Fighting hordes of enemies in a survival game is fun, but it’s even better when you can play it with your friends or other players. That’s the idea behind Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, a new game that lets you fight against hordes of enemies in a squad co-op mode. The game is made by the same developers who made the Warhammer: Vermintide 2 and it has many similarities on it, but with the latest Fatshark’s Darktide follow-up they’ve taken the best elements of their previous games and combined them in a fresh, RPG-ish player progression, combat and gory survival game.
The game takes place in the hive city of Tertium in the planet Atoma Prime, where you will take the role of a prisoner who is caught in the middle of an invasion by the armies of Chaos god Nurgle and was able to save Explicator Zola. As a result, you were freed and commissioned to serve the throne as a conscript, proving yourself trustworthy by completing different missions. Darktide offers a compelling narrative experience by featuring cinematic cutscenes that help you feel like you’re part of the action.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is set to keep players engaged with its ever-evolving content. With each new season, players can look forward to new mission maps to explore and conquer. This ensures that the game remains fresh and exciting, giving players something new to look forward to each season.
Although Warhammer 40,000 : Darktide has been released on November 30th, Steam will still be giving out pre-purchase rewards within first week of launch. (i.e 1/12/2022 – 7/12/2022, Player who purchase darktide will stil get the pre-purchase rewards) including avatar frames and accessories and other limited edition items too.
Choose among the four classes
When you start playing, you choose one of the four classes: Veteran Sharpshooter, Psyker Psykinetic, Zealot Preacher and Ogryn Skullbreaker. Each class has different types of skills and specialized weapons.
The Sharpshooter is a ranged combat specialist who can remain at a distance while bringing firepower against high-priority targets and is good at headshots. It can quickly wield its melee weapon like shovel and smash enemies to pieces.
The Psyker is akin to the wizard from a fantasy game, using magic to attack and control enemies. It can use area of effect (AOE) magic attacks and single-target spells to help with crowd control, especially when faced with massive waves of enemies.
The Ogryn is a tough warrior and the squad’s tank; its size and weaponry are akin to those of Ogre monsters. It is equipped with a powerful shotgun and melee weapon for up-close combat. In some situations, the Ogryn can use its distracting ability to thwart your opponents while your allies focus on objectives. However, he has the lowest movement speed.
The Zealot is the holy warrior of your squad and an aggressive close-combat that deals high damage. Its health is tied to its combat, so the more damage it inflicts, the more speed and power it can wield against the enemies. With a combat axe and auto pistol at his disposal, it’s ready to wreak havoc on its foes!
Each of the four classes has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. You’ll need to learn how to use each one effectively in order to succeed in the co-op PvE horde slayer Darktide.
In addition to selecting their character’s class, Players can choose where their character is born and what historical events shaped that character’s life and why it becomes a prisoner.
Player Customization
Every game has a certain appeal to it, and Darktide is no exception. If you’re looking for an immersive, customizable experience with an emphasis on character building and deep combat, then the game has it.
Darktide gives players a vast range of options when it comes to customizing their characters. From body type to tattoos and scars, you can shape your avatar’s appearance as you see fit. You can also choose the voice for your character, which will be heard in-game and reflect his personality.
The first step in customizing your character is picking what kind of body type you want your character to have, a male or female. Next up is choosing which face shape your character has or if they have a scar or not. You can also choose whether they have any facial tattoos and what color their eyes should be and hairstyles.
After choosing all these features, you can also choose what type of personality they have which affects how they react during gameplay – whether they are friendly or aggressive towards other players or special events. This adds some extra variety to how each playthrough feels different compared to others since every character feels unique due to these factors alone!
Your final step will be putting on some clothes—but since you are a prisoner of the imperium there are no fancy clothes here for you, but only a prison uniforms that comes in various colors.
Training
New players are guided through the tutorial phase ensuring that everyone knows the basics and understands the combat before venturing out on their own.
After the cutscene in which you save Zola, you will arrive at the MourningStar. There you will begin your day as a conscript. Your first task is to complete a training tutorial under the supervision of Sefoni at the Psykhanium. The tutorial introduces basic to advanced concepts such as aiming with a gun and attacking with melee weapons up to more complex attacks and special skills.
Then, there is the additional training where it teaches more techniques such as marking the targets, dodging attacks, completing objectives and using med stations.
However, there are some mechanics in the game that cannot be found on the training area such as rescuing downed squad members and healing them.
Your New Home
Once you’re ready to explore the world of Warhammer, as a new recruit, you will arrived at the MorningStar. This social hub allows you to interact with other players, as well as access various NPC shops. You can purchase items and equipment with in-game currency, change your appearance, get special mission reward items, and accept missions at the Mission Terminal. All of these features make MorningStar as your new home and an essential part of the Warhammer 40,000: Darktide experience.
New recruits to the game start at Level 1 and must complete missions to gain experience points and increase their level. Missions come in various difficulties, ranging from Sedition (Easy) to Damnation (Very very Hard), with each higher difficulty unlocking new maps. Players can expect to take on a variety of objectives, from taking out a target to completing a team effort task. As they progress through the game, they will gain experience points that will help them increase their level and unlock new content.
