Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon Review (PC)

good
key review info
  • Game: Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: No
  • Reviewed on:
Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon combat

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon is a game that gives the player control of the Titans, the most powerful combat units available to the Imperium of Man, and one of the high points of the game is getting one of these massive walkers and then unleashing it on a horde of Orks that do not have the heavy weapons required to take it out.

The Slitherine-created experience also has plenty of smaller skirmishes, some cool unit management elements and a lot of scenarios to try out, and it does offer those who understand what the Second War of Armageddon means an experience that fleshes out that impressive conflict.

Story

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon takes gamers, as the name implies, to the planet with the same name, where a massive Ork warband is in the process of invading the surface from the safety of a space hulk, ready to take over the massive hive cities that humanity has created.

The player becomes one of the commanders who are in charge of defensive operations and must use their intelligence and limited resources to take out the forces of Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka, using local militia, the Steel Legion, and after a while, the resources of the Space Marines.

The events have already taken place in the boardgame version of Warhammer 40,000 and are known by the name Second War of Armageddon, and all the characters involved in the struggle make appearances, including Commissar Yarrick, Commander Dante, and more.

The story is engaging and manages to hit all the main themes of the game universe, with plenty of betrayal and bombastic speeches, but I sometimes found myself skipping the talking heads in order to focus on the battles that the Slitherine-made video game can deliver.

Gameplay

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon is a pretty classic turn-based strategy title which allows gamers to control a wide variety of units and asks them to take into account characteristics, terrain and positioning in order to achieve their objectives with the least amount of casualties.

There are three core campaigns to experience, chronicling different stages of the Second War for Armageddon, and there are also scenarios to try out, but all of them only play out from the perspective of the Imperium of Man, with the Orks always playing the enemy.

Gamers will need to first deploy units on the map and the aim here is to deliver a mix of forces that can take on the unknown enemy forces that block the way to the target hexes.

Massive battle
Massive battle

The Steel Legion are classic Imperial Guards, which means that the infantry might be plentiful but can be easily destroyed by the superior number of Orks, and the vehicles can be very powerful if they are properly supported and initially engage at range to weaken enemies before moving in for the kill.

The fact that each unit has multiple weapons is important, and the game encourages players to have a clear idea about each one’s abilities and when they are best used.

When the Space Marines show up, with their much tougher squads, gamers need to think more about fast advances and less about support, but the enemies also up their game by introducing bigger size squads with their own mechs and capable support artillery.

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon can sometimes confuse gamers with its variety of units, mainly because each of the vehicles has plenty of versions that have different degrees of efficiency based on the enemies they are facing.

During a mission, it is important to hover on enemies in order to get details about them and then get the units that can best destroy them.

Given the nature of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, casualties are to be expected and the Imperial Guard specifically needs to use its Guardsmen to soak up damage in order to give its more specialized units a chance to take out the Orks.

Most battles tend to involve a few initial skirmishes, a period in which scouting is important. One of these engagements evolves into a major attrition fight where artillery and flanking play a key role. Then, gamers need to divide their forces and assault the victory hexes, which always have another contingent for defense.

The turn limit can sometimes feel a little punishing, especially on Normal difficulty levels, but it adds a nice element of tension to Armageddon.

The biggest problem with the new Warhammer 40,000 turn-based title is the huge number of units and the time that’s required to get a clear look at all of them and find a role where they can excel on the battlefield.

Graphics and audio

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon is not the prettiest video game that ever attempted to bring the science fiction and fantasy universe to life, but it offers the same overall look as other turn-based strategy titles created by the development team at Slitherine.

The top-down view makes it easy for players to survey the situation and decide on the best possible moves, and the interface, while a little blocky, offers a lot of information about the various units that are on the field and how they can be used.

Titans in Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon
Titans in Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon

Armageddon delivers its best representation of the iconic universe of the Warhammer 40,000 universe on the requisition interface, and it’s a shame that there’s no way to zoom in closer to inspect more detailed models.

The presentation of the story is also disappointing, with limited graphics and with a voice work that is too over-the-top to ever be taken seriously, but the music is suitably pompous and inspires heroic and sometimes foolish moves.

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon has some cool mechanics and ideas, but more time should have been spent on making it a little more attractive than it currently is.

Multiplayer

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon also supports multiplayer matches, although the developers continue to make things more difficult than they should be by insisting that gamers create a separate account, when simply using the Steam infrastructure would have been easier.

The battles are fun with a human opponent because they tend to deploy strategies that the computer would never use and create surprising situations, but the number of players is at the moment relatively limited, mostly because Play by Email is no longer a suitable solution in 2014.


The Good

  • Warhammer 40,000 universe is well simulated
  • Solid turn-based mechanics

The Bad

  • Lackluster presentation
  • Bewildering array of units

Conclusion

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon is an interesting mix of the complex universe created by Games Workshop and the mechanics of the Panzer Corps which should offer fans of either of the two products hours of fun tactical engagements.

The various campaigns and scenarios are well calibrated and the difficulty level can significantly alter the gamer’s experience, and the fact that units carry over and have different types of weapons creates some very interesting challenges and choices.

Unfortunately, the game’s presentation is its biggest drawback and plenty of fans will be unhappy with the fact that only two factions are ever under player control.

It will be interesting to see if more are added by the development team or if the community will take it upon itself to introduce mods that bring other favorites like the Eldar or Chaos to the battlefield, at least in custom matches.

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon is a good turn-based strategy experience, but in the future Slitherine should try to innovate a little more and introduce more unique mechanics that suit the nature of the universe it is working with.

story 8
gameplay 8
concept 8
graphics 7
audio 7
multiplayer 6
final rating 7.5
Editor's review
good
 
NEXT REVIEW: Starpoint Gemini 2

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon Images (20 Images)

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon combatChoke point engagementMassive battleUnit selection headachesAgainst the Orks
+15more