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Warhammer 40,000: Darktide plunges players into the brutal, visceral world of the 41st millennium, not as superhuman Space Marines or commanding generals, but as ordinary soldiers within the Astra Militarum, the Imperium’s vast galactic defense force. This shift in perspective offers a refreshingly grounded experience within the established lore. But does this new approach deliver? After extensive playtime, this review explores the exhilarating highs and frustrating lows of Darktide.

Exhilarating Combat in a Grimdark World

Darktide shines brightest in its core gameplay. Players choose from four distinct classes: the psyker, veteran sharpshooter, ogryn, and zealot preacher. Each boasts unique skills, talent trees, and attributes, allowing for diverse playstyles. The veteran excels at ranged combat, the psyker wields warp powers, the zealot thrives in melee, and the ogryn acts as a powerful tank. This character-driven approach, reminiscent of Fatshark’s previous title, Warhammer: Vermintide 2, successfully injects personality into the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, fostering a connection between the player and their created character.

Veteran Sharpshooter aiming down sights

The gameplay itself is a refined evolution of the Left 4 Dead formula, perfected in Vermintide. Teams of four players embark on missions into enemy territory, fighting hordes of heretical rebels and grotesque Chaos monsters. The level design perfectly captures the oppressive atmosphere of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with dimly lit industrial complexes and towering gothic structures. The pacing masterfully blends moments of tense exploration with explosive encounters against overwhelming enemy forces.

The visceral feel of combat is undeniably satisfying. Gunplay is impactful, psychic powers are visually stunning, and melee combat is brutal and effective. Every swing, shot, and ability feels weighty and powerful.

Intense melee combat against hordes of enemies

Leveling up unlocks new skills and equipment, creating a compelling gameplay loop. The drive to become stronger and tackle harder challenges is a powerful motivator. Unlike Vermintide, Darktide’s class synergy, while important, doesn’t feel overly restrictive, offering more flexibility in team composition. This relaxed approach adds to the overall accessibility and enjoyment.

Technical Issues and Frustrating Design Choices

Despite its strengths, Darktide is plagued by technical issues and questionable design choices. Crashes to desktop are frequent occurrences, disrupting the flow of gameplay. While some gameplay bugs, like the toughness issue affecting veteran and zealot classes, have been addressed in recent patches, others persist.

A group of players fighting a horde

The enemy spawning system is particularly problematic. Enemies frequently appear out of thin air, directly in front of, beside, or even behind players, breaking immersion and creating unfair scenarios. This illogical spawning behavior contrasts sharply with the more carefully designed systems of games like Left 4 Dead.

Acquiring new weapons is also unnecessarily convoluted. The in-game shop’s inventory refreshes every hour with a random selection of items. This forces players to wait extended periods for the desired weapon to appear, only to potentially be disappointed by the random nature of the system.

A player inspecting their weapon

A crafting system was promised but remains absent at launch. This missing feature feels like a significant omission, particularly given its prominence in pre-release marketing. In its place, a cosmetic shop using real-world currency has been implemented. While cosmetic microtransactions are not inherently problematic, the shop’s pricing structure and timed item rotations feel predatory and exploitative.

Conclusion: A Diamond in the Rough

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide delivers an exhilarating and visceral combat experience within a beautifully realized grimdark setting. The core gameplay loop is addictive, and the class system offers a satisfying level of depth and customization. However, the game is currently held back by technical issues, a flawed enemy spawning system, and questionable monetization choices. With further development and bug fixes, Darktide has the potential to be a truly exceptional experience. For now, it remains a diamond in the rough, waiting to be polished to its full potential.