Curious about a fresh take on the 4X strategy genre? Look no further than Warhammer 40,000: Gladius—Relics of War, which comes out July 12th and is the latest Warhammer 40,000 game in the series.
In some ways, Gladius—Relics of War follows typical conventions of the 4X genre. Players assume one of four different factions: Space Marines, Orks, the Astra Militarium, or Necrons. Each of these factions has a unique roster of units, set of buildings, and technology tree.
These factions also follow different storylines that guide their quest to dominate the bleak world of Gladius Prime, fend off its deadly native wildlife named “xeno creatures,” and uncover an ancient mystery hidden on the planet. These storylines give rise to special conditions for victory for each faction.
What sets the game apart from other in its genre, however, is the omission of diplomacy. The “4X” designation of games like Gladius—Relics of War stands for “eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate.” These are the principles that guide players’ progression through a game towards total domination.
They don’t necessarily call for cooperation with one’s opponents, however. The result is a tense gameworld in which players are driven by an urgent need to survive—both offensive initiatives by opponents and encounters with the hostile wildlife. It’s an immersive narrative tactic that forces a player to be aggressive and consider their own plans of attack more deeply.
We encourage you to play Warhammer 40,000: Gladius—Relics of War if you want a change of pace from other 4X titles—and especially if you’re the kind of player who’d rather let your weapons do the talking. Read more about the game at PC Gamer.