Summary
Warhammer 40Ktraces its history back to the early days of tabletop gaming. Set in the “grim darkness of the far future, where there is only war,” the franchise has one of the most elaborate and deeply established settings in science-fiction, having had decades to build its world and lore. There have also been a number ofWarhammer 40Kvideogame adaptations, as the iconography and idea of hulking space marines clad in massive power armor wielding incredibly powerful super-weapons against equally terrifying aliens, demons, and more lends itself well to a gaming experience.
A majority of these titles see players stepping into the shoes of said space marines, blasting the threats to humanity to bits in fast-paced action, often in the FPS genre.Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader,though, skirts this standard fare and instead thrusts players into interesting and under-explored territory in terms of both character and genre.Rogue Trader’s setup marches to a different beat, and thus offers a unique window into some ofWH 40K’s more obscure aspects via a lesser-worn genre.
There is also aWH 40Ktelevision series in the works,with Henry Cavill attached to the project.
Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader Isn’t a Traditional Space Marine Shooter
Warhammer 40K’s Usual Genre Suspect
The nature of theWarhammer 40KIP matches well on the surface with an FPS and seems an easy choice of genre. Just as some recent examples, 2022’sWH 40K: Darktidewas a franticLeft 4 Dead-style co-op shooter.Warhammer 40K: Boltgunis a retro boomer shooterthat released earlier in 2023, reminiscent ofDoomandDuke Nukem.
These are only two of the latest titles that marriedWH 40Kto an FPS structure, and there have been many previous ones that did the same. This is not to say that FPS isn’t a good fit for40Kgames, as it certainly can create some viscerally satisfying experiences. But given the vast history and lore ofWH 40K, along with its tabletop wargame/RPG roots, there are many opportunities to expand beyond, which is precisely whatRogue Traderdoes.
Another upcomingWH 40Ktitle,Space Marine 2,was recently delayedto Q2 of 2024.
Rogue Trader’s Premise Splits From Warhammer 40K Standards
While it is firmly grounded in the familiar grim-darkworld ofWarhammer 40K,Rogue Trader’s framework is more unconventional, and sees players taking on a role that isn’t often represented. Rogue traders as a faction are not zealous super soldiers, but rather members of wealthy family estates in charge of mercantile operations in the service of the Empire.
They are given special status to explore and access otherwise off-limits and dangerous areas. Living and working in city-sized spaceships, their mission is to seek out valuable resources and lost artifacts across various planets and galaxies that would be beneficial to the efforts of the Imperium of Man, while making a personal profit along the way. This is a far cry from the usual space marine fare.
On the gameplay side,Rogue Traderharkens back to its tabletop origins. As an isometric party-based CRPG, it shares much in common with titles likeXCOM,Wasteland, andPillars of Eternityregarding its systems, mechanics, and narrative or quest design. Thebackground choices inWH 40K:Rogue Traderreflect a more diverse range, showcasing many angles aside from the oft-seen marine one.
Though it includes combat similar to the above titles,Rogue Traderalso places a heavier focus on the commerce and investigative elements ofWH 40Kalongside extensively branching quests, providing a breadth of choice in player agency. Fans looking for aWH 40Kgame that offers an alternative to more traditional FPS entries may find themselves intrigued by whatRogue Traderhas to offer.
