The cooperative third-person oop shooter has been available for some time now, first debuting on PC before eventually making its way to the Xbox Series X/S. With its successful console launch now complete, the sport has reached a milestone, becoming available on all current-generation platforms and launching on PS5, making it an opportune moment to reassess the first-person shooter’s overall impact.
The underwhelming launch of Underbaked is an understatement, given the game’s meager few missions, severely limited development programs that rarely provided players with meaningful choices for their character’s playstyle, and a woefully inadequate loot system featuring restricted means of upgrading gear through crafting. Since its inception, the entity has undergone substantial transformations over the past two years, culminating in its current form that seems poised to realize its full potential for the first time.
As its title suggests, this gritty tale unfolds within the unforgiving grim darkness of the Warhammer 40k universe. Rather than casting gamers as empowered badasses akin to those from earlier this year, the game instead asks players to take on the roles of death row inmates who, thanks to a timely invasion by the forces of Chaos, have been effectively conscripted into service within the ongoing struggle against their former oppressors.
Courses that offer a balance between structure and flexibility tend to excel at handling a few specific challenges effectively. Gameplay for Veterans primarily centers around leveraging precision-firing skills to neutralize hazards from a calculated distance. While Ogryns tend to employ weapons and abilities that keep them close to the enemy horde they will confront, Psykers utilize their mystical powers to unleash a torrent of fiery destruction upon their foes.
“Courses that strike a balance between structure and flexibility tend to excel in several key areas.”
Each class boasts its unique expertise tree, offering tailored customization options to further refine their distinct playstyle. The Ogryn’s versatility shines through in their ability to master close-quarters firearm combat while simultaneously bolstering their comrades’ destructive prowess, or else opting to unleash a barrage of rock-hurling mayhem against smaller foes, occasionally charging headlong into larger hordes and bludgeoning them with reckless abandon using nothing but a trusty shovel.
Offering a diverse range of courses, participants can easily find and indulge in their preferred first-person shooter game among the many options available.
Up to four players can team up for diverse missions throughout the Hive Metropolis of Tertium on Atoma Prime, a planet devastated by enemy forces. Gamers familiar with developer Fatshark’s earlier titles, such as Warhammer: Vermintide, will feel right at home, as this game follows a similar gameplay loop of diving into missions to acquire ranks, crafting supplies, and loot – which in turn enables players to tackle the missions at higher difficulties. Raising the stakes doesn’t simply scale up enemy strength by amplifying their health points. As a substitute, it brings forth entirely fresh challenges, featuring novel enemies, intensified boss battles, and unique modifiers, such as navigating a mission under perpetual shadow.
The PS5’s performance is ideally optimized when run in Efficiency mode. While the visually stunning High-quality mode provides a breathtaking experience, the compromise on frame rate and responsiveness comes at a steep price, making every moment of intense gameplay a nail-biting test of reflexes. While Efficiency mode may not render the game world unattractively, it does juxtapose the artistic rendering with a sense of disarray, as the beauty of the scenery is marred only by the bloodstains and deceased bodies that litter the terrain, left in the wake of the player’s actions.
“The Efficiency mode doesn’t have a significant impact on the sport’s visual appeal, as it doesn’t intentionally render the game unattractive.”
The management scheme is impressively clever, featuring a thoughtful phase of goal assistance that never feels overwhelming, and expert utilization of almost every button on the DualSense controller. Console gamers may find themselves at a disadvantage in shooter games requiring precision, such as sniping-based levels, due to the limitations of their controls.
Despite its typically well-crafted gameplay and enjoyable cooperative elements, the game’s narrative falls short in several key areas. While the game’s growth issues may be a relic of the past, the main setting remains woefully underdeveloped, with lackluster cutscenes serving as a poor substitute for actual storytelling whenever you reach a new level milestone? It’s a travesty waiting to happen, as the setting teeters on the brink of catastrophe, primed for thrilling narratives of desperate warriors defying incredible odds – an apt metaphor for the gamers’ own trials as they navigate each perilous mission.
While an excessive level of writing can be detrimental, the banter between playable characters is surprisingly engaging, particularly when Psyker’s erratic behavior or Ogryn’s carefree nature are involved, rendering their interactions fairly entertaining. The character’s writing style is remarkably resilient, with even minor figures often displaying intriguing nuances at times.
“The one actual low point is how it botches its storytelling.”
The sound design deserves special mention, with Jesper Kyd crafting an improbable yet captivating soundtrack that masterfully captures the frenzied energy of combat and amplifies the sheer grandeur of this absurdly epic production. The music primarily features a fusion of bass-driven rhythms and elements of digital production. A particular standout track exits the Imperium Combine’s Disposal Unit and Nightsider, seamlessly capturing the essence of the sport in its entirety.
Despite a bumpy initial year, the game has finally matured into an impressive title that promises countless hours of playtime for groups of friends to enjoy together. The first-person combat in Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a notable strength, with near-constant improvements made to its various systems through regular updates and expansions from developer Fatshark. The game’s current state features a comprehensive weapon-development system, an engaging crafting mechanic, and extensive skill trees for each class, allowing for ample customization options throughout.
Despite its typically underwhelming premise, the game still manages to deliver numerous enjoyable interludes amidst the frenzied battles against relentless enemy hordes. The game’s resurgence is largely due to a fantastic PS5 port that not only performs flawlessly but also presents visually stunning graphics, coupled with seamless cross-platform multiplayer capabilities – a combination that elevates this title to new heights and solidifies its position as the best it has been since its 2022 launch.
