Space Hulk

 PC
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 169 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 169
  2. Mixed: 40 out of 169
  3. Negative: 45 out of 169

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  1. Ottomic
    Sep 5, 2013
    3
    Space Hulk is a game that looks, feels, plays and sounds like a 2003 rerelease of a 1997 shallow adaptation of Warhammer 40k. I paid 30€ for it.

    Not worth the price tag by far.
  2. Damascus
    Aug 16, 2013
    2
    SH is archaic in a bad way. Compared with todays board-games SH was victim of its time, gaming-culture and the limitations of table-top miniature games. This computer-game is a port of SH the board-game, interpreted with clunky, cartoonish graphics with over-saturated colors.
    Full Control Studios don't add anything to gameplay, and they fail miserably at coining the atmosphere of    SH is archaic in a bad way. Compared with todays board-games SH was victim of its time, gaming-culture and the limitations of table-top miniature games. This computer-game is a port of SH the board-game, interpreted with clunky, cartoonish graphics with over-saturated colors.
    Full Control Studios don't add anything to gameplay, and they fail miserably at coining the atmosphere of exploring a WH40 space hulk. Welcome to glossy coloured warhammer, where space marines spend their spare time polishing and waxing each others helmet, and the genestealers are polite enough not to leave any clawmarks or scratches anywhere, instead making sure to keep the dust from collecting in the hallways. No wonder they are attacking those humans, as their helmets obviously aren't clean enough and they have to chase them away to keep their beloved hallways dirt-free.
    They've priced this at 30 euro, where 3 euro would be appropriate. Don't buy this game, FCS does not deserve your money.    … Expand
  3. crackajaxx
    Aug 16, 2013
    4
    Graphics are average at best, not to mention the game runs like crud. Optimization anyone? The characters clip through walls a lot of the time and shoot off into the air when they're actually aiming at something. It's pretty sloppily animated.

    The sound bugs out constantly. and by constantly I mean all the friggin' time. The atmosphere is good, but the weapon sounds and effects are    Graphics are average at best, not to mention the game runs like crud. Optimization anyone? The characters clip through walls a lot of the time and shoot off into the air when they're actually aiming at something. It's pretty sloppily animated.

    The sound bugs out constantly. and by constantly I mean all the friggin' time. The atmosphere is good, but the weapon sounds and effects are so...underwhelming.

    Combat is super simplistic, roll lower you die, roll higher you don't. that's it.

    It is rather nice to have a classic board game made into a modern video game but it was just done so sloppily. Some things were done awesome like the first person camera in the corner and such. It's as if they had all these great ideas but couldn't execute it properly

    I'm such a huge 40k fan, and it really breaks my heart to have to give this game a 4/10. I really wanted to love it, but it seems it needed more time and backing to really be something great. Looks like the dream WH40K/XCOM game I'm waiting for will have to wait.    … Expand
  4. Olig84
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    Hmmm... I really like some parts of this game, but there are so many things dragging it down.
    It does not run smoothly in any sense, which there is no reason for. The graphics are ok, but not impressive, and the game is simple enough for any PC to handle. It shouldnt feel this clunky!
    The games does not give you the feeling of being a terminator marine. The units move so slowly, and    Hmmm... I really like some parts of this game, but there are so many things dragging it down.
    It does not run smoothly in any sense, which there is no reason for. The graphics are ok, but not impressive, and the game is simple enough for any PC to handle. It shouldnt feel this clunky!

    The games does not give you the feeling of being a terminator marine. The units move so slowly, and are so unwieldy, that you feel like you are a 2 tons Elephant trying to stack eggs while rollerskating. Everything kills you with one hit, so why do you need the armour? I know this is a port of the board game, but the way the marines move should reflect that they are fine tuned killing machines. Not oversized cans of Soup staggering down a hallway.

    I actually like the gameplay, it's tactical and fun, but I can't take playing more the 10-20 minutes at a time, I just get too frustrated with the pace of the game. Your own units and the enemy move so slow, that everytime you push a button, time stops and years go by while you wait for one of your units to move 3 spaces.

