, and it does them quite well.Space Marines 2has effortless and extremely satisfying combat that anyone can jump into, as well as a variety of multiplayer and co-op modes for players to check out.
The game has a strong combat system with tons of weapon diversity and satisfying gameplay. The customization options are incredible for any RPG game in this day and age. Despite being a sequel more than a decade in the making,players can jump right intoSpace Marine 2without having touched the first game. For newcomers looking to understand the world ofWarhammer 40k,Space Marine 2delivers a solid, straightforward, and well executed story for prospective fans to check out.
A Throwback Game With A Warhammer Twist
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Play as Malum Caedo, a fearless Space Marine, on his perilous mission to locate a shard from a mysterious power source on Graia, a Forge World on the brink of being overrun by Cultists, Traitors and Chaos Daemons. Scour the place, acquire devastating weapons and holy equipment, and PURGE THE HERETICS in this retro shooter!Become the ultimate warrior of the Imperium, wielding your deadly arsenal to explore the violent and iconic Warhammer 40,000 universe. Dominate the battlefield with the awesome firepower and heavy metal of a Space Marine’s devastating weapons, as you battle against the Chaos Space Marines and Daemons.Take control of the mighty Malum Caedo– along with his faithful servo-skull – and plunge headlong into your mission on Graia. Retrieve the Power Source fragment on the Forge World and cleanse the archenemy from its surface! Roam through bastions, cathedrals, corrupted canyons, hellish furnaces and war-torn environments.Dive into a visceral combat experience, complete with viciously satisfying gunplay, high mobility and buckets of blood to reward your skills. Rely on your indomitable chainsword to eviscerate your enemies. Dash, jump and slice the foulest heretics across the galaxy! Unlock new deadly weapons like the Shotgun, Meltagun or Heavy Bolter and equip yourself with different types of devastating grenades. Show no mercy!
Boltgunis a nostalgia-driven FPS game in a similar vein toDoom. The most impressive thing about this game is how the retro-style visuals have been executed. The colors are vibrant and eye-catching, and the graphical style blends into the game beautifully. For newcomers or those wary of the denseWarhammer 40,000lore, this game has a simple, somewhat barebones story that is easy to get into.
Boltgunfeatures tons of cool weapons that feel unique and are fun to use. There’s actual weight to the combat, and enemies aren’t just bullet sponges. The game isn’t exactly hard, but it’s filled to the brim with action and swarms of enemies for players to gun down in service to the Imperium. WhileBoltgundoesn’t exactly tread new waters,it’s an excellent boomer shooterblended into the40Kuniverse in a commendable fashion, and FPS fans are sure to enjoy it as their first foray into the franchise.
Darktideis similar in concept toWarhammer: Vermintide 2,with the biggest differences being how the game is enshrined in the 40K universe through its narrative — and how players can fully customize their characters, rather than customizing a preset class. InDarktide,players can team up with up to 3 friends to take on swarms of infested enemies. The game involves the player joining the Inquisition atop the Mourningstar and attempting to fight back against a chaotic plague.
Barraging through hundreds of enemies with an incredible soundtrack playing in the background alongside a couple of friends is an amazing experience, and while the game isn’t too complex, it does the basics very well. Moreover, it’s super easy for any newcomer to the series to jump into as the game doesn’t rely on any previous knowledge of the40Kuniverse, nor is it a direct sequel to anything.
For fans of the strategy or turn-based strategy genres,Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicusis the best game for newcomers to try out, especially considering the recent announcement of a sequel coming up soon. Players take control of a squad of tech priests that they can heavily customize, in terms of items, weapons, and their role in the squad. The story revolves around this elusive faction that has beenwell characterized and is deeply enjoyable.
The combat is polished to a fine shine, and there are tons of different missions, each with their own unique map design coupled with some great visuals and an incredible soundtrack to tie it all together. Unfortunately,Mechanicusis perhaps a bit too simple for a strategy game. If players get the right skills early on, the game can be very easy, with the fun diverting from tactical nuance to satisfaction at just steamrolling every enemy. Despite this one caveat, it’s a solid game for fans of the genre — or for newcomers looking to dip their toes in the world ofWarhammer 40,000.
A Brilliant Strategy Game
Warhammer 40k: Dawn Of War 2
With a focus on fast-action RTS gameplay, Dawn of War II brings to life the science fiction universe of Warhammer 40,000 like never before. Experience the intimate brutality of battle as you play through your chosen race’s epic campaign. Clash with the enemies on battlefield ablaze with visceral melee and ranged combat. Lead and develop your squads from raw recruits into the most battle hardened veterans in the galaxy.Brutal Frontline Action & Tactics: Get straight into the action to experience intense melee and devastating ranged combat. Use vicious melee sync-kills to obliterate your enemies. Outsmart your opponents using dynamic and destructible environments to suppress, flank and destroy your foes.Non-Linear Single Player Campaign: Command an elite strike force, developing the skills and abilities of your squads and commander as you progress through the game.Co-Op Multiplayer: Play through the entire single player campaign co-operatively with a friend, at any point in the game, anytime.Bespoke RTS Engine: Utilizing Relic’s proprietary Essence Engine 2.0 Dawn of War II delivers cinematic visuals, detailed graphics and amazing special effects.
Dawn of War 2made the controversial decision to remove some important features from the original game. However, it proved to be the right call as the game is considered one of the best under theWarhammer 40Kumbrella. Playing as the Space Marines, players can fight through multiple interplanetary campaigns in this real-time strategic setting. WhileDawn of War 2doesn’t feature any base buildings, it makes up for it through a litany of other RTS features: a variety of different game modes, including co-op and multiplayer, fourdifferent army factions, and dozens of hours of content to boot.
Dawn of War 2is anexcellent RTS gamethat interweaves a fantasticWarhammer 40,000story with some classic, polished RTS gameplay. Players, as always, have access to tons of customization options, weapon variety, armor pieces, and items to go around for the whole army. Coupled with a deep skill system and the game’s large scale, it’s very easy to sink dozens and dozens of hours into this game.Dawn of War 2is a great game regardless of theWarhammer 40Kmoniker, and one well worth trying out to this day for anyone even remotely interested in this grimdark setting.
