Article by Pietro Gualano
In recent years, Focus Home Interactive has made a lot of use of the Warhammer 40,000 license by relying on different developers: the quality of the individual games has been rather variable, but in general we can say that the results have always been sufficient or even discrete. Today we're here to talk about the latest addition, a game developed by the guys at Streum On Studio that intrigued not only Warhammer 40,000 fans, but external players as well: Space Hulk: Deathwing. We had high expectations for this title, the videos released on the net in recent months had sparked our interest and we believe even now, after having thoroughly tested the game, that the title has good potential.. Unfortunately, however, everything did not go as planned and there are some defects that are hard to forgive ... We therefore invite you to put on the armor and come with us to discover Space Hulk: Deathwing!
All muscles
Space Hulk: Deathwing is a FPS in which the player takes on the role of the enormous Space Marines from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The main campaign consists of nine missions and lasts about 9-10 hours, unfortunately the tasks assigned to the user are quite repetitive and there is not much variety ... The player finds himself advancing, setting after setting, limiting himself to killing all the hostile beings present and continuing in a carnage that seems endless.. There are some interesting ideas, such as turrets to control or special weapons to exploit, but these elements are too sporadic to change the actual perception that one has of the story mode.
Even the plot of the game taken individually is not exactly the best, the player finds himself exploring a huge Space Hulk (a spaceship) but the secrets present and the mysteries to be discovered are not so interesting as to push the user to continue for more information. Fortunately, the maps and game levels have been made very well and contribute significantly to making the overall experience more enjoyable: in the narrow corridors and in the dark rooms a decidedly suggestive atmosphere is created and the soundtrack, really well done, helps. to engage and inspire the player. In Space Hulk: Deathwing we have a constant succession of narrow and disturbing corridors and large halls in which to face waves and waves of fearsome enemies, an alternation that works and that is practically never boring.
The Space Hulk has been built in a more than satisfactory way and visually speaking it has a lot to offer, with well-kept environments and an atmosphere worthy of Warhammer 40,000.
Bullets and blades
Let's now pass to the beating heart of Space Hulk: Deathwing: the gameplay. Here too, unfortunately, there are several problems that in the long run end up compromising the gaming experience, but let's go in order. The feel of the guns is certainly good and the guns featured are fun and satisfying to use, but the variety is just enough and we would certainly have liked a few more guns. Furthermore, the aiming system created for the occasion did not convince us at all and is rather inconvenient to use, not to mention that the hitboxes of the enemies are not always 100% accurate. Melee attacks are also not very convincing and often you have the feeling of hitting completely empty: it is difficult to guess the direction of the attack, so often you simply end up with random blows taken by the heat of the battle.
There is also a character progression system with different skills to unlock divided into three groups: we would have appreciated a lot more care for this component of the game, but the progression is still sufficient and some powers are very fun and satisfying to use.
Overall Space Hulk: Deathwing didn't convince us from a gameplay point of view, we believe that much more could be done and we hope that the developers continue to work especially on the targeting system (in our opinion very inadequate).
Due co-op
In Space Hulk: Deathwing you will not be alone and can rely on AI-controlled Marines. Unfortunately, however, their intelligence has not been particularly taken care of so you will have to constantly keep an eye on them and give orders to prevent them from being killed unnecessarily. This is not a problem in skirmishes or in the quieter phases, but in the most excited and enemy-rich phases things get really complex. Allied AI is perceived as a problem especially in battles in tight spaces, where a not particularly smart ally can safely block your aim and vision and prevent you from acting as you would like. We have also happened to see some Marines remain impassive in the face of the blows suffered without reacting, so we are in fact forced to constantly issue orders after orders.
Online, of course, things change dramatically. Space Hulk: Deathwing is much more fun when played in co-op with a group of friends, collaboration is essential since the enemies are really aggressive and can take you around very quickly. Too bad, however, that dedicated servers are completely missing, so you could have big stability problems and, in general, you might struggle to find a decent game. When it works, however, the game manages to entertain and tear apart hordes of aliens in company is always a great satisfaction. Warning: when you play online there is no progression and you start from scratch every time.
Cathedral in space
Technically speaking, Space Hulk: Deathwing is definitely an acceptable product, the requirements are not low (on the contrary) but with the right PC there are no particular problems. During our test we recorded some frame drops but nothing excessive, the ragdoll is present (and annoying), but the lighting effects have been treated well and the textures are generally defined and detailed (there are exceptions). Note of merit for the user interface, the player does not have the classic FPS indicators but must deal with an armor that is progressively damaged in its individual parts. We may not like this choice, we are aware of it, but it is original and we appreciated the idea of proposing something different than usual.
Even the soundtrack and the audio effects have fully convinced us, the music helps to create that atmosphere which is the real strong point of the production and will always keep you on the string, ready to shoot at the slightest movement.
Conclusion
Space Hulk: Deathwing is a sufficient product, but we certainly expected a lot more. The gameplay has some major problems, the story is not that compelling, the allied AI is not the best and we could go on. Fortunately, to save the production we think the level design, really interesting and with some noteworthy ideas, and a technical sector (almost) always up to the situation. In conclusion, the game is only recommended if you are a fan of Warhammer 40,000, who is simply looking for a fps should look elsewhere.
