Warhammer: Chaosbane

Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition may not be for everyone. It is a grind-based dungeon crawler that relies on the ability to endlessly run through dungeons, earn better loot, and repeat against harder and stronger enemies. For those looking for an enriching story in the world of Warhammer Fantasy there isn't much to see, which is a shame, but the enjoyment here is based on buying into the gameplay loop. It may wear thin for some, while being a treasure for those who seek nothing but the menial grind of repetitive dungeon-crawling and looting for that never-ending quest of creating the optimal build. While this won't earn any accolades on the PlayStation 5, this is hardly a title to gloss over, and is worth checking out at the least.

Subtle uses of the new console abound, with the DualSense’s triggers ‘hardening’ if a power is still in cooldown.2 Running at 60fps in 4K, Chaosbane manages to feel fresher than it should. Even when the screen fills with enemies, zinging notifications, and colourful projectiles, it never misses a frame. All that said, Chaosbane remains the same generic game behind the PS5-ness. [Issue#183, p.67]

Developer Eko Software has done a decent job with the 4K graphics and textures for Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition and an even better job of utilizing the powerful PS5’s SSD to almost entirely eliminate load times. Traveling between the home castle and the many dungeons that are now included in the game is incredibly fast, and you’ll be hacking and slashing through the bad guys of Warhammer in no time.

When it comes to the launch games for Microsoft and Sony’s shiny new boxes, Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition seems like an odd choice. After all, it’s a port of a game that was released just over a year ago. Still, it’s hard to argue that it’s not a welcome addition to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S libraries that are largely lacking proper co-op adventures. It’s nothing revolutionary. But with a dash of next-gen polish and a mountain of content to explore, Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition should keep fans of the genre busy for quite some time.

Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition is an improvement on the base game from last generation, but never truly feels like a next gen title. The added content will make this a worthy upgrade for those who enjoyed the base game, however the game remains too generic in terms of story and far too easy when it comes to gameplay.

As an unashamed Diablo clone, Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition fares better than most. The game performs very well on PS5, enjoying the benefits of a high frame rate and resolution while keeping the hordes of Chaos minions coming, however the core of monotonous gameplay and lack of mission variation keeps this from being considered a classic experience. Fans of the Warhammer world may enjoy this and the amount of content on offer. However, those just looking for something to tide them over until Diablo 4 may find Chaosbane lacking in substance.

Prepared for the new console generation, Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition delivers the same dungeon-crawling experience on a gameplay level. Where the enhanced version shines, however, is in the beautiful aesthetics, silky frame rates, and expedient load times on PS5. Moreover, the new Witch Hunter class will give returning players a reason to sink their teeth back into the title, and newcomers will learn the game has countless hours of replayability despite its repetitive nature.