Fatshark has gone to great lengths to ensure that players don’t become bored with the same missions and maps. By introducing modifiers for each difficulty and map, they have given players a new experience. For example, on Malice difficulty, players will face more hordes of enemies and additional tasks, making the game more challenging. This ensures that players will have a unique experience each time they play, and keeps the game fresh and exciting.
The Mission Begins
When you begin your first mission, you will be matched up with other players in the lobby and then sent off using a spacecraft that also serves as a loading screen and a briefing story about your mission. During the open beta, matchmaking a game is quick and you’ll be able to enter into two scenarios: either into a matchmaking lobby or appeared in the middle of an existing game. If there are not enough players, you’ll be temporarily placed on a team with bots until it is filled with players. All of that means no more frustrating run-ins with quitters!
As soon as you disembark from the ship, you are immediately immersed in the hostile and greedy world of Warhammer 40,000. The map is expansive, giving you plenty of opportunities to explore and learn the terrain. However, the enemies are never far away and will quickly close in on you, forcing you to take action. This creates an exciting and challenging experience that will keep you coming back for more. With its huge map and intense combat, this game is sure to provide hours of entertainment.
The graphics in this game are truly remarkable. With a GTX 1080, the game runs smoothly on medium settings, and the game automatically optimizes the settings for the best possible experience. The visuals are stunning and the game plays incredibly well on a 2016 graphics card.
The gameplay mechanics are pretty straight forward and vary on the mission, you always face hordes of enemies that come right at your squad on its linear and wide game. In some cases, you have to clear out infested areas and hold your line of defense until elevators open or tasks are completed. To aid them in their mission, players can find med stations throughout the game where they can replenish their health and crate boxes that provide ammunition and other items necessary for survival.
Engaging in combat with the hordes of enemies in this game is incredibly satisfying. The responsiveness of the controls makes it feel like you are really smashing your enemies with powerful attacks. Every weapon and ability has its own unique feel, adding to the overall enjoyment of the game. The developers have done an excellent job of making sure that your attacks feel powerful and impactful.
Hordes of enemies come in groups, each with their own unique abilities that can make them a formidable force. Gunners, for example, are usually positioned at a distance and use machine guns or sniper rifles to take out your squad members. Others wield flamethrowers or grenades, while some have thick armor that makes them difficult to defeat. If you hear a distinct sound, be ready! These enemies can be a real challenge, especially if you’re caught off guard by the hound that pins your squad members down, or the trapper that fires nets that catch players in an instant. The mutant is even worse–it grabs one of your teammates and smashes them repeatedly into the ground before hurling them across the area! With so many enemies to face, you’ll need to be prepared for anything if you want to survive.
The game features a variety of mini bosses and bosses, each of which requires a unique approach to defeat. The take down mission, for example, is particularly challenging, as players must use their skills and strategies to overcome the powerful enemies.
If you are shot while in the midst of a massive hordes, your teammates can always rescue you from being a captive so that you can get back into the game.
Additionally, the game also includes missions that require teamwork, such as connecting batteries, restoring water supply, securing a consignment yard, and destroying pathogens. These missions are sure to test players’ coordination and communication skills, making for an exciting and rewarding experience.
The mission will conclude with rewards, whether or not you’ve completed the mission. Each squad member will receive a piece of their cake. You can collect a certain amount of experience needed to level up your recruit. If you cleanly swipe the mission’s secondary objectives, you’ll receive bonus experience too. You also receive gold coins “Ordo”, Plastiel and Diamantine which are used to purchase weapons and upgrades.
Weapons
In the open beta, players had access to 74 different weapons, ranging from swords and shovels to pistols and machine guns, as well as explosives and magical attacks like Force Staff.
Each weapon has its own rating, but this doesn’t necessarily equate to higher damage. Instead, the effectiveness of each weapon depends on its stats, such as damage and mobility. As players progress, they can level up their character and choose from a variety of weapons.
Abilities, Perks and Auras
Aside from weapons, Warhammer 40,000 Darktide has 4 types of special abilities that players can use at their disposal: Iconic, Blitz, Ability and Aura.
Each class has its unique ability that you can use to enhance either your focus, movement speed, critical hit or many more. These abilities usually cooldown when used. The Iconic on the other hand is your passive skill that grants attributes to your character. While, the blitz is like a grenade button that is refillable during the mission and lastly, the Aura gives additional bonuses to the squad.
Final Thought
I think Warhammer 40,000: Darktide achieves its goals of providing an intense and thrilling co-op experience. The game features a variety of enemies and weapons to choose from, as well as a deep and engaging story. The graphics are stunning and the combat is fast-paced and responsive. The RPG-like elements add an extra layer of depth to the game, allowing players to customize their characters and progress through the game. The cutscenes are also well-crafted and add to the overall atmosphere of the game.
The game does have some flaws, however. I got disconnected to the game several times but was able to get back to the game without problem, thanks for its “Reconnection”.
Overall, I would recommend Warhammer 40,000: Darktide to anyone looking for a fun and intense co-op experience. The game has a lot to offer and is sure to provide hours of entertainment.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is available on Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1361210/Warhammer_40000_Darktide/.