    The AI needs to be improved aswell, the games is supposed to be really hard, but the AI keeps running directly at your guns even though there are alternative routes, that would make you spend valuable movement points on covering several flanks at once. But mostly the AI just picks the one closest to you and throws everything at you in an attempt to overwhelm you. If your unlucky the AI will succede, but a Little more cunning would spice up the gameplay.

    I also agree that eventhough the original board game didn't have RPG elements like character progression and loadout custimization, this game would benifit greatly from some of those elements.
    The core gameplay is fun, but there is alot that could be done to give an extra edge.    … Expand
  5. footysurfrat
    Aug 16, 2013
    2
    Being a fan of the board game back in the day i was looking forward to playing this......kind of wish i hadn't bothered. Given how much PC's have moved on you would have expected something a little more polished than this, very disappointing, slow and clunky and considering the £20 price tag expected much more! Made it through the first few missions but can't be bothered with it any more.
  6. Superbeast
    Aug 15, 2013
    4
    I was really excited for Space Hulk had the board game as a kid and played the first video game as well. And i am really disappointed. The developers transported the board game to the screen nothing more or less.

    Every gamer can instantly think of a dozen ways to expand the gameplay with features like a character progression, model customization or a genestealer mode. The gameplay    I was really excited for Space Hulk had the board game as a kid and played the first video game as well. And i am really disappointed. The developers transported the board game to the screen nothing more or less.

    Every gamer can instantly think of a dozen ways to expand the gameplay with features like a character progression, model customization or a genestealer mode. The gameplay right now is just binary and feels like an animated version of minesweeper.

    If you're a die-hard fan of the board game, you'll probably like it. If not, i would strongly suggest playing X-Com instead even the first two classic x-com games will give more entertainment.    … Expand
  7. Vortex51x
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    As a huge fan of X-Com and other turned based strategy games, I had high hopes of another entry into this over-looked niche. Although not a bad looking game, the mechanics and movement of it are extremely clunky and slow. By that I mean with the marines so large and the hallways so narrow, it pretty much means place 1 marine (and you can only fit one marine per hallway) and just over watchAs a huge fan of X-Com and other turned based strategy games, I had high hopes of another entry into this over-looked niche. Although not a bad looking game, the mechanics and movement of it are extremely clunky and slow. By that I mean with the marines so large and the hallways so narrow, it pretty much means place 1 marine (and you can only fit one marine per hallway) and just over watch the enemies as they stupidly run into your narrow hallway one by one. Although I love the tension and ambient dark feel of the game, first person camera view HUD, almost all of that is shot out the window based on poorly designed maps and bad AI, After killing the same umpteenth Genestealer and getting another zoom in, you'll begin to understand why all the blood brothers killed themselves out of boredom. I see the care put into this game graphically but also the laziness on the mechanics. Good premise horrible implementation.… Expand
  8. DekkanRhee
    Aug 16, 2013
    3
    As a fan of the Warhammer 40k video games, I bought this game expecting something like a cross between X-COM: Enemy Unknown, and the RTS 40k games I love dearly. I can say without a doubt, that I am disappointed with this game. Keep in mind that, while I love the video games, I have never touched the board game, but Steam sells this as 'Indie Strategy' not 'Converted Boardgame'. The gameAs a fan of the Warhammer 40k video games, I bought this game expecting something like a cross between X-COM: Enemy Unknown, and the RTS 40k games I love dearly. I can say without a doubt, that I am disappointed with this game. Keep in mind that, while I love the video games, I have never touched the board game, but Steam sells this as 'Indie Strategy' not 'Converted Boardgame'. The game isn't nearly as pretty as Space Marine (from 2011), is clunky with the controls (though to be fair, there is an 'undo' option for when you walk a space too far, or facing the wrong direction) and the random number generator for hitting targets leaves a lot to be desired.

    The campaign is short enough that you can power through it in less than 4 hours, meaning unless you replay it, or wait on DLC, you're paying $7.50-$15 an hour for this game. It may just be my opinion, but a franchise as successful as Warhammer 40,000 ought to back better games than this. Marvel Comics isn't going to stamp their name on an indie game, nor would Star Wars, Warcraft, etc. I know Warhammer isn't quite as big as those giants, but if it continues producing games like this one, it never will be.

