Total War: Warhammer 40k Impressions – The Perfect Mix of Strategy & Gore

After bringing environments like Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe to life, the Total War franchise is spreading much further afield with Warhammer 40k, and there’s so much to sink your teeth into.

I’ll admit, of all my bookings at Gamescom, Total War: Warhammer 40k was the one I was most unsure about, mostly because it’s been a long, long time since I dove into a strategy title like this, but the experience couldn’t have been more welcoming.

Thankfully, I was met with what Creative Assembly describes as the ‘most approachable tutorial ever’, and it was certainly that, quickly bringing me up to speed and then throwing me headfirst into a section of the campaign to truly test my mettle.

Here, Warhammer fans will be in their element. The vast customization options bring to life the freedom of the tabletop game, with a wide array of colors, emblems, and more to choose from, making your army truly feel like your own.

In the midst of battle, the biggest takeaway was how the destructible environments work. Hide in cover, and you’ll obviously have more protection from enemy attacks, but it won’t last forever.

In fact, I found the best approach in my arsenal was to deliver a huge explosive payload that created a big crater, which I could then use for cover. I’m sure this may sound basic to experienced players, but for me, I felt like a master tactician.

For the first time, Total War isn’t taking any prisoners either, with the game rated 18+, and it’s easy to see why. Sure, this may be an environment filled with orcs and strange creatures, but the gore is off the charts and blends into the world perfectly.

At launch, there are four factions to choose from: Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Aldari, and Orcs, each having its own distinct identity, with lore-inspired gameplay, but launch isn’t the end of the road.

Fan favorite factions will arrive in future DLC, expanding the game even further, so there will certainly be something for everyone.

As a relative newbie to the strategy scene, with it being over two decades since I truly sunk my teeth into the genre, I was worried that I would feel out of my depth, but the mechanics were easy to understand and pick up, making it the perfect opportunity for players to dive into the Total War universe for the first time.