Space Hulk: Deathwing puts players in Terminator armor on a derelict space hulk overrun by Genestealers, and it mostly delivers on the grim promise of that setup. The game is a first-person shooter built around a single-player campaign set in Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe, with a multiplayer mode for those who want to fight online.
A colossal mass of derelict ships, asteroids and debris called Olethros has drifted from the Warp into a system already besieged by a Tyranid hive swarm. The Dark Angels Chapter sends a strike fleet to board the hulk, and the player takes on the role of a Librarian tasked with uncovering the dark secrets within. Azrael, the Supreme Grand Master, receives visions from his psychic Librarians that tie the hulk to the distant past of the Dark Angels.
Trailer, via IGDBcom.
The Fight Against the Genestealers
Combat leans heavily on melee strikes and heavy weapons fire, rewarding players for chaining combos and staying aggressive. Players earn Fervor Points through battle, which can be spent on four skill trees to improve abilities, unlock new powers, access relics and weapons. The Genestealers themselves are fast, aggressive and numerous, forcing players to manage health and ammo carefully.
The setting is the real star. Massive ship interiors, including cathedral-like spaces, expand far beyond the narrow corridors of the original board game. The claustrophobic tunnels of the hulk feel genuinely oppressive, and the game captures the sense of dread that defined the tabletop version.
The Campaign and Its Flaws
The campaign is linear and occasionally padded. Missions repeat similar enemy encounters across long stretches of corridor, and the pace slows in the middle chapters. The story, co-written by Gav Thorpe, a longtime Games Workshop author and games designer, leans on lore-heavy exposition that can slow momentum. The multiplayer mode offers a different rhythm, though it shares the same technical issues as the campaign.
Technical issues crop up frequently. Load times can be long, and frame rate dips occur during busier combat scenes. These problems are not fatal, but they keep the experience from feeling polished.
Space Hulk: Deathwing succeeds at creating a tense, atmospheric space hulk, even when the mission design stumbles. The combat is satisfying, the setting is memorable, and the lore is rich. It falls short in pacing and polish, particularly in its later hours.
Hard Numbers
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One
- Developer: Streum On Studio, with assistance from Cyanide
- Publisher: Focus Entertainment
- Release date: December 14, 2016 (PC); March 28, 2018 (console)
- Genre: Shooter, Hack and slash/Beat ’em up, Adventure
Comparison Table
| Feature | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Massive ship interiors, cathedral spaces | Narrow corridors in some areas |
| Combat | Melee strikes, heavy weapons, Fervor Points | Repeated enemy encounters |
| Story | Rich Warhammer 40k lore | Slow pacing in middle chapters |
| Technical | Atmosphere, Terminator armor | Long load times, frame dips |
Space Hulk: Deathwing is a solid, if flawed, entry in the franchise. The best moments come when the game lets the setting breathe, and the worst come when it loses focus. It is worth playing for the atmosphere alone.
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