    I suppose, having read other reviews, if you are looking for a virtual copy of the boardgame, this is what you've been waiting for, but having seen other similar projects in the works (such as the recently funded Kickstarter campaign for Warmachine: Tactics) and seeing what they are able to do with a tabletop-to-videogame conversion, it just disappoints me further that this game wasn't better than it is. This game is not worth $30 in my opinion. I feel like I overpaid by about $25. If this is a representation of the boardgame, I don't think I'll be playing the boardgame anytime soon.    … Expand
  9. perochialjoe
    Aug 15, 2013
    0
    Unless you liked the super simplistic board game Space Hulk enough to play it for hours on end, you will be very disappointed. This game is for hardcore Space Hulk fans only and even then they will only get about 2 hours of game time from the Campaign.

    There is no depth in the combat, shots either miss or are 1-shot kill. No unit progression at all. Nothing between missions. No    Unless you liked the super simplistic board game Space Hulk enough to play it for hours on end, you will be very disappointed. This game is for hardcore Space Hulk fans only and even then they will only get about 2 hours of game time from the Campaign.

    There is no depth in the combat, shots either miss or are 1-shot kill. No unit progression at all. Nothing between missions. No customization beyond changing a standard that hangs in the background of your main menu.

    For $30 on release, this game is only for the most hardcore Space Hulk players and really nobody else. If you can play the board game Chutes and Ladders for hours on end, get Space Hulk. If not, use your $30 towards a good strategy game like X-Com.    … Expand
  10. Negativvv
    Aug 20, 2013
    1
    The only reason why this gets 1 instead of a 0 is because it is 40k. Why did GW give the license to a random indie company with no funds or seemingly any care?

    Presentation is shoddy, awful camera angles and animation. Terminators talk as if they were shooting things, even the melee ones. Notice how there are NO melee death animations for the Terminators, only some weird red lines    The only reason why this gets 1 instead of a 0 is because it is 40k. Why did GW give the license to a random indie company with no funds or seemingly any care?

    Presentation is shoddy, awful camera angles and animation. Terminators talk as if they were shooting things, even the melee ones. Notice how there are NO melee death animations for the Terminators, only some weird red lines across their chest.

    Although by far the worst aspect is the random nature of the game, invisible dice rolls that have you screaming in rage. Do everything right but you still fail missions because of the roll. Completing the later missions are simply try and retry until you get some lucky rolls.

    Don't bother with this, do one of a few things if you want PC Space Hulk action:

    A) Install that Space Hulk DOW2 mod, or just play on the Judgment of Carrion in the Retri/CR campaigns and pretend.

    B) Get a willing friend and find/steal a copy of the board game and play with them IRL.

    C) Find the original PCgame with the Deathwing Dark Angels or the updated Blood Angels game (both are years old) and play those. Or just watch them on youtube.

    Avoid!!!!    … Expand
  11. sypisybi
    Aug 22, 2013
    4
    Even though Space Hulk is directly based off of an old boardgame, that is no excuse to turn it into a boring and unpolished video game. Being based on a board game to begin with isn't a bad thing, but you must make sure that everything else about the game is polished, yet nothing was. Graphics are outdated, voice acting is repetitive, marines take forever to move, etc...
  12. kranky
    Aug 16, 2013
    0
    I'm sooo goddamn disappointed. This game is worse than free opensource Space Hulk games in almost every way. Awful animation and graphics, low fps even on hi-end PC, no sane AI at all, terrible sound effects and music (in menu, because there is no ingame music).
    Developers took Unity engine, balanced game system from SH, made about 5 ugly 3d models and textures and now want 30$ for it.    I'm sooo goddamn disappointed. This game is worse than free opensource Space Hulk games in almost every way. Awful animation and graphics, low fps even on hi-end PC, no sane AI at all, terrible sound effects and music (in menu, because there is no ingame music).
    Developers took Unity engine, balanced game system from SH, made about 5 ugly 3d models and textures and now want 30$ for it.
    The only selling point of this game is WH40k theme. Without it this game would be completely worthless, and literally nobody will buy it.
    So developers are just exploiting fellings of WH40k fans, selling crappy game for a damn high price.

