14 DAY TRIAL // Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide is a game about constant panic and about the best way to try and deal with the feeling and the creatures that generate it, the ugly, fast, sometimes powerful but always impossibly numerous Skaven.
The development team at Fatshark is using its experience with War of the Roses and War of Vikings to create a first-person action experience that challenges gamers to choose one character and then work with another three comrades to fulfill mission objectives and help save the city of Ubersreik.
The missions included in the closed beta are The Horn of Magnus, Engines of War, and Man the Ramparts, and they show that Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide has a lot of potential as long as players are ready to invest some time in it.
For the first few missions, I attempted to execute, playing as the Empire Soldier, I was a liability to my group, often flanked by enemies, unable to determine which weapon I should use and how to control large crowds of enemies.
I then tried the Witch Hunter, the Waywatcher, and the Dwarf Ranger (the Bright Wizard does not appeal to me, despite the unique spell-based playstyle) to get a better feel for the core mechanics of the game.
Each of the characters has a unique set of weapons and personality, and in order to make progress in the levels, the four involved players need to try and stick together and play to each other's strengths.
The Soldier uses a powerful hammer that can take out groups and also bashes in the armor of the more capable Skaven soldiers, the Wizard excels at taking out groups, and the Witch Hunter can deal with the smaller vermin relatively quickly.
The Skaven are a powerful threat in Vermintide
There are moments when the sheer number of the enemy creatures makes thinking and cooperation all but impossible, and that's when each player needs to take care of their own skin while trying to assist those companions who are already down and bleeding.
Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide can be confusing and unforgiving, but it delivers a shot of adrenaline for any gamer and rewards groups that can cooperate well.
The level design is interesting and very fantasy-driven, although a little convoluted, and gamers will need to learn the layouts in order to get constant solid results on each map.
It's hard to reach objectives even on Normal difficulty, but those who do will be able to use loot dice to determine their rewards and a Forge to improve their equipment and add a little firepower for the next attempt.
At the moment, Vermintide lacks a little structure but the action itself is both unpredictable and engaging.
I had fun taking out creatures and the classes feel unique, although it seems that the Witch Doctor is chosen by most gamers who take part in the beta and might be overpowered.
The new Fatshark title also looks appropriately grimmy and dark for the universe it portrays, with Ubersreik empty of all other humans and crawling with Skaven all over.
It's a little hard to differentiate enemy types sometimes, especially when big swarms attack at once, but tracking friendly characters is easy, which is a blessing given how important it is to revive them when the enemies overwhelm them.
I especially appreciated playing as the Dwarf character, with a lower camera which puts him right at the level of the more numerous of the Skaven, adding a visceral thrill to the combat.
Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide will be offered via Steam on October 23 of this year.
Take a look at a slice of gameplay from my time with the title, but bear in mind that the developers can improve the experience before the full launch:
