Hello gamers of HIVE, how's it going? Hope you're all doing great! This time I want to kick off a new series about Space Hulk: Deathwing Enhanced Edition. I picked this one up for $1.92 during the latest Steam sale, along with a bunch of other titles, and I really want to share my experience with this game as I go through it, because so far it's not bad at all. I don't think it's a super long game, so hopefully I won't spend too much time on it. So, without further ado, let's get into it.
This is actually the first game I've ever played from the Warhammer franchise, and from what I understand, Space Hulk is one of the earliest FPS games the franchise ever put out, or at least one of the games based on it. So I honestly don't know much about the Warhammer 40,000 lore, and this game just drops you right into something that's already happening within that universe. Because of that, I've been trying to piece together a bit of the Warhammer backstory on the side just to understand what's going on. From what I've gathered, you play as a Terminator from the Deathwing, the feared 1st Company of the Dark Angels chapter, and your job is to clear out a derelict, drifting hulk called Olethros, crawling with Genestealers. Heavy stuff.
That said, I couldn't help but notice some similarities with DOOM, especially with that whole hellish, ecclesiastical atmosphere the game throws at you. The whole "angels of death" theme, the gothic imperial architecture, the grim marines cutting through hordes of monsters, it all feels like something DOOM fans would immediately vibe with. This doesn't bother me at all, it's just something I picked up on as a newcomer to the franchise.
Now here's something that genuinely surprised me: this is a 2018 game, and it still holds up really well today. Graphics and mechanics wise, I can say it's aged pretty gracefully. It doesn't look like a current-gen game, obviously, but the Enhanced Edition is well optimized and runs perfectly smooth on my end. The developers, Streum On Studio, clearly put real work into polishing this version, since it came bundled with extra content on top of the base game, stuff like a new Chaplain class, an expanded arsenal, tougher Genestealer variants, and a Special Missions mode with randomized objectives.
The shooting itself is a full-on adrenaline rush. It's kill or be killed in these narrow corridors during the first mission, and honestly, it's been super satisfying so far. Combat is frantic, and what really stands out is that your ammo is basically infinite, so between that and your abilities, you just shred through enemies without ever worrying about running dry. That's a huge plus for me, not having to constantly stress about bullets. That said, not healing up regularly can absolutely ruin your run, since these Genestealers hit hard and swarm fast, so managing your health becomes way more important than managing ammo.
If I had to point out a weak spot, I'd say the sound design feels a bit flat overall. It's nothing that kills the fun though, just something I noticed while playing.
Now for the one actual downside I've run into: the online community is basically dead right now. Co-op is a big part of this game, you can play with up to three other people, but good luck finding an active lobby these days. If you want the full co-op experience, you're pretty much forced to grab a friend and jump in together, since finding random players through matchmaking right now is a coin toss at best. It's a shame, because from what I've seen, the four-player Terminator squad setup seems like it'd be a blast with a full team.
On the flip side, the AI companions are genuinely impressive. They're sharp, they react fast, and they actually do real damage to enemies instead of just standing around looking pretty, which happens way too often in a lot of games. It's honestly refreshing to see AI teammates that pull their weight. The healer companion in particular is going to be super useful once I fully figure out how to make the most of him, since keeping the squad alive through these Genestealer swarms is no joke.
All in all, I really can't complain. This has been a solid and satisfying first impression, and it's left me genuinely excited to keep pushing through the missions. Space Hulk: Deathwing Enhanced Edition might not be the flashiest shooter out there, but between the tense corridor firefights, the decent AI, and that grim Warhammer 40k atmosphere, it's shaping up to be a really good time. So, hope you enjoyed this post, gamers, and I'll see you in the next one!
