Review: Dawn of War - Soulstorm

Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 20 May 2008 12:49

Opinion and Analysis

Warhammer 40K finally found a quality video game product with the release of Relic’s Dawn of War.  With Dawn of War 2 being developed, the recently release Soulstorm stand alone expansion pack will most likely be the last.  Featuring the Sisters of Battle, and Dark Eldar along with a fully fledged campaign system, it is a fine way to sign off the series.

The Warhammer world of the future is a bleak one of endless war in a galaxy spanning conflict of alien races and super human warriors directed by an undying emperor.

Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War:Soulstorm
	Developer	Relic
	Publisher	THQ
	Rating	M
PC

I first encountered Warhammer 40,000 in table top miniature format not too long after its release around 1988.  Instantly the dark gothic view of the future contrasting starkly with the more polished white science fiction of the time was a draw card.

Soon I was buying up expensive metal miniatures, painting, pawing over rules and then battling it out with like minded individuals over beers and a ping-pong table for hours on end.  Great fun!

It really wasn’t until the release of 2005’s Dawn of War by Real Time Strategy masters Relic that a suitable video game version of Games Workshops table top opus was realised. 

DoW did not bring the actual ‘rules’ of the game to video format, but it did capture to a certain level (though it is weird to see your miniature collection animated and given a voice) the atmosphere of WH40K.

With the release of DoW:Soulstorm, the third expansion pack (though it is playable without the original), The video version of WH40K is pretty much complete.  -Tyranid players (see below) may disagree.