Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus

One of the best entries in the Warhammer 40.000 universe. Mechanicus offers a fantastic story, an outstanding soundtrack, and a sick voyage into the dark future of mankind where only war can be found.

As another varied entry in the expansive franchise, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus gives players a gloomy turn-based adventure with enough good ideas and personality to differentiate it from similar titles, while overcoming a few minor downfalls.

In-keeping with the nature of our man-machine protagonists, there are rich customisation options available. There are some generous difficulty tweaks, alongside Iron Man and perma-death modes. Each hero unit has myriad augment slots, upon which they can attach a plethora of weapons. It pays to be armed to the teeth because arenas are often dangerous close-quarter scraps. Cognition Points are the resource that dictates movement and abilities. Starting CP can be boosted with nodes scattered across the arena, which adds a tactical edge to positioning. Critical hits prevent the Necron from using their regenerative abilities, while certain weapons offer escalating buffs that give extra damage multipliers the more you use them. These elements combine to make fights satisfyingly varied from mission to mission.

For those who enjoy strategy games, the interesting puzzles and challenges this game provides will be welcomed with open arms. Mastering the combat system and crafting the perfect build for your Tech Priests will encourage replayability, although the differences between the PS4 port and the original PC version stand out significantly.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is incredibly intriguing and draws in the player with its world-building and tone. The art and music provide just enough to pique one's interest, but as a game, Mechanicus leaves a lot to be desired. I makes itself into such a cookie-cutter experience that progression doesn't feel rewarding, and it reduces the battles to pauses in narrative progression. Top that off with insufferably written narrators, and you get an experience that's tough to sell. The concept and world of Mechanicus are interesting, but the follow-through, laced with lethargic gameplay and sometimes indecipherable characters, is lacking.