Review for Space Hulk: Tactics. Game for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 09/10/2018
Space Hulk, the famous boardgame branded Games Workshop set in the dark universe of Warhammer 40.000, has already had countless videogame incarnations but with this one Space Hulk: Tactics probably we have arrived at the gaming experience most similar to that given by the original tabletop. For those unfamiliar with the “Grim Dark” setting in which our game is placed, let's say that a "Space Hulk" is an immense and twisted agglomeration of wrecks of spaceships and space stations, even belonging to different races, floating freely in the Warp, occasionally reemerging in real space.
Within each Space Hulk, ancient relics and extraordinary technological artifacts can be found, as well as a gruesome death.
The Space Hulks, in fact, are almost always haunted by the terrifying Genestealers, the monstrous vanguards of a Tyranid Biofleet, who use the wrecks to move around the galaxy and land on unsuspecting planets destined for invasion. To counter this threat, all major chapters of Adeptus Astartes - the super human warrior monks in the service of the Empire also known as Space Marines - have created special landing teams, with the specific task of boarding and cleaning up the immense wrecks.
In Space Hulk: Tactics we will have the opportunity to face the snares of the Hulk called "Forsaken Doom" both in the role of the indomitable Astartes of the Blood Angels chapter, one of the most honored and revered in the whole Empire, and on the other side of the barricade, or by impersonating the swarm of fast and deadly Genestealers. Two distinct single player campaigns to be tackled each with a different approach, given the enormous diversity of characteristics and abilities of the warring factions.
Cyanide Studio, the developers of the game, have managed to extremely accurately pour all the mechanics of the lucky boardgame into this videogame conversion, also improving everything thanks to the inclusion of an innovative command card system.
Space Hulk: Tactics is ultimately a turn-based tactical game. Each unit under our control has a certain number of action points at its disposal (usually four for the Space Marines and six for the Genestealers) that will be spent to perform various actions, such as moving, firing the weapon or interacting with an element of the map. During our turn we will also have to take into account the view, to have the line of fire as free as possible and the range of our armament.
The command cards, customized for each type of unit, can be played during our turn, thus giving us some specific bonuses, or converted into additional action points that our team can spend.
The mission objectives are very simple, generally reaching a certain point on the map or completely exterminating the opposing forces and, while remaining practically identical to those of the original boardgame, in the long run they could be a bit repetitive, especially as regards the secondary missions. Nothing serious, however, also in light of the fact that Space Hulk: Tactics manages to make up for this repetitiveness by capturing and re-proposing in a masterly way the atmosphere of the original game and its dark setting.
To further increase the immersion, Cyanide has also included the possibility of playing the games in first person instead of with the traditional isometric view, a choice of sure impact but which does not change the type of game. Even in first person, Space Hulk: Tactics certainly doesn't morph into some sort of FPS like Space Hulk: Deathwing Enhanced Edition, you simply change the perspective. Fascinating choice, but definitely not practical for gameplay purposes unfortunately.
In addition to single player campaigns, Space Hulk: Tactics also offers 1-on-1 skirmish modes, which of course can also be played (and especially) online with another real user. To top it all off, we will also have the ability to heavily customize our team, whatever our faction, and to access a simple but complete editor, with which we can create maps and missions to play and share even online.
Space Hulk: Tactics presents itself as a sumptuous title, well crafted by Cyanide and extremely attentive to detail. Technically well done, during our games we did not find any significant defects, both in the video and audio sector. An excellent title, ultimately, certainly the best ever as regards the transpositions of the original Space Hulk. Highly recommended, especially to those who have played the boardgame, which faithfully reproduces the feeling: great job.
► Space Hulk: Tactics is a turn based game developed and published by Focus Home Interactive for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 09/10/2018
