Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Dealer is an extremely dense and narratively satisfying sport — however one which launched with some steadiness points, bugs, and different bumps. As the sport’s first anniversary approaches, developer Owlcat Studios has continued to construct the Koronus Expanse and the adventures inside, shaving off the launch model’s tough edges alongside the way in which. The primary enlargement, Void Shadows, expands on a few of my favourite elements of the unique sport, and units the stage properly for future DLC.
Rogue Merchants put on many hats: They function the vanguards of the Imperium of Man, exploring uncharted sectors. They’re among the many highest authorities of the Imperium, capable of go toe-to-toe with the Inquisition or the very best officers of the Imperial Guard. Rogue Dealer exhibits this, positioning the participant as a planetary governor, adventurer, political participant, and — when needed — choose, jury, and executioner.
Void Shadows builds on this properly. I began a brand new save to actually dig into the enlargement — its quests will robotically present up after Chapter 2 and all through the majority of the sport. This enlargement largely offers with the Rogue Dealer’s voidship because the Dealer explores the distant Koronus Expanse, which is on the fringe of the Imperium’s territory and present process struggles between Xenos, the non secular Ecclesiarchy, and the Administratum. The size and scope of the 40K franchise is huge, and that extends to its ships. The participant’s voidship is the dimensions of a metropolis, full with class divide, competing ideologies, and a threat of revolt.
There are about 15 hours of recent content material in Void Shadows, and there’s a brand new companion: Kibellah, a Dying Cult murderer. Kibellah is the Rogue Dealer’s bodyguard, and a possible romance, and she or he offers the very attention-grabbing perspective of somebody who was born and raised spending the totality of her life within the bowels of an enormous ship. Even seeing the higher decks, that are decked out in ostentatious and overwrought Gothic structure, is sufficient to shake her perspective. The galaxy of 40K is such an enormous setting, and it’s at all times fascinating to see the sub-societies that kind in each darkish nook.
Picture: Owlcat Video games
Void Shadows additionally introduces a Genestealer infestation aboard the von Valancius voidship, which offers one other attention-grabbing enemy to boost the mid-game. Genestealers are Tyranid hybrids who slowly infiltrate sentient societies, shifting the steadiness of energy of their favor. Finally, they overthrow the inhabitants and light-weight the way in which for a Tyranid tendril to return and feast upon the freshly ready tribute. Clearly, you’ve gotten a vested curiosity in getting these monstrous mutineers off your ship.
Whereas I’ve loved all the brand new content material that Void Shadows has to supply, I’m additionally impressed at how easy the efficiency is in comparison with the sport at launch. My first time enjoying via Rogue Dealer, I ended up enjoying at a decrease problem setting and abusing my Navigator’s utterly overpowered skills to steamroll fight so I may get to extra candy, candy exploration and dialogue. Going via and attempting to maximise my crew’s stats based mostly on a complicated expertise system was utterly unappealing, and as an alternative I simply brute-forced my well past that.
There have been additionally some unlucky bugs that impeded my progress, just like the time I seduced Heinrix van Calox. The Inquisition agent and I had some critical chemistry that lastly culminated in a spicy encounter, however afterwards he was caught in a T-pose in his underwear. I may get him to throw grenades on the battlefield, however in any other case he was caught like a giant, attractive scarecrow.
Picture: Owlcat Video games
These kinds of bugs plagued my first playthrough of Rogue Dealer, and their absence is far appreciated. Owlcat nonetheless has one other enlargement within the works for Rogue Dealer, and the developer simply introduced a brand new problem for gamers, much like Honor Mode in Baldur’s Gate 3. On this mode, gamers are examined with one life, one save, and no reloads or take-backsies. The problem will likely be streamed by gamers on Twitch from Oct. 22 via to Nov. 4, with drops from Owlcat Video games enabled and a prize at stake.
I loved my time within the Koronus Expanse the primary time round, particularly since Rogue Dealer takes a lot inspiration from the traditional tabletop video games within the Warhammer 40,000 setting like Solely Struggle or Darkish Heresy. The bizarre, enigmatic tackle 40K fiction, out on the far frontiers of the galaxy, is quite a lot of enjoyable. I’m glad Owlcat is continuous to help this CRPG, because it’s the most effective methods to immerse your self within the grimdark setting.