    If you want to play a good copy of Space Hulk on your PC just play any free version of it, like SULK.    … Expand
  13. Geekson
    Aug 21, 2013
    2
    Having played Bloodbowl, another Games Workshop board game converted to video game, my expectations were not very high but I'm still disapointed, The game is ugly, slow, clunky and just not fun to play. If you're looking for some XCOM: Enemy Unknown style action, pass this one over or at least wait until it's a five dollar special.
  14. animatethedead
    Aug 20, 2013
    0
    Let's ignore the most basic gameplay of your present time and put some uninteresting graphics. Yes this game is great, for people who liked space hulk back in the day. In DoW 1, 2 terminator are, well TERMINATORS, not some can old people that can barely move. Compared to this, XCOM is a way better warhammer game, even though it has nothing to do with warhammer universe at all
  15. doktorwer
    Aug 16, 2013
    0
    After I got over the awe of 40k all pretty on the computer I found myself wondering why I spent so much. This game is so... small. Its 30$ on steam, thats crazy.

    I know there are a lot of paid reviewers and fanboys hitting this user score hoping to keep their bosses happy but see it in your hearts guys to give this a honest review.

    For me, its as low as I can make it.
  16. Dethstar
    Aug 15, 2013
    2
    I loved the Warhammer universe when I was young. I was hoping this would recover some of the wildly exotic compelling feel of the board game with all its subtle tactical opportunity. I have no got very far into it yet and may never do so. I like relative difficult strategy but this is just linear, limited and tedious. So far each level seems more like some annoying chore to get throughI loved the Warhammer universe when I was young. I was hoping this would recover some of the wildly exotic compelling feel of the board game with all its subtle tactical opportunity. I have no got very far into it yet and may never do so. I like relative difficult strategy but this is just linear, limited and tedious. So far each level seems more like some annoying chore to get through in the hope something better pops up. I keep telling myself "surely, it cant be that crap". This is what happens when middle aged men that are just doing the 9 to 5 make a game. No innovation, lots of limitation and fk all imagination applied. Hard to make something this bad out of Warhammer but somehow they have done that at least very well.… Expand
  17. Morbus
    Aug 16, 2013
    0
    As someone who never played the Space Hulk board game, but enjoys turn-based strategy games, I have to say that this game is absolutely dreadful. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME if you're not a hardcore Space Hulk board game fan. If you are simply looking for a good turn-based strategy game, this is NOT it.

    The biggest problems with the game: - Performance is absolutely awful even on top of the    As someone who never played the Space Hulk board game, but enjoys turn-based strategy games, I have to say that this game is absolutely dreadful. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME if you're not a hardcore Space Hulk board game fan. If you are simply looking for a good turn-based strategy game, this is NOT it.

    The biggest problems with the game:
    - Performance is absolutely awful even on top of the line PC, and graphics quality absolutely doesn't justify it.
    - Movement animations are so slow it makes you want to scream and/or alt-F4 out of the game and there's no way to speed them up or skip them.
    - Production value is very low, it's clearly a low budget indie game and it REALLY shows. This would be ok if price reflected it, but at $30, you can and should expect more.    … Expand
  18. Andrew_Paterson
    Dec 28, 2013
    2
    Even after all the alleged patch fixes this game is still crashy and broken.

    Space Hulk's play is true to the board game which is good if that's what you're expecting (and I did) but controlling the terminators is just so tedious. Setting the animation speed up makes them look silly but setting it to normal makes them turn more slowly than an actual scale guy in power armour. The    Even after all the alleged patch fixes this game is still crashy and broken.

    Space Hulk's play is true to the board game which is good if that's what you're expecting (and I did) but controlling the terminators is just so tedious. Setting the animation speed up makes them look silly but setting it to normal makes them turn more slowly than an actual scale guy in power armour.

    The sound is nice but the graphics are.... poor. Even when set to fantastic it looks more like a fan tribute than a retail game.

