Like many warhammer-obsessed teenagers, I was able to see tactical manipulation during my sleep, so I dawned so many times. Soulstorm was my particular jam as I added the Dark Elder and Battle sisters. As I say, I was a teenager obsessed with warhammers. The one that fell from the RTS series before its sequel was released was mainly because I discovered beer, so my strongest and most favourite memories are the rest of that original game, especially considering that elements like the MOBA in the third entry went down like a reed balloon. There is a parallel universe where we all play Dawn of War eSports, but that’s not the case. Fortunately, Dawn of War 4 It appears that the series is back on track.
Dawn of War 4 is very similar to the original game. My memories are clearly contaminated by nostalgia, but tempting a bloody Raven to the battlefield of Cronus again captures the machine spirit of one of the best RTS games ever made. The demo builds I played consisted of one large battle, but all four troops in the game have some abilities.
I led the Blooded Ravens in the Astra Military Allies, supporting me in the early stages of matchups. I’m not sure if the full game has AI control units in some story missions, but I hope that intelligence will improve as it is less useful than Grotto in arm wrestling competition when defending my main buildings.
The demo tutorial tells you the early stages of the battle which buildings to build and which areas to attract. I played it safely, deposited enough currency in the bank and built some elite units to protect my expansion. It’s a bit confusing to see Primaris units in the Dawn of War game, but the updated graphics really represent the range of miniatures. Blade Guard veterans rock and jungle their amazingly over-ritual regalia by proving that they are out of the way when faced with Gretchin and the Boys team.
I tried to use Old Dawn of War Days, or tactics similar to what I remember about them, but they mostly worked. This tutorial cushion also controls a lot of force, but if you expand too much it can be wrong immediately. Hubris bit me like a power claw many times, and the power claw bit me even more often like a power claw.
Come to think of it, oaks are amazing. I’m the opinion that in every Warhammer video game, they should appear as the most personality villains around, and they won’t be disappointed here. With excellent voice acting and perfect animation, Greenskin Horde brought the fight to Adeptus Astartes like never before.
The most impressive feat of Dawn of War 4 is how good it looks. From individual soldiers chopping up chainswords and firing plasma explosions to explosions of battle wagons hit by orbital artillery, this may be the best-looking warhammer game ever. But it’s the battle that really ticks it all.
Dawn of War fans remember “Sync Kills,” a special animation that played when one unit destroys another. They were unique, usually epic and memorable. Dawn of War 4 developer King Art has doubled these iconic animations and created over 10,000 unique battles that unfold in real time. Even when Meganobs attacking Imperial Knights attack Cataffron Battle Serbiters swipe through the grave spider, they all have a unique battle sequence that shifts and combines on the spot.
This creates a flowing, immersive battle that is as fun to watch as you play. After finishing the mission once, I immediately sent certain units into battle and came back soon to see what the battle looked like. The system ensures you won’t get bored of Dawn of War 4, even if you spend hours offering multiplayer after four campaigns.
Dawn of War 4 is also mechanically fresh. Instead of constantly seeing units fighting on the other side of the battlefield, you can automatically replenish your health by clicking a button. This is a godsend when things are desperate. It is this quality of life update that shows King Art has a great grasp of the RTS genre, and if it is a meaningful iteration of what has come before, you know exactly what this game needs.
The base building is back, but I don’t think this demo shows the breadth to play in full game. Building a Space Marine Unit is easy and the upgrade path is easy. However, a noospheric connection is created within the Mechanicus base. This can limit the expansion if you go out of range. How will Necron’s potential grave world technology affect their systems? There is a promise of depth. This pre-alpha gameplay just hints at what Cronus has in store.
This demo only damaged the surface of what Dawn of War 4 has to offer, and we’ll dig deeper in multiple interviews with developers over the next few days and weeks, but the most important takeaway is this: Dawn of War 4 feels like the original game. King Art went back to what he worked there and redesigned the foundations with modern technology. These very important roots are decorated with fresh ceramics, and this iconic RTS series is put into Rubicon Primaris to bring in a new, improved game.
This little demonstration is the first crushing drop pod in orbital attacks across the planet. It’s enough to be your appetite, a prelude to all destruction, but there’s an entire chapter waiting for the battle barge to unfold. If King Art can keep his high-pitched promise, the Angel of Death could be falling for an overwhelming victory.
If you can’t wait to play Dawn of War 4 yourself, or for interviews with developers in the next few days, why not settle for one of the best Warhammer 40K games to help you cool down? If that’s not useful, some other space games may have tricks done.
If you want to break down all the snippets from the Dawn of War 4 trailer with other like-minded fans on Gamescom, visit the community’s Discord Server to discuss each Pauldron and Purity Seal with staff and readers.
