Warhammer 40K: Darktide was revealed for the very first time during an Xbox showcase event all the way back in July of 2020. Given the success of the first two Warhammer: Vermintide games, it seemed like a no-brainer that Fatshark would continue to build upon this massively popular Warhammer fantasy series in new and exciting ways.
During Summer Games Fest earlier this month, I finally had an opportunity to get my hands on Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, and was absolutely blown away by how much fun the entire experience was. With a release date of September 13th already set for Xbox Series X/S and PC, Darktide seems poised to be one of the best co-op games this Fall. Here are more of my thoughts on what to expect from Fatshark’s latest title.
The Rise of the Rejects
Warhammer 40K: Darktide could be best described as a first-person action multiplayer game. The story revolves around a squad of Inquisitorial Agents visiting the planet Atoma Prime to investigate a suspected Chaos infiltration. With a story written by Dan Abnett, Fatshark is keeping the core narrative aspects close to their vest and didn’t reveal any juicy info about this during my demo session.
Much like Vermintide, Darktide is meant to be played among four players cooperatively in order to complete objectives and eliminate endless hordes of enemies. When it comes to characters, you do have the ability to customize your class, appearance, and gender. The four classes that we got to choose from in the demo are listed below:
- The Zealot – An inquisitorial acolyte type with a bowl cut, a power hammer, and a scroll down their front
- The Veteran – An Imperial Guard stormtrooper with a gas mask and lasgun
- The Ogryn – toting a massive slug gun and a cutlass
- The Psyker – A hooded, warp-powered psyker, who needs no equipment – their mind is a weapon.
During my extended demo session, I tried out The Veteran class. This character was described as a bit of a loose cannon with a very accurate lasgun to deal the most damage. All classes have a regenerating shield that’s helpful for healing but there are also health packs and powerups that you can acquire from fallen enemies.
Graphically, this game looked very impressive on PC and the gore really brought things up another notch. The level that I played through was appropriately designed to match the dark demeanor of the harsh and unforgiving world on which it was based. I’m very curious to try out the other classes and explore more levels once the final build drops.
When playing Darktide, it’s essential that you properly communicate with your teammates and stay together to achieve the most success. During my demo session, this was a critical part of the experience as I noticed whenever I wandered off for too long, I was instantly swarmed by enemies.
Melee attacks are very effective in close-quarters combat scenarios while ranged attacks are also beneficial when taking out incoming enemies. The carnage and chaos that you endure in these encounters are absolutely exhilarating and will keep you coming back for more.
While my hands-on time with Darktide was short, I walked away very satisfied and believe this title will garner a lot of attention this Fall. One lingering question I did ask the devs was whether or not this game will have crossplay capabilities.
This currently isn’t confirmed so we will have to wait and see if they explore this option down the road. Either way, if you are looking for an intense action game to play with your friends later this year then Warhammer 40K: Darktide has got you covered.
Are any of you planning on picking up Warhammer 40K: Darktide when it launches in September? Please feel free to let us know your thoughts on the game and more in the comments section below.
