Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Reviews
I am sorry that the game has come out so stripped of content, with such a marked service game philosophy, and with so many polishing problems, and especially performance, that make it practically unplayable on Steam Deck, where by the way it is not yet available. verified. Although I should almost say thank you for being able to try it on the Deck, since Vermintide isn't even playable on Valve's handheld yet. Something I don't understand because if games like God of War (2018), Death Stranding, Red Dead Redemption II or Elden Ring, to mention a few recent ones, work without problems, why can't I play the fantastic FatShark titles properly? That's why I think it's best to leave it in the fridge for a while, and give it a second chance when it hits consoles, where I'm sure we'll already have a more stable version, and with more things to do.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
While it wasn’t what I expected, Darktide still does Warhammer 40k well, which is all many fans of the franchise could have asked for. While it could stand to improve in some places, I believe Darktide is fundamentally a good game that many players will enjoy, and given time may improve on many of its faults.
If you enjoyed Fatshark’s previous projects on Vermintide and its sequel, or you’re just an overall Warhammer 40K fan, then you will feel right at home with Darktide. As long as you can dig past the rough state the game is in right now with unfinished content and performance issues, then there’s truly an addictive and satisfying cooperative horde shooter lying underneath all those corpses.
Warhammer 40,000 Darktide is still not the production that miniatures game enthusiasts and Vermintide lovers were expecting. In what is the core of the gameplay experience, the slaughter of hordes of enemies, it works just fine, and diving into that riot of death leads to a macabre ecstasy. Lacking, however, is an adequate structure to support the ludics: too slender progression, poor variety of missions, questionable solutions implemented in the two stores.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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!
Overall, Fatshark’s latest four person co-op, first person shooter, and hack and slash Darktide is a blast. The modifications to the core gameplay design from Vermintide and Vermintide 2, as well as the support to fix unforeseen issues, continue to show Fatshark’s stride for creating great gameplay experiences.
Overall then, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has the makings of an incredible Warhammer 40k game – the gameplay loop is excellent, with the visual and sound design to match. Unfortunately, a lot of other aspects of the game do mar the experience somewhat, and it does feel unfinished in some areas. That being said, if Fatshark can build and improve upon the existing content, there is potentially a very special game here in future.
[Warhammer 40K Darktide] is clearly 2022's best feel-good multiplayer group game with dark humour, carnage, and accents aplenty, evolving from Vermintide in all the right and satisfying ways.
Fatshark has ruled the co-op horde game for years, but I find aspects of the game lacking or not as enjoyable as it should be. Darktide has a strong core to build upon, and so thankfully Fatshark has earned enough goodwill over the years that I trust this’ll only get better over time. Knowing Warhammer is not a requisite to enjoy what’s here, anyone will be able to play this and embrace the chaos. As it stands today, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has more than enough content in classes, weapons, and mission to enjoy, and it’s clear that the best is yet to come.
Even as omnipresent as Darktide‘s technical woes are, it’s the exhilarating thrill of a mission run that shines most brightly in my mind when I think about my experience with it. Even on low graphics settings, shining your rifle’s underslung torch down a dark corridor, only to see a horde of Poxwalkers glaring back at you before your whole squad unloads on them, provides an utterly giddying rush.
Hilarious banter, ridiculous fights, a great mission structure, and satisfying progression show that Fatshark is only getting better. Being available day one on Game Pass for PC means no one, either alone or with friends should pass on giving this one a go.
It is hard to translate just how satisfying it feels to tear through a horde of heathens in Darktide as its thunderous soundtrack plays to words. The best way to do so seems to be simply saying that it is spot-on enough to surely please any fan of Warhammer or horde shooters. Darktide is a Primarch amongst Warhammer games, and it serves the corpse emperor admirably.
Developer Fatshark’s newest outing builds upon the great foundation of its work on Vermintide. Darktide offers a refined and evolved co-op experience with expanded, thrilling combat and more robust customization. While a lack of an engaging story and network issues hamper its potential, this co-op shooter still offers one of the best Warhammer games I've seen in recent years.