Space Hulk: Deathwing Heralds a Glorious Bloody Future for Warhammer 40k Franchise
When THQ folded in 2013, I was crushed. The company had produced some of my favorite titles at the time, from Darksiders to Metro 2033. Chief among my beloved games was Dawn of War, and to a lesser extent their other Warhammer 40k property Space Marine. They brought the grimdark world of the 41st millennium to life, spawning my obsession that lasts to this day. When their doors closed and their titles left in an indefinite miasma, it felt like the world was conspiring to murder everything I loved.
One of the lesser known side effects of THQ’s dissolution was the opening of the Warhammer 40k franchise copyright. Prior to their closure, THQ had exclusive rights to Warhammer 40k video game adaptations. It was a deal that died with their company. Suddenly, the floodgates were open. Dozens of developers, big and small, all sought to realize their own vision of the future of eternal war.
It’s a blessing and a curse. I’ll take any excuse I can to apply chainswords and bolter fire to Eldar scum, but the products have been inconsistent. With so many companies making so many different kind of Warhammer 40k games, there’s no real quality control. It’s awkward when a great space combat game like Battlefleet Gothic: Armada is in the same family as a shitty mobile lane defense game like Storm of Vengeance. It’s even more confusing when there are multiple games based on the exact same spin-off. Enter Space Hulk.
Originally a board game from the 90’s, Space Hulk is one of the more popular 40k variants. Taking control of a squad of Terminators, players would inch through a dilapidated “Space Hulk,” fighting off ravenous Tyranid Genestealers while trying to complete their objective. It was made into a video game in the mid 90’s, but wouldn’t see another official adaptation until 2013. Despite THQ holding the copyright for many years, fan love for the game still inspired many unofficial remakes, including the controversial Alien Assault. However, these games have all been digital remakes of the same product. Space Hulk hasn’t broken out of the turn based, board game format. Space Hulk: Deathwing sets its sights on changing that.
I first saw Space Hulk: Deathwing during last year’s E3 2015. Though a bit rough around the edges, it was rife with potential. This is the kind of game that begs to be made into a shooter. Watching the group of lumbering Terminators establish perimeters, pick their engagements, and ultimately triumph with a combination of quick thinking and devastating weaponry, I wondered why this hadn’t been done sooner. The animations and UI definitely needed a lot of work, but the fundamentals were there for a really great game.
Watching Space Hulk: Deathing again at this year’s E3 2016 felt like seeing my dog after going away for my freshman year of college. I know I’m gonna love her no matter what, but my mom might have been feeding her table scraps for a year. Lo and behold, I come home and she’s better than ever. She’s well groomed, and learned how to shake, play dead, roll over, and properly path a horde of Genestealers and cultists over variable terrain. Good girl! Daddy’s so proud!
As someone who has put over a thousand hours into Dawn of War, don’t take this lightly when I say that Space Hulk: Deathwing is the evolution that this franchise needs. After a series of direct remakes of wildly varying quality, what Space Hulk needs is a quality reimagining. Space Marine tried to make Warhammer 40k an action shooter and fell short. Deathwing looks like it will actually pull it off.
The core of what made Space Hulk feel great was the asymmetry between the Terminators and their foes. Space Marines are humanity’s deadliest and most effective warriors, and when encased in their devastating Terminator armor are closer more walking tanks than infantry. However, being a walking heavy weapons platform comes at a price. The Terminators are slow. Like, really slow. Even turning around is an effort for these behemoths. Though mighty, so are their more nimble foes. They must use tactics and varied weapon loadouts to triumph. This feeling of weight, of mighty Terminator vs relentless foe, Space Hulk: Deathwing nails. Watching the demo, seeing how the squad would tactically pick engagements, I got the same tingle in my chest that I did when I first played Dawn of War.
Being an FPS, there are some obvious differences between the tactical tabletop version and Deathwing. Right off the bat, the power level of Terminator vs Tyranid is much more heavily skewed towards the Terminator. It’s an FPS, so there needs to be a higher level of action to fit the genre. It’s a trivial complaint that only hardcore fans of the board game will really care about, since the feel of the game is very much still Space Hulk. Though you have plenty of tools at your disposal, ranging from your Librarian Psycher powers to an assortment of Bolters, Flamers, Devastators, and Thunderhammers, allowing yourself to get surrounded is still a sure way to get your squad killed. There’s also a greater variety of foes this time around. Genestealers are all fine and dandy, but a tactical FPS requires more variety to remain challenging. We’ve seen a Hive tyrant and some chaos troops in the demo, but I wouldn’t be surprised to face off against Lictors, Raveners, Zoanthropes, and a whole lot of other bugs.
Not content with just throwing enemies at you and calling it a day, there will be a number of other challenges to manage in Deathwing. Chief among them is the environment. Space Hulk has always been a game about tight corridors and space management, and Deathwing takes this to the next level. Large, open environments are deathtraps for the exposed Terminators, so players will have to do their best to control engagements by sealing off doorways or opening paths of escape. Be careful, because any door you open is a new avenue of attack, and every door you seal is another wall for your enemies to force your back to. Even when engagements are favorably tight, you must be aware of your firing lines. Your weapons are just as deadly to your fellow Terminator. If you send Brother Storm Shield/Power Sword to guard a hallway, make sure that he isn’t overwhelmed, because you can’t shoot through him to stop the swarm.
There are a number of other mechanics that make this feel like a really unique, fleshed out FPS. The UI is very “Space Marine,” with tactical displays for your ammo, team, health, and armor durability. Be sure not to take too much damage in any one area, as your armor can fail. Take too much to the leg, and your movement can be slowed to even more of a crawl. Players will also have to keep an eye out for more than just enemies, as various secret rooms full of upgrades and items litter the hallways of the derelict Space Hulk.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for Warhammer 40k. As a fan, Space Hulk: Deathwing is the game I’ve wanted for a long time. I expect many other fans will feel the same when they first get their hands on it. More importantly, I think that this game will reach those who are still yet to be initiated into the Warhammer 40k universe. More accessible than a tabletop or complex strategy game, a tactical shooter is an excellent way for a more casual gamer to see what this world has to offer.
So how about you all? Any other Warhammer 40k fans out there? What do you think of the recent trend of 40k games? Are you excited for Deathwing? Does the move to a shooter sound exciting, or does it enrage and confuse you? Let me know below!
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