Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a sci-fi themed first-person shooter game available on the Xbox Series and Windows based PCs. The game's based on Games Workshop's popular Warhammer 40,000 series of tabletop miniature games. Players take control of a customized character who is conscripted into military service. They team up with three other people and fight their way through various missions using an arsenal of melee and ranged weapons, as well as class specific special abilities. The game's extreme in its violence, with graphic depictions of death and gore. Due to the online co-op, players could be exposed to profanity and other offensive language from teammates via in-game chat.
What’s It About?
The Imperium demands your loyal service in WARHAMMER 40,000: DARKTIDE. Imprisoned and awaiting execution, you're given a second lease on life after events cause you to prove your usefulness against the forces of Chaos. Conscripted to the ranks of the Inquisition, you're brought aboard the command ship Mourningstar, which has been dispatched to the planet Atoma Prime to investigate an incursion of Chaos at the hive city of Tertium. You soon discover that the Chaos presence is even worse than suspected. Now it falls to you and your fellow operatives to excise this corrupt influence from Atoma Prime once and for all. You'll choose from one of four classes of warriors and team with up to three other players as you travel through the darkest corners of Tertium, facing down hordes of devotees to the Chaos Gods in a multitude of missions ranging from investigative search missions to all-out raids. Survive, and you'll not only earn the favor of the God-Emperor, but you'll get to upgrade your arsenal to better defend the faith of the Imperium. Fail, and, well, there's always another heretic to take your place.
Is It Any Good?
The Warhammer 40,000 universe paints a bleak picture of a dystopian future filled with brutal and unforgiving warfare on an epic scale. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide cranks up that same brutality, but on a more personal level. Being a first-person shooter, the violence is in your face and never shies away from showing just how gory it can be. Grenades blow swarms of plague zombies into meaty chunks of flesh and worms. Chainswords shred through cultists' limbs with a shower of blood. Psykers can pop a rampaging Ogryn's head like a pimple with just the power of their minds. This isn't a game for the faint of heart (or stomach). Of course, even a bit of the ol' ultraviolence doesn't amount to much if the game itself isn't fun to play. Thankfully, Darktide delivers here as well.
Even though Darktide is a first-person shooter, the "shooter" part is almost secondary. That's not to say the lead (or lasers, depending on your loadout) doesn't fly during matches, but rather that you'll likely spend more time bashing, chopping, stabbing, or otherwise relying on melee attacks more so than guns. Ammo can be limited, and thankfully the close quarters weapons have a surprisingly effective range of attack. Plus, the dark and dank environments can make it hard to even see the enemy, much less shoot them effectively, at range. Still, the controls are relatively smooth and responsive. Also, friendly fire thankfully isn't a thing, leaving you free to unload death and destruction without fear of taking out a teammate. And you'll need the help, as the squad based mechanic is core to the gameplay. It's not just about covering each other as the swarms approach. Different classes give extra bonuses to allies by simply being close to one another. This adds an extra incentive to stick together in online matches rather than running rogue. While missions are slightly varied with different end goals, you're still running through similar environments, fighting similar swarms of enemies, and generally going through the same motions. That's not to say it isn't fun, but it can get repetitive. But as far as giving players a taste of life in the Warhammer 40,000 universe? Darktide is as good as it gets.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide affected by the loads of blood and gore shown in the game? What are some of the ways that graphic depictions of violence can affect younger gamers? Would the impact be different if it wasn't as graphic?
How do video games based on other popular properties (movies, books, etc.) cater to a built in audience? Can these games help to bring new audiences to the properties they're based on?
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($39.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Fatshark
- Release date: November 30, 2022
- Genre: First-Person Shooter
- Topics: Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
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