Warhammer 40,000: Darktide gets a disappointing board game treatment

Games Workshop, the creators of the much-loved 40k universe, have unveiled a Darktide board game.

Unfortunately, the rendition of Fatshark’s popular first-person shooter will not inspire many to plunge into the plastic depths of Tertium.

Darktide has been a cult hit for gamers who can play the title (sorry, Sony Warhammer fans). The dungeon-delving shooter’s basic premise allows players to choose from four possible character builds to take on the rogue ravaging hordes of the former Imperial Guard.

These characters, deeply rooted in the rich lore of Warhammer 40k, are a tribute to games like Left 4 Dead and the Warhammer Fantasy series, Vermintide. They include a tank-like Ogryn, a magical Psyker, a stoic Veteran, and a religiously charged Zealot.

Sadly, their representation on the board game is flat, and keen-eyed fans of 40k will recognize them from existing models. This is the Nottingham-based board game maker’s attempt to cash in on a resurgence of interest in the IP after overhauling the game’s mechanics in the Path of Redemption update.

The announcement trailer compares the board and digital versions of the game, and highlights many missed opportunities. Considering Games Workshop’s extensive line of models and terrain, it’s understandable to feel a bit let down.

Darktide was released in 2020, so the Games Workshop development teams have no excuse for not having time to render the cast of characters in plastic.

The models on show haven’t been painted with the same insignia or dark metal plate as the Fatshark game, and some of the iconic Chaos-turned villains are just pre-existing models. They have all been plucked from previous sets for a press opportunity and it shows.

Additionally, there has been no attempt to create any unique models to celebrate the game and given the usual price point for these types of releases this re-hashed money grab will not be cheap.

For gamers who don’t want to spend hours representing their favorite characters in paint poorly, we recently reported on the best mods for Darktide. You can enjoy community-made homages to the grim world of the dark millennium and put the bushes aside.

Image: Games Workshop.

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