Conversation is not the primary concern in Warhammer 40,000, but that could be changing. Since the recent Warhammer Skulls Showcase, one title known as Darktide has been drawing a lot of attention. A co-op shooter in a hostile universe, this will be the very first Warhammer game with fully customizable characters. While this provides players with a lot of freedom in appearance, it limits the range of casual banter. However, the devs behind the game are working to create an in-depth dialogue system that will allow a huge spectrum of banter between characters no matter their physical characteristics. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is scheduled for release later this year.
Talking Darktide
Though the Warhammer 40,000 universe is extremely vast with lots of lore, the narrative between specific characters isn’t very prominent. However, Darktide is working to change this with their extensive dialogue and voiceover work. This is quite fitting since the game will rely heavily on co-op gameplay. You play as a “Reject,” or someone cast out of society, who has been sent into the dangerous city of Tertium. The area has been overrun with monsters and disease forcing everyone to evacuate and the Rejects to be sent in. You’ll be fighting hordes of increasingly stronger enemies, so having conversation between characters can prove to provide some relief.
The games set in the universe have a history of being quite violent and physical. Even so, titles such as those in the Vermintide series show that the Warhammer universe is not as shallow as that. There’s a strong sense of teamwork and customization in fighting back the vermin enemies with a play style that works best for you. There’s also Owlcat’s Rogue Trader which is working to create an epic RPG story in the Warhammer 40,000 universe with a cast of colorful and well-defined characters.
While most custom characters are written in ways that allow them to fit anywhere, Mass Effect’s Commander Shepard shows that it’s possible to create a natural and memorable one. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is taking steps toward that by working their characters’ art of conversation.
