Warhammer 40, 000 fans have been somewhat disappointed when it comes to video game adaptations of the franchise in recent years. While we did get interesting titles like Inquisitor Martyr, we also had the disappointing third entry in the Dawn of War series that seems to have killed that subseries.. One title that has emerged as a quality title though, is Warhammer 40 000 Mechanicus. This game sees you take on the role of the masters of technology, the Adeptus Mechanicus and exploring a Necron Tomb World, in gameplay that adapts the classic tabletop format and mixes it carefully with ideas from X-Com.
The journey through the Tomb World will be perilous, as the longer you take to clear an area, the more a meter fills up that determines the fights with the Necrons. You may think that speeding through an area is key then, but individual rooms in a mission may contain objects to dwell on and investigate. You might weigh the risks and rewards in each situation, and how well you think you can fight against overpowered Necrons. Collecting/studying or even destroying the objects isn’t an easy task either as you will be provided with multiple choices that will affect the outcome of the game. These choices will reflect pure obedience to Mechanicus doctrine, a leaning to the open-minded Xenarite philosophy that believes in studying Xenos tech, and the ability to go for a neutral option. You are not locked into a path from the very start but instead based on which path you primarily support.
The combat in Mechanicus is intricate and takes time to master. Sacrifices will be made as you progress through the game and that is okay. Every move is critical, there is no room for mistakes, ideally anyway, the Necrons are watching. Track your opponents and be aware of your positions. Opportunity attacks may occur if the player lines things up just right. I need to make something clear though, you will die in this game, a lot in fact. But do not be worried, since Mechanicus anticipates this and doesn’t penalize you as much as some other strategy games. In fact, you are encouraged to try and try again in order to learn, and the more you upgrade, the better you will be. The characters you use going in, will not be the same you use at the end of the game and that is something to remember.
Mechanicus also differs from other turn-based RPGs with a concept called “Cognition Points,”, while these are action points, and shared amongst the units, there is a different aspect to them. These are used to not only activate weapons but also to deploy units. To give an example, using Cognition Points will allow you to move some characters even further than usual, but this can have consequences in the form of losing strategic advantage. Cognition Points are harvested from the environment in various ways, such as by positioning yourself next to Necron monoliths, so you will need to be careful. Cognition Points mean that you cannot just play Mechanicus like any other strategy game, but there is a lot more you can do at the same time.
Mechanicus has a very detailed skill progression system, and the job system allows for a variety of upgrades along a specific path you can choose. These include the Explorator, Secutor, Tech-Auxiliam, Lexmechanic, Enginseer, Dominus, and Xenarite. These range from attack-oriented to support, defensive, and ranged combat. Players can mix and match skills to their liking and choosing one path doesn’t lock the player out of the others. In fact, each path has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you can experiment a little. There are also the servo-skulls that you can use for a variety of functions, and can also be further upgraded according to your chosen skill progression. These can scan enemies to tell you stats, drain cognition, and more depending on how you upgrade them. They are very important for your continued success in the game.
Mechanicus has an excellent story, and there are even hidden missions to find in the game. This is not even getting into the Heretek DLC which is included in this release, which adds a new set of missions and the aforementioned Xenarite skill path. From the presentation of the battlefield, the characters, and especially the Necrons, it is clear that a lot of love went into making this experience the best it could be. This is both true to Warhammer 40, 000 and makes the exact right amount of adaptational changes. The game plays amazingly well on console, with no real issues control wises.
If you are a fan of Warhammer 40, 000, or just like Strategy RPGs, then this is a must-play for you.
You can see our thoughts on other video game genres the franchise should try here, here, here, here, and here.