    Save your money and play the original.    … Expand
  19. AlienSpaceBats
    Jun 29, 2014
    3
    Gameplay is slow, dull and rigid. Whether a mission is successful or not seems to depend more on luck and invisible D6 rolls which determine whether your Bolters miss, jam, or if the marines fail a defensive roll. There is usually only one way to complete a mission, I realized after a a few failed missions that in order to succeed I needed to abandon strategy and tactics and simply forceGameplay is slow, dull and rigid. Whether a mission is successful or not seems to depend more on luck and invisible D6 rolls which determine whether your Bolters miss, jam, or if the marines fail a defensive roll. There is usually only one way to complete a mission, I realized after a a few failed missions that in order to succeed I needed to abandon strategy and tactics and simply force my way to the objective. A squandered attempt.… Expand
  20. Dangerbunny
    Oct 13, 2013
    2
    Its like a "how to" of terrible game making. It is so much less than a direct port of the board game. every little part of this game is lazy. Play is slowed down to a crawl by the slow nature of the game. Rather than building atmosphere it just becomes infuriating. A typical example would be the need to manually go to every marine with spare action points and click overwatch when you areIts like a "how to" of terrible game making. It is so much less than a direct port of the board game. every little part of this game is lazy. Play is slowed down to a crawl by the slow nature of the game. Rather than building atmosphere it just becomes infuriating. A typical example would be the need to manually go to every marine with spare action points and click overwatch when you are just camping, every single turn, for every marine. A simple check all button would fix this. The terrible production values are evident everywhere from the need to wait until the game is caught up for the end turn button to work, to the terrible and I mean Terrible graphics.
    An utter lack of any original thought into this game means no special modes such as playing the Genestealers in the campaign or even a map builder.
    This would be an ok release if it were a mere indie release for say £5, but it costs the same as any other triple A game! Its like paying £30 for candy crush, if candy crush was boring. Its an insult.
    Avoid paying for this game at all, even as a special offer.    … Expand
  21. SpardaKnight
    Dec 21, 2013
    3
    First off let me just say that i love Warhammer 40k both table top game, and i own all the the Dawn of War games Which i love very much. I've never played space hulk board game... hell never even herd of it it. I saw this game on steam saw all the crap reviews... so i waited for it to get knocked down in price.... its pretty terrible, i couldn't even stand the first 3 missions. I'm sorryFirst off let me just say that i love Warhammer 40k both table top game, and i own all the the Dawn of War games Which i love very much. I've never played space hulk board game... hell never even herd of it it. I saw this game on steam saw all the crap reviews... so i waited for it to get knocked down in price.... its pretty terrible, i couldn't even stand the first 3 missions. I'm sorry if i play through a few levels and i have to work to even consider liking the game... i will press on and hope that it gets better.... which i doubt entirely.… Expand
  22. Geoff_R
    Dec 22, 2013
    2
    It's just painfully bad.

    It smacks of a cheap cash-in on a beloved franchise.
    I wanted to love this. I ignored the bad reviews, but you cannot. It looks like garbage. It plays terribly. The controls suck. It needed love and it never got any.
    Play frozen synapse. Play XCOM. Play ANYTHING but this.
  23. digitalbeef
    Dec 27, 2013
    3
    Repetitive, dry, lackluster gameplay coupled with a completely forgettable story (which is hard to do in w40k).

    The bullets seem to carry little weight. One of the largest mechanics in the game is a dice roll, which is what your life or death ultimately depends on, causing all real potential for strategy to fly out the window. I could get about the same enjoyment and excitement    Repetitive, dry, lackluster gameplay coupled with a completely forgettable story (which is hard to do in w40k).

    The bullets seem to carry little weight.

    One of the largest mechanics in the game is a dice roll, which is what your life or death ultimately depends on, causing all real potential for strategy to fly out the window.

    I could get about the same enjoyment and excitement out of playing tenzi (a game where you roll ten dice until you get them all to match), in the end, that's pretty much what this game is.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
88
#88 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 22
  3. Negative: 2 out of 22
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 24, 2013
    60
    The new Space Hulk is a by the numbers interpretation of the original board game. Fifteen mission, nothing more, nothing less. Far from the glory of Vengeance of the Blood Angels. [Issue#234]
  2. games(TM)
    Oct 23, 2013
    50
    It's hard to recommend something so limited. [Issue#140, p.114]
  3. SpazioGames
    Oct 17, 2013
    60
    Space Hulk really lacks polish and just twelve missions are not enough to keep the interest for long.
    Read full review
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