Summary
Warhammer 40Khas expanded far beyond its tabletop roots over the years. Its grimdark universe full of warring factions and rich lore has proven an excellent fit for video games. As a matter of fact, there are entire groups of fans whose only introduction to the universe has been through its game offerings.
Since the first 40K game was released all the way back in 1992 the IP has been utilized in numerous ways. The scope of its stories, characters, and events ensures that no two games need be alike to be great. Here are just a few of the genres our most beloved Emperor has graced us with.
9First-Person Shooter
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
The wartorn galaxy of Warhammer is filled with all kinds of firearms, which makes it a natural fit for not just the shooter genre but a whole heap of subgenres as well.Boltguncapitalized on the boomer shooter craze with its retro aesthetic whileNecromunda: Hired Guntook inspiration from more contemporary movement shooters like Doom (2016) and Titanfall. In 2023, the co-op-focusedDarktidecelebrated its first anniversary with a class overhaul and a release on console to welcome in a batch of new players.
Though a tried and true success, Warhammer first-person shooters are not always guaranteed to win. Evidence of that comes from games likeFire WarriorandSpace Hulk: Deathwing, the former receiving middling reviews from critics back in 2003 while the latter sits with mixed reviews on Steam.
8Third-Person Shooter
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Less popular than its first-person counterpart, there is one 40k title that stands as the most notable in the third-person shooter genre.Space Marinepits Captain Titus and his companions against hordes of Orks as well as the forces of chaos on a forge world amid invasion. With a mixture of gunplay and brutal melee fighting, it was compared by critics of the time to Gears of War.
Despite ending on a cliffhanger, there was little hope of a sequel until a decade later atrailer was unveiled at the 2021 Game Awards. Intended for a 2023 release, the game has since been delayed but gameplay reveals have shown it very much intends to follow in the footsteps laid out by its predecessor.
7Turn-Based Strategy
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
Due to its tabletop roots, the Warhammer 40K license has fielded several titles that encourage a more strategic approach. On the smaller scale, there isMechanicus, which has the titular faction exploring the depths of a Necron tomb. Alternatively, there’sBattlesectorwhich attempts to more closely emulate the tabletop experience through extensive army customization and a focus on tactics.
Even the spin-offs of the tabletop have seen video game adaptations.Space Hulk: Tacticsreceived a turn-based edition in 2018 that is far more in line with what fans of the board game would expect.
6Side-Scrolling Shooter
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood, and Teef
Shootas, Blood, & Teefis a side-scrolling shooter from the minds behind the Guns, Gore, and Cannoli series. The title tries to capture the ferocity of 40k’s iconic green-skin faction, the Orks. To this end, Shootas, Blood, & Teef has non-stop action with a wide arsenal of iconic weaponry.
Boasting a comic book-esque art style, Shootas, Blood, & Teef sits as one of the more lighthearted titles in Warhammer’s normally gloomy catalog. Even still the frantic nature of the gameplay embodies the wild bloodlust that makes the Orks stand out among the other factions of Warhammer.
5Aerial Shooter
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Dakka Squadron
Warhammer 40k has long since proven that not all combat needs to take place between troops on the ground. The skies above are just as ripe for conflict as shown byDakka Squadron. As its odd name would suggest, Dakka Squadron follows the Ork faction as they fight against Mankind, Necrons, and fellow green skins in the unfriendly skies overlooking the battlefield.
Dakka Squadron performs admirably to embody several different aspects of what makes the Orks special. Extensive vehicle customization with looted gear, choosing between different Ork factions, and plenty of high-impact violence all serve that iconic blood-lusting ferocity that has endeared the Orks to many a Warhammer fan.
4Trading Card Game
Notable Game - Horus Heresy: Legions
Strategy games take all forms and with the success of adapting existing properties into card games like Gwent and Hearthstone, it was seemingly inevitable Warhammer would put their own spin on things.Horus Heresy: Legionsis set during the titular era of strife that saw humanity battling itself in the midst of a dark civil war. Armies are assembled by constructing a deck which is made to coincide with the in-universe strengths and weaknesses of those troops.
Possessing a single-player campaign, like most deck builders, Horus Heresy: Legions also possesses an online component where players can go head-to-head utilizing their own hand-built decks to see which army is superior.
3Action RPG
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr
Few in the world of Warhammer 40k are as widespread in their influence as the Inquisition. Intended to be Humanity’s stalwart guardians against the many dangers that plague the galaxy,Inquisitor-Martyrallows players to administer the will of the Emperor through unique class-based combat.
Boasting systems similar to that found in critically acclaimed titles like Grim Dawn and Diablo, Inquisitor-Martyr places these mechanics into the rich setting of 40k with plenty of its own unique twists. An ever-changing galactic map along with inquisitorial duties and iconic vehicles to pilot, Inquisitor-Martyr carves out its own place in the genre.
2Tower Defense
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance
As is the nature of trying new things, not every one is going to be successful. To that end, 40K really has no better example of this thanWarhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance. Released for Windows and mobile devices, Storm of Vengeance was brought out by studio Eutechnyx, most infamous for releasing Ride To Hell: Retribution.
Storm of Vengeance is a neat thought experiment, showcasing that even if it does not always work, 40K can indeed function in a myriad of different gameplay styles.
1Real-Time Strategy
Notable Game - Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
To fans of the RTS genre the Dawn of War series has become synonymous with this style of play. Relic Entertainment is the same studio behind other such classics as the Company of Heroes series. But in true 40k fashion, their scale in real time strategy ranges greatly.
WhereasWarhammer 40,000: Dawn of Warputs the spotlight on a more traditional battlefield,Battlefleet Gothic: Armadabrings things into the stars above. Focusing on large space battles through commanding massive warships, these titles provide excellent contrast for each other while also displaying how flexible 40k can be.
