Review for Warhammer 40000: Gladius - Relics of War. Game for Linux and PC, the video game was released on 12/07/2018
We have finally tried the final version of Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War, the first 4X game set in the “Grim Dark” universe created by Games Workshop.
Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War, developed by Proxy Studios and published by Slitherine, finally gives us the possibility to manage the entire conquest, and subsequent management, of an entire planet, Gladius Prime precisely, rich in exploitable resources and, above all, in ancient and mysterious relics, evidence of an advanced and presumably extinct civilization.
The Imperium, which in the past had already attempted a failed colonization of Gladius Prime, does not want to give up, and therefore sends several contingents of Astra Militarum to the planet, better known as the Imperial Guard, the imposing army that acts as a real backbone to the Imperial war apparatus and a chapter of Adeptus Astartes (the superhuman Space Marines) successor of the Ultramarines who was orphaned of his home world, and who sees in Gladius Prime an opportunity to get back on his feet.
Things would therefore have gone smoothly, not taking into account that in any case on the planet we find many and various forms of indigenous life, quite happy with our colonial aims, were it not that Gladius Prime has recently become the favorite destination of a horde of ramshackle but very dangerous Orks and, icing on the cake, also a creepy Necron army, all too interested in the relics that lurk on the planet.
The situation immediately becomes explosive, and the Gladius Prime domino must be conquered meter after meter with tooth and nail, without giving anyone discounts!
Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War therefore presents itself as a turn-based strategy, with the game world represented, in a very clear and detailed way, divided into hexagonal boxes. Each box has certain characteristics regarding the resources it can offer, generally related to the type of environment that composes it. Our task, once we have placed our main outpost, will be to explore the surroundings, assimilate and manage the resources, which are essential both for the creation of new structures and units, and for the research that allows us to access new discoveries and technologies. All the typical characteristics of a strategic game of this type have been respected and transposed to perfection in the style of "Warhammer 40.000". All but one, which we will never, ever find on Gladius: diplomacy. In Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War any contact with life forms, whether they are sentient or not, will be resolved systematically in a bloodbath. But on the other hand, in the darkness of the distant future, there is only war!
Precisely for this reason, the game offers us a lot of combat units, from simple infantry to heavier armored vehicles, passing through various artillery, flying vehicles and so on. All available of course as long as you have developed the right technology tree.
Unlike the version we tried for preview, the complete game gives the possibility to lead to the conquest any of the four armies present on Gladius Prime, obviously with very different units and characteristics from each other and, not a small thing, each of which with its own single player campaign, with storylines that inevitably end up intertwining with each other.
Playing with the Space Marines, which are by far the most user-friendly and balanced faction, is a completely different experience from playing with the Astra Militarum, for example, which has a lot of rather weak units available but, if well developed, it can count on terrifying armored divisions that are practically unstoppable. Each faction has its own style of approach, which must be carefully studied in order to be used in the best possible way on the field, making the game experience with Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War varied and always challenging.
In addition to fighting each other, we must also think about enlarging our outposts and creating structures. Even here, although the types of buildings (various infantry production, various vehicle production, resource exploitation, etc.) are practically the same for each faction, their implementation and above all their effects are extremely varied depending on the army we are going to. to command. So even the management part does not run the risk of being the same for all the factions in the game.
To all this, we also add an online sector, greatly improved compared to the trial version, which allows us to challenge other players, both in a head-to-head, and playing as allies against other players.
Compared to what we saw in the preview, we found a much more alive and vital Gladius Prime, with many more conquerable areas of interest, improved atmospheric effects and scenarios and many beautiful creatures ready to jump at our throat, very often as if nothing had happened (who said Diavolo Cathaciano?). Graphics and sound work perfectly, clean and without slowdowns, making the map always animated and very good for the glance. A special mention, in our opinion, should be made for the effects, especially sound, of the skirmishes. Each type of weapon used has its own animation and relative sound effect, always 100% in line with the setting. They are small details, but they pay off a lot. And, on top of that, in Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War you will find many more of these goodies!
Wanting to find a flaw, we can say that, given the type of game, the lack of diplomatic and commercial options could make Gladius seem a bit too simple to fans of the genre. However, this does not have the slightest importance for any admirer of this dark techno fantasy setting as, as already mentioned, we are talking about a universe immersed in a perennial state of conflict.
Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War is a title that absolutely deserves your interest. The management mechanics, perhaps not too deep, could make lovers of more complex simulations turn up their noses a bit, but they are excellent for those who approach this genre of games. The setting is recreated to perfection, the units and technologies available are so many and varied, some of which are truly iconic. The variety between the four different factions gives Warhammer 40.000: Gladius - Relics of War, in addition to a rich and fun gameplay, also a certain replayability, also supported by a good online multiplayer mode. Ultimately, a great product for both WH40K lovers and for those approaching the 4X genre for the first time. Recommended!
► Warhammer 40000: Gladius - Relics of War is a Tactical type game developed by Proxy Studios and published by Slitherine for Linux and PC, the video game was released on 12/07/2018
