When sitting in the main room of a dark and shoddy pub, staring cautiously at a few other, well-armed associates as they pour over a map to decide the groups next move, you find that perfect place for reflection. Somehow, someway, the four of you escaped from the streets of Ubersreik alive, leaving the gutters thick with blood and rat men. You’re equal parts relieved and fearful, as you made it out of the jaws of the ravenous Skaven, but after a brief pause, you’re definitely going back in. At least you’re bringing friends, right?
Vermintide is developer Fatshark’s modern interpretation of Left 4 Dead through the lens of the Warhammer Fantasy Universe, a license that has loomed in video gaming for decades, but has found vigorous expansion into the digital realm in the last couple of years. The last game centered around the villainous Skaven, Shadow of the Horned Rat, is remembered rather poorly, but it’s hard to hold that against anyone once you see your first Rat Ogre during your skirmishes. This game is leaps and bounds more different and more enjoyable than any game based on WFB in the past.
After choosing one of five initial starting characters, you enter a tavern (with the aforementioned table of maps and things) with the intention of finding a group of like minded individuals to slay the rat menace with. I dabbled with the Wood Elf Waywatcher, Kerillian, during the beta. She had a satisfying mix of precise and rapid ranged attacks and quick melee options that made her a great beginner choice. I decided to change it up in the launch version and went for something a little beefier in Markus Kruber, the Empire Solider. He’s stocky and decked in plate mail, with a giant warhammer as his initial melee option. It swings slow but strikes with a weight that is way more satisfying to my sensibilities than a pair of knives. It also has a charge attack, which had no problem felling almost anything that wasn’t a boss-type creature in one blow. His blunderbuss is a hail of hot death to groups of close to mid-range rat men. It’s a thing of beauty, really.
The other characters look great, but I haven’t properly put time into them to figure out their best usages. The Witch Hunter, Victor Saltzpyre, has a remarkable number of pistols on his person, allowing him fire off pretty strong and reasonably precise shots at impressive intervals. Not as quick or accurate as the Waywatcher‘s bow, but definitely strong enough to put your average enemy on their back. Sienna Fuegonasus, the Bright Wizard, may have the most impressive ranged attacks of the bunch, as her spells are absolutely devastating, and the sheer number of different attacks she can have makes her very versatile. Bardin, the Dwarf Ranger, has great starting defensive options, thanks to his shield, and he makes a great addition to any party.
All of these heroes have a little room for customization, as well. After gaining enough experience, these characters level up and gain access to new equipment options. Bardin starts with an axe and shield, but can eventually equip great axes and hammers, forgoing his defensive advantage entirely. As soon as I could swap the Empire Solider‘s great hammer for a great sword, I did in a heartbeat. It’s wider range of motion and faster swing speed was exactly what I was looking for to make the most out of his superior physical presence when knee deep in Skaven mobs.
Being in the thick of numerous mobs of Skaven will be par for the course in Vermintide, hence the name. Dozens of creatures fill the screen and charge with reckless abandon. Clanrats are the rank and file dross that will greet you in combat, and they are push overs, individually. Even in small groups, they stood no real chance against a heavy blow from a hammer or a barrage from the blunderbuss. but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. They know how to pack a room, and the sheer number of them can overwhelm even the mightiest warrior. Attrition is a war you will never win with the Skaven.
That said, when even Clanrats are present, so too will be Slaves, who are far more poorly equipped and usually smaller. They don’t really have a battle strategy outside of throw themselves at you, and dispatching of any one slave is rudimentary. But I learned to approach Slaves and Clanrats with the same caution as some of the more lethal Skaven: at range for as long as I can muster.
Some of the more dangerous creatures include Stormvermin, who are heavily armored Skaven that often patrol the streets looking for stray heroes. They require a little extra to dispatch, as you need attacks that pierce armor. Namely charged melee attacks or firearms. They pack a punch too, so staying in melee with them for extended periods of time is a mistake. Their pole arms make it difficult to engage them without taking a hit or two, so play accordingly. When Stormvermin are joined by Clanrats or Slaves, consider killing them first.
The furry terrors don’t always just run at you, there are special units that look to using non-traditional means to kill themselves some do-gooders. Take the Poison Wind Globadier, for instance. He uses glass bottles full of toxins as a way to empty rooms quickly. On impact, the projectiles spread a caustic mist that does damage over time and renders an area practically impassible for a short period of time. How rude of him.
Other specialty rats include the Ratling Gunner, who uses a minigun-like fire arm to clear open spaces and requires a bit of tactical acumen to outsmart. Gutter Runners hide in the shadows, and pounce on straggling heroes, repeatedly stabbing them until the hero is incapacitated, or until the Runner is pushed off. Packmasters usually lurk among groups of Clanrats, and will single out a hero to snatch with its collar hook, and drag them away into a dark corner of the map. If this happens, saving your party member should be a priority, to make sure they don’t get too far away from you, and get left somewhere to be killed by Skaven uninterrupted.
Each mission has a set of dynamically changing objectives that serve to twist the plot on your way to a bigger overarching goal. One of the missions tasks your party with running to a tower in the heart of the city in order to sound the alarm. On the way, you come across all sorts of trials and tribulations, like doors that need blowing up. The end of this particular mission involves a last stand against a giant horde of the vermin, who rush the giant horn alarm with a massive force. It’s the mission I’ve run the most so far, because it’s the only one I’ve been able to find a full party for when jumping blindly into matchmaking. All missions have varying difficulty which increase the value of the rewards you get should you beat it. Better loot makes you a better exterminator, obviously.
Vermintide’s appeal isn’t too surprising. By taking inspiration from Left 4 Dead and Gears of War’s Horde Mode, and filtering it through the often under utilized Warhammer Fantasy setting, Fatshark has created a co-op experience that is both fun and approachable. On normal difficulty, any character you pick, no matter what level you are, feels effective and useful. If slaying the endless enemy shoulder to shoulder with friends is your thing, then look no further than Vermintide.
Before you jump into the fray, stop by the Official Vermintide Wiki and learn your craft. Let us know how the fight’s going by tweeting us @CurseGamepedia.