I just finished the game, 12.5 hours into it according to Steam, and it's taking everything I have not to gush like the most obnoxious W40k fanboy imaginable! Here's the simple TL;DR for my fellow W40k... er... "enthusiasts", yes, let's go with that. Stop reading and go buy the game!!! Oh wait, like 2+ million of you already did. I probably don't need to say that. Even if you suck at video games and maybe even hate them, the story alone is worth the investment of time and money. I can't even tell you why without spoiling everything, but the cameos alone are awesome.

Seriously, these developers understood the source material and more importantly their key demographic. I was shocked we didn't run into female custodes (ha!) or a paraplegic black lesbian space marine lecturing everyone on the Emperor making reparations for his vile crimes or something. That the developers managed to stay true to the source material and far more importantly make an enjoyable game is almost unheard of in 2024. So many other studios are so busy destroying their previously beloved IPs in service to idiotic political agendas, it seems like almost nobody even tries to make games that are actually entertainment above all else. But enough about that.

Oddly enough, the one sort of person whom I have to caution about buying the game is somebody like me who loved the previous game so much and expected the sequel to be largely more of the same. There was a point about two hours into the game when I was honestly considering refunding it (details in the forum here if you're interested).

Turns out my own expectations were getting in the way of my seeing and enjoying it for what it is. Ten-plus hours later I can tell you I think it's a great game in its own right, and I've easily got my money's worth before even trying any of the multi-player modes. The campaign alone made my purchase more than worthwhile. The game is beautiful, downright graphically amazing at some points, such as a sort of boss-fight in which the fabric of spacetime ripples around you and twists in front of your very eyes. The audio is bloody top notch in every respect from sound effects to voice work and music. I want this soundtrack!

And the game play itself, well, that's where I was falling down. I was expecting the fast simple combat of the original game, and that is not at all what this game offers. No, combat is a slower, more deliberate process with far more options and I think a higher skill floor as well as much higher skill ceiling. Even after finishing the main story I feel like I'm just getting a feel for some of the options, weapons, and details. This has such wonderfully deep and subtle interlocking systems I think I'll be playing it for quite a number of hours to come.

Ok, so maybe I'm gushing a little. But all I want to do right now is jump into playing more of the game. FOR THE EMPEROR!!!