Following the success of Rogue Trader, the first classic cRPG set in Warhammer 40,000, developers Owlcat Studios continue to explore the Warhammer 40,000 universe within the genre. The studio’s new project, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, has reached alpha testing. We participated and shared our impressions.
Unlike Rogue Trader , where we were the heir to a powerful dynasty, here the player character will serve the Inquisition. It’s no less powerful as an organization, but we’ll be starting from the very bottom as an acolyte novice. Other backstory details are being kept under wraps, and we won’t even be able to create a character; we’ll be playing with a pre-made party .
Overall, if you don’t know it’s a different game, Dark Heresy plays like a DLC for Rogue Trader – an isometric view with a movable camera , dialogue with a huge amount of text and a wide variety of choices and consequences, a variety of companions with their own opinions on many issues, tactical turn-based battles using a variety of abilities, and, of course, character leveling with the selection of optimal development paths.
The differences are minimal: the role-playing system has been slightly tweaked, the reputation system has been slightly modified, and the economy is more familiar, with regular money replacing the “profit factor” concept. Of the most significant changes, I’d note the heavily refined combat , with the ability to target different body parts. However, while the core gameplay remains unchanged, all of this feels more like cosmetic changes, as does the visual style—the game has truly become darker and bloodier compared to Rogue Trader, a fact that’s noticeable even in the alpha content provided.
It’s a small story—we only have access to part of the first chapter—but we have the option to play it in two different ways, emphasizing the importance of choice and consequences. Each option provides a brief synopsis of the preceding events, and throughout the game, there are both similarities and differences—even the location itself looks different.
The action takes place on the planet Scintilla—by the standards of the 41st Millennium, this world is considered luxurious, but given that the Acolyte is forced to work at the very bottom, we will mostly see the downside of this luxury, found in the lowest levels of the hive. The world features interactions between Adeptus Mechanicus factions, Ecclesiarchy expeditions, the Imperial Guard, and local nobles—all in keeping with the spirit of the setting.
I’d like to point out the diverse companions—besides the rather mundane Imperial Guardsman, Psyker, and Surgeon-Medic, the party can include an Ogryn giant, and even xenos—Eldar and Kroot. While we’ve already encountered the Eldar in Rogue Trader, the Ogryn and Kroot are certainly a treat.
But Owlcat Studios wouldn’t be Owlcat Studios if they didn’t add additional mechanics to their RPGs: in the first Pathfinder it was the kingdom, in the second it was the crusade, in Rogue Trader it was space battles and domain management…
Here, a full-fledged detective mechanic plays this role—as an inquisitor, we must investigate various cases, placing all the clues on a virtual detective board, building connections between them, identifying coincidences and contradictions, and then developing hypotheses that are subsequently confirmed or refuted. Companions can assist in analyzing some clues, adding additional depth to the process.
On the one hand, this feels more organic, as the search for clues and data for analysis is based on the same dialogue, as well as the study of objects and the environment, so the investigation doesn’t feel like a separate game, which was especially characteristic of Pathfinder and, to a lesser extent, Rogue Trader. On the other hand, it feels somewhat inconsistent due to the duplication of information in the standard quest journal and the Inquisition journal, where open cases are stored. This can be somewhat confusing for those unfamiliar.
Technically, the game also differs minimally from Rogue Trader. The only notable features are the redesigned interface , with more modern combat control panels and dialogue that’s been moved to the right, in the spirit of Disco Elysium . The game also boasts significantly higher levels of detail, especially noticeable on the character inventory screens. The alpha is only available in English, but Russian is naturally confirmed for the release. I didn’t notice any serious bugs, although blaming the alpha for them would be pointless anyway.
To sum it up, Dark Heresy, based on impressions from the alpha, looks like a typical example of how to set realistic goals, especially compared to the ambitious Osiris Reborn . A popular setting, a concept honed in Rogue Trader and all its DLCs, minor cosmetic changes, and additional mechanics that don’t feel like a standalone game already form a solid combination. While not technically a sequel, Dark Heresy is destined to be a spiritual successor to Rogue Trader, so the game’s future can be rest assured.
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