Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide

 PC
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. IGN
    Oct 28, 2015
    72
    The use of different classes and the evocation of the Warhammer setting is enough to make Vermintide a competent twist on the Left 4 Dead formula, but it doesn't execute them well enough to live up to its inspiration.
  2. Gamers' Temple
    Jan 25, 2016
    70
    Combine the impatience of others and the almost endless random item grind and I do not see a casual audience getting swept away in the Warhammer hype by this game. Even Warhammer fans should make note that just because you may know the lore of the series it won't grant you a wonderful team experience ... but it may grant you some street cred to get you by.
  3. We Got This Covered
    Nov 10, 2015
    70
    Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide seems like an eerie, well-done Left 4 Dead mod on the surface. But players that soldier through disheartening dice rolls will find a replacement for their co-op and loot-driven needs, Warhammer fan or not.
  5. GameSpot
    Nov 9, 2015
    70
    The bread and butter co-op experience shines just bright enough to compensate for this relative lack of content.
  6. Kill Screen
    Nov 9, 2015
    70
    The titular vermin of Vermintide may come in a horde, but they’re all unique, in their weird, chittering way. It almost makes me feel bad about the carnage I’ve spent the last ten hours dealing out to them.
  7. TheSixthAxis
    Oct 29, 2015
    70
    Niggling flaws aside, Vermintide is easily one of the most surprising games to launch this year. Although there’s a clear lack of originality, Fatshark has done a brilliant job in throwing together a patchwork of borrowed designs with its own previous work on games like War of the Roses. It’s got the makings of a sleeper hit and hopefully, with a few more refinements, can grow into the next multiplayer must-have.
  8. Metro GameCentral
    Oct 28, 2015
    70
    As blatant a clone as you’ve ever seen, but this is almost as good as the real Left 4 Dead and does have a few extra ideas of its own.
  9. GamesBeat
    Nov 3, 2015
    68
    Vermintide gets so many things right, and its designers have made enough smart decisions about how to deviate from the Left 4 Dead, that it makes the difficulty knee-capping and technical mishaps all the more disappointing.
  10. CD-Action
    Jan 12, 2016
    60
    A technically flawed copy of Left 4 Dead that does not even have a proper Warhammer atmosphere. [13/2015, p.66]
    All this publication's reviews
 This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

?
  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Dec 7, 2015
    On the one paw, there’s enough variety in the levels that playing my favourites on a cycle doesn’t feel too repetitive, and I’m enjoying the core of the game enough to be happy with a little repetition. But then I dislike the mindset that the loot system breeds. Forget the rats shagging in the sewers and scurrying up your plugholes, Vermintide’s true horror is the ruthlessness of its playerbase. If you’re not contributing toward a superior haul of loot, you might as well be ratfood.

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best PC Game of 2015
45
#45 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
36
#36 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 323 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 226 out of 323
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 323
  3. Negative: 43 out of 323
  1. Drivolis
    Oct 24, 2015
    10
    I simply love it. It gives me the shivers. It's not just a clone, AWSOME! The leverls are good, except that shipyard level , that was way tooI simply love it. It gives me the shivers. It's not just a clone, AWSOME! The leverls are good, except that shipyard level , that was way too fast to complete, but every other level was fun and challenging so far!… Full Review »
  2. Sargeras90
    Oct 23, 2015
    9
    What initially seemed like a l4d copy quickly blew me away with original and satisfying depth. The game keeps me guessing even after multipleWhat initially seemed like a l4d copy quickly blew me away with original and satisfying depth. The game keeps me guessing even after multiple playthroughs of every beta mission and most of the regular ones, I can honestly say I've never before felt both desperate and exhilarated to this extent ever before in a video game.

    To be honest i haven't rated this a 10 yet simply because there are some small balance issues at the highest levels of difficulty and i havent finished it yet.

    For the price, you can't go wrong, and if you have a party of 4 you will have the best co op experience this side of killing floor 2 since l4d took gamers by storm.    … Full Review »
  3. FirestormZero
    Oct 23, 2015
    3
    As a guy who loves this genre (with over 2000 hours spent on L4D1/2) I headed into Vermintide expecting a great and fun adventure with a tonAs a guy who loves this genre (with over 2000 hours spent on L4D1/2) I headed into Vermintide expecting a great and fun adventure with a ton of replay value. However, after the first hour of playing it, I was immensely bored. After 2 hours and 45 minutes, I realized that it would not be getting better and refunded my purchase.

    The first issue is that the melee gameplay feels entirely unrewarding. Most melee weapons have the same attack patterns Diag, Mid, Diag for non charged, and side, side, vertical for charged. This makes them feel really unsatisfying to use. For example, as a Dwarf I received a two handed hammer, and found that it was basically the same as the axe, but with slight knockback and less damage. Mechanically, a sword and shield, or two swords, or a longsword simply do not feel that different. Add that you can block with all weapons, and the whole utility of the shield is pointless.

    The second issue is that the visual design is extremely non-distinct. The Skaven designs are extremely dull and the color palette is limited. The unique specials do not feel like they add much to gameplay, and instead feel more like inferior versions of Jockey, Spitter, and Hunter from Left 4 Dead. Left 4 Dead paid a lot of attention to the visual design and sound design of the game-- i.e. all of the special infected have a very distinct silhouette and vocal range, same with the playable characters.

    Not so in Vermintide, where the Dwarf is nearly the exact same size and proportions as the rat, and most of the other characters look sort of like rats in the constant darkness of the setting. They do not feel recognizable or unique. Their interactions are cliche as their designs and only one of the characters (Bright Wizard) actually introduced a different mechanic that makes them unique. The rest may as well be the same character, just with different weapons (that do not really feel that different anyways).

    The level designs vary in quality-- however, the lack of events that force you to take different paths through them and the poor responsiveness of the dynamic AI lowers the replay value. The game lacks the tension and adrenaline of Left 4 Dead and instead becomes a game about spamming left click while pressing forward. After 1 hour it became boring and I took a break, trying to re-evaluate it.

    My re-evaluation is this: if you are interested in this game, you should instead try Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, or any other co-op FPS. Melee Combat has never been so unsatisfying.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »