Necromunda: Underhive Wars

56%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,928 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Necromunda: Underhive Wars Game Cover
Necromunda: Underhive Wars is a capable strategy games full of tactical options, but the glacial pace will put more people off than draw them in.
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Necromunda: Underhive Wars is a turn-based strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Lead your gang of fighters in brutal gang warfare in the dangerous underhives of Necromunda. Utilize unique class abilities, gang customization, and environmental destruction to gain an edge in tactical combat.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

56%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,928 reviews
story167 positive mentions
stability232 negative mentions
  • Great graphics and atmosphere that captures the Necromunda setting well.
  • Fun character customization and gang development mechanics.
  • Engaging tactical gameplay with a variety of skills and abilities.
  • AI is often brain-dead, making poor decisions and failing to engage effectively.
  • Game can be buggy, with crashes and glitches affecting gameplay.
  • Limited gang variety and repetitive mission objectives lead to a lack of depth.
  • story1,191 mentions

    The story aspect of "Necromunda: Underhive Wars" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be a lengthy and cumbersome tutorial rather than an engaging narrative. While some appreciate the cutscenes and voice acting, others criticize the story for being predictable and lacking depth, often feeling disconnected from the gameplay mechanics. Additionally, the forced progression through the story mode to unlock customization options for gangs has frustrated many, leading to a perception that the story detracts from the overall experience rather than enhancing it.

    • “The storyline is interesting as you keep bouncing between three factions that all want each other dead, but it makes for a decent narrative from the perspective of a shady dealer trying to get his hands on something ancient and powerful.”
    • “The story is good so far with lots of action-packed cutscenes between levels, which is neat.”
    • “The story campaign serves as a lengthy tutorial that takes you through the three houses featuring beautifully rendered cutscenes and voiced characters.”
    • “The campaign is so awful I could not finish it and dropped after mission 6.”
    • “The story mode is messy and boring.”
    • “The story jumps every couple of missions between gangs and serves more as a tutorial than an actual narrative campaign.”
  • gameplay527 mentions

    Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, with many players noting significant issues such as poor AI, clunky mechanics, and a slow pace that detracts from the overall experience. While the character customization and tactical elements are praised, the execution often feels half-baked, leading to repetitive and frustrating gameplay. Despite its potential and some enjoyable mechanics, the game suffers from bugs and a lack of depth, making it hard to recommend without reservