Players group up in squads of four, playing across missions that cover a number of settings in Tertium, from the foundries and sprawling streets to narrow chokepoints and the gnarly underbelly. Every character has Toughness, a layer of protection above their health that recharges faster when close to other players, adding encouragement to stick together. As an example, a Veteran might use the trusty Lasguns or Autoguns, while a Psyker can just use magic to pop apart an enemy's head. Each class has different abilities and gear that help set them apart.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Gameplay and customizationīeing a first-person shooter, players use a variety of ranged and melee weapons to obliterate the hordes of cultists infesting Tertium. The developers clearly understand the nature of Warhammer 40,000 at more than a surface level, and this is some of the best commentary yet found in a game on the brutal structures that the protagonists serve. Characters comment on the seeming futility of their struggles, the exploitation of Abhumans - human mutants like the Ogryn that are deemed okay for serving the Imperium - and more.

One of many ways replaying a mission can feel fresh is through this dialog, and I found myself listening carefully whenever I noticed a new team composition. I won't spoil anything, but the already-thin narrative in the Vermintide games was much stronger than we get here.įortunately, the characters shine in spite of this, as there's an immense amount of in-game dialog on the nature of Tertium, the player characters' lives before being drafted, and how the Imperium itself works. It's a weak plot however, and you'll go vast amounts of time before getting the briefest cutscene or update, which end up feeling jarring rather than interesting. While there's an overarching plot involving suspicion of treachery among the ranks as the Inquisition attempts to take back the planet. The player is then quickly drafted, as Tertium is falling to Chaos forces loyal to Nurgle.

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