Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Nice.

Was drawn in initially via their Previous Game Vermintide, that melee combat with gunplay has been shown to be a proper combination without the need to be focused on a particular "Meta" build to progress with each difficulty. Quite a large change and development over time since the BETA, many quality of life add-ons that arguably should've been there closer to the start. However the gameplay loop was something that was held down well. Though the cosmetic store is something to be desired (Unlike the catelogue option in previous titles, the cosmetics are 'rotated' out bi-weekly leaving a partial case a FOMO, and the usage of a "Currency" that will leave you with a partial amount left but never enough to get rid of.) Big seller for me personally was the dialogue and characters, though initially coming in was a bit apprehensive that your personal character would be somewhat of a shell with your nametag on it. Thanklfully proven wrong with over 90,000 lines of dialogue for the different "personalities" which have their own underlying flaws and issues, and EXCELLENT line delivery from the voice actors! Only concern now is end-game, I did try not to bring up meta however It is to be said, that the balancing for the weapons and classes have been Buff heavy so every weapon that falls behind gets buffed, then the next one does, then the next, continue on for four years and now you have certain builds and weapons that completely over-shadow other weapons and DECIMATE higher armor classes. And now the developers are stuck in a conundrum, introduce even larger enemies groups, introduce changes that make the enemies tankier or more dangerous to engage in melee. Or players get bored. Or dial it back, nerf the outliers that completely change the game, it still retains the horde managment with specials and heavy elite targets being a danger to the group, but now they don't immediately get bodied by certain weapons. All in all Darktide is a game I find myself returning to and can be a great introduction to Warhammer with its Setting, aethetics and Amazing Soundtrack by Jesper Kyd