14 DAY TRIAL // 
It’s been only a year since mobile game developer Rodeo Games launched the sequel to one of the best turn-based strategy games for iOS platform, Hunters. Several days ago, it has released the first Warhammer game for the iPhone and iPad devices.
Dubbed Warhammer Quest, the game is an adaptation of the old board game with the same name that was launched on the market back in the ‘90s.
Unfortunately, the folks at Games Workshop, the company that owns the Warhammer Quest license, stopped producing almost everything related to this franchise only three years after the game had been launched.
Luckily, the good folks at Rodeo Games have managed to get Games Workshop’s approval to produce the first Warhammer game for iOS platform. They’ve also confirmed that if the game is a success, additional DLC (expansions) will be released for Warhammer Quest.
Warhammer Quest is about acquiring treasure by fighting hordes of enemies in semi-randomly generated dungeons. Those who did not have the chance to play the board game or have never read anything about it will have a hard time understanding the mechanics.
It would have been much easier if it had been accompanied by a comprehensive rulebook for those who play a Warhammer Quest game for the first time.
Immediately after the game was announced and before going on sale on App Store, developers have confirmed that they will add some kind of rulebook in the form of a journal.
The good news is that the Journal has been included in the game. However, while it provides enough flavor that adds to immersion, it does not provide actual information on gameplay mechanics under the hood.
The bestiary is gradually filled with monsters that you encounter in the game, but there’s nothing that tells you what each of these beasts can do to your group of adventurers. Instead, you are provided with opaque hints that you may or may not understand.I’m not sure how someone who has never played a Warhammer game before will perceive the game, but as a veteran, I did enjoy it. Although it’s simplistic and repetitive, Warhammer fans will find it dangerously addictive.
Aside from the “main story” quests, Warhammer Quest is packed with quite a lot of side ones that will reward your group of adventurers with various treasures.
Warhammer Quest is a traditional dungeon-crawler that takes the randomness factor to the highest level possible. Everything in the game is based on dice rolls: attacks, encounters, events during travel, outcome of these events, abilities, magic, damage and others.
And there are settlements, which are places where your heroes will be able to sell the loot found in dungeons, as well as prepare for the next dungeons. You can equip your heroes with any weapons that you have previously looted from your last dungeon-crawl, or you can pray to your god for a certain fee.
Who knows, it might greatly help you in your next dungeon. Training Grounds is the place where your heroes can level up and receive new stats and abilities. Every time you level up a character, you need to pay a fee that will increase as you progress.Keep in mind that the stats and abilities you receive after you level up are random! Yep, you heard that right, you might end up with a powerful ability at level 2 or you could get it much later in the game, it’s all about luck.
Furthermore, Warhammer Quest has been integrated with a powerful “Event” system that triggers various encounters throughout the world map or in settlements. Some of these events require players to take a decision that will influence the outcome, while others will simply offer you the result.
These events are also based on some sort of randomness factor, so you never know what will happen to your group of heroes at any given time.
The same randomness factor governs each encounter in a dungeon. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe each group of enemies that is found in a room is randomly determined by a 1d6 die roll. There’s more to it, as each hallway or room in a dungeon is a potential deathtrap.
Every turn, the game rolls a 1d6 die under the hood and if it rolls a 1, you’ll be surprised by a group of enemies. The bad news is that this can occur even if you are already engaged in a battle with another group of monsters.Speaking of monsters and heroes, you start the game with a group comprising a Marauder, Grey Wizard, Wood Elf Waywatcher and Dwarf Ironbreaker. These are specific Warhammer classes with their own pool of trait and abilities.
As I have already mentioned earlier, the abilities that each hero receives after leveling up may vary greatly and are determined by a 1d6 die roll.
Aside from the four classes that are provided by default, players have the option to purchase additional classes as DLCs.
There are three additional heroes that can be purchased for $2.99/€2.69 each: Dwarf Trollslayer, Warrior Priest and Archmage. Each one comes with his own pack of equipment, so you don’t have to spend additional money to gear them up.
There’s also an additional DLC called The Hidden Threat that costs $4.99/€4.49. It has been designed as a pack of side quests that allows players to level up their heroes faster. It is recommended for parties of level 2 heroes, so those who are into Warhammer may want to purchase it from the beginning.Aside from the additional content, Rodeo Games offers players the possibility to purchase in-game gold with real money. Personally, I would not recommend it due to the randomness of the game as there’s no insurance that the gold you buy is safe.
The game can trigger an event on the World Map or Settlements and take away a chunk of your hard earned money without you being able to do anything, so there’s no point in spending real money to buy gold unless you are planning to spend it right away on certain items.
Graphics-wise, the folks at Rodeo Games did a great job, so the immersion factor is definitely above average. The only aspect that I have found incredibly frustrating is the lack of tooltips that might explain some of the more important actions/objects in the game.
For example, I played more than one hour without knowing that you have to turn your iPad on portrait mode in order to access the Inventory/Stash, so that you can gear your heroes. There’s not one word about that in the Journal and, personally, I have found this gimmick unwelcomed.
Most players block the screen rotation feature when playing games, so there’s no way they can know about this unless they read about it somewhere. I was lucky to discover it by mistake, as I don’t usually keep my iPad locked on landscape mode while playing, but others may not discover it from the beginning.I hope developers will find a way to add some kind of button on the UI that will open up the inventory without having to switch your iPad to portrait mode.
All in all, I’m positive about the game even though it might seem a bit repetitive and too simplistic at first glance. There are few tactical decisions that you will have to take in the beginning, but as you progress into the game, you will be met with greater challenges that require some preparations and tactical decisions.
Another plus would be the addition of the Hardcore mode, where characters that die in a dungeon are forever lost along with the gear and equipment they were carrying. This is perfect for Warhammer Quest veterans, but some newcomers will also find it interesting.
Warhammer Quest will be loved or hated, but it will certainly not go unnoticed. It can offer around 20-25 hours of gameplay, which is a bit unusual for such a cheap iOS game ($4.99/€4.49).
Overall, I believe there’s room for improvement when it comes to making Warhammer Quest more accessible to newcomers, but most veterans and fans of turn-based strategy games will find it mind-blowing.
