With the exciting news and trailer surrounding Dawn of War III, we wanted to revisit some of the nostalgic Warhammer themed games that made us fall in love with the tabletop crossover. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are our Top Five Warhammer Games of All Time.
Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War
A personal favorite of mine, Dawn of War had expansions introducing new races like the Imperial Guard, Necrons, Dark Eldar and Sisters of Battle. It was a popular RTS alternative during its heyday and stood up on its own as a deeply tactical game.
Many players complained that the mass unit/army style of the first game was sorely lacking in Dawn of War II, but judging from the initial press release, Relic/Sega hint that DoW III will have “the epic scale of Dawn of War” combined with “the customization and elite heroes of Dawn of War II.”
Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War II
A fine game by many standards, however, a bit disappointing compared to its predecessor, DoW II focuses primarily on squads. Perhaps more tactical in terms of movement and unit placement, DoW II holds its own when it comes to combat.
No base building is required and the battles you and your squaddies will encounter through the above-average narrative make for an entertaining game.
While some players loved the boss battles, cover system, and the item drop mechanic of DoW II, others found it to be a far cry from what they expected from a sequel.
Warhammer: Dark Omen
In the time when most sequels are trashed for not doing enough to improve on their predecessor, Dark Omen, the sequel to Shadow of the Horned Rat, is one of the rare examples where the sequel blows the original out of the water.
After making tweaks to many aspects of the game, such as new units, tactical orders and a substantial overhaul to the graphics and UI, Dark Omen was hard to quit and the added features that contributed to the replayability.
Blood Bowl
Not your typical Warhammer game, but it’s within the universe so I’m going to include it.
Perhaps what made Blood Bowl so great was that the developer nailed the transition from a tabletop game to the digital realm. A mishmash of rugby, American football and murder make this game an entertaining strategy title without the seriousness of a typical Warhammer atmosphere.
While it had its many issues, bugs, and odd iterations, the core game is very solid and a nice lighthearted alternative to the usual tone of the Warhammer universe.
Warhammer 40k: Space Marine
Making our list purely for its awesome mix of melee combat and shooting, Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is an interesting take on the franchise.
This third-person action game puts you in the thick of things as a commander of an infantry unit fighting against the countless Ork armies that have invaded the Forge World Graia. It’s one of the few games that immerses the player on the battlefield and the brutal combat system makes for a fun romp.
Be sure to check back for more news leading up to the release of Dawn of War III!