Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
" Immersive Warhammer 40K RPG with deep tactical combat but clunky UI and bugs "
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Review
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an ambitious isometric CRPG set in the grimdark Warhammer 40K universe, developed by Owlcat Games. Players assume the role of a Rogue Trader commanding a flagship and colonies, exploring a richly detailed universe with deep lore and immersive storytelling. The game features extensive character customization, tactical turn-based combat, and meaningful player choices that impact the narrative. While the writing and atmosphere receive strong praise for capturing the 40K essence, many players note the game's steep learning curve due to complex mechanics and verbose ability descriptions.
However, the experience is marred by a number of technical issues including bugs, crashes, and occasional game-breaking glitches. The pacing can suffer from filler quests and lengthy dialogue, which some find detracts from the otherwise compelling story. The UI and leveling system are criticized for being cumbersome and overwhelming, making character progression feel tedious. Despite these flaws, the game offers substantial content, replayability with multiple alignments, and a unique perspective on the 40K universe beyond space marines.
Highlights
Players consistently praise the game's immersive Warhammer 40K atmosphere and rich, engaging storyline with meaningful choices. The character development and unique companions add depth, while the turn-based combat is regarded as tactical and satisfying. The expansive world exploration and management of a flagship and colonies provide a fresh meta layer. The game’s music and visuals, though not cutting-edge, effectively support the grimdark tone. Fans appreciate the extensive customization options and the multiple playthroughs enabled by distinct alignment paths, enhancing replay value.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on the complex and opaque leveling and ability systems, which can overwhelm players and hinder experimentation. The UI is clunky, lacking convenient features like buff/debuff overviews. Numerous bugs and glitches, including crashes and stuck enemies, disrupt gameplay. The pacing suffers due to filler quests and excessive text-heavy dialogue, which some find tedious. Late-game content and acts are seen as less polished and overly linear. Additionally, incomplete voice acting and technical optimization issues detract from immersion. Some players find the difficulty balancing inconsistent, with certain builds overpowering encounters.
Pros
- • Immersive Warhammer 40K lore and atmosphere deeply engage fans and newcomers alike.
- • Tactical turn-based combat offers satisfying strategic depth and variety.
- • Meaningful player choices impact story and endings, enhancing replayability.
- • Extensive character customization with diverse builds and companions.
- • Unique meta gameplay managing a flagship and colonies adds fresh layer.
- • Rich, well-written story with memorable characters and dialogue.
- • Multiple alignment paths provide distinct playthrough experiences.
Cons
- • Complex and verbose leveling system can overwhelm and frustrate players.
- • User interface is clunky and lacks quality-of-life features.
- • Numerous bugs and crashes disrupt gameplay and immersion.
- • Filler quests and excessive dialogue slow pacing and engagement.
- • Late-game acts feel less polished and overly linear.
- • Incomplete voice acting reduces narrative impact.
- • Difficulty balancing issues with some builds overpowering encounters.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
Begin your adventure aboard your personal, giant voidship, traveling between the multitude of systems within the Koronus Expanse, a barely charted and incredibly perilous region of space. Despite being considered a backwater of the Imperium, this region encompasses an enormous stretch of the void, filled with dangerous creatures and prodigious opportunities for profit and exploration.
Rogue Traders never travel alone. Gather your retinue of righteous heroes, twisted psykers, and perfidious xenos. All of them are ready to follow you into the darkness between the stars. They will offer you counsel, aid you in battle, and allow you to amass ever more power. In return, you can guide them through their own personal journeys, changing their destinies forever.
During quests show your subjects mercy or disdain, stay faithful to the God-Emperor, or consort with enemies of Mankind - your every decision and every act, even in character creation, is changing the in-game open world and those who inhabit it.
Slaughter the enemies of Mankind in a fully-fledged isometric turn-based tactical combat. Take advantage of cover, the environment, and careful positioning to overpower your enemies. When that is not enough - use your companion`s powerful abilities to turn the tide of battle and achieve victory even in the direst of situations. Our video game adaption of the classic Rogue Trader ruleset allows an enormous number of possibilities for you to explore.
8/10 – IGN, Leana Hafer
“Excellent adaptation of the Warhammer universe”
8/10 – Screenrant, Rob Gordon
“A game that digs past the heroic facade of bolters and battles and taps into the grimdark dystopia that makes this particular sci-fi setting so damn compelling.”
Polygon, Cass Marshall
Made in a close partnership with Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a story-rich classical RPG from Owlcat Games, developers of the critically acclaimed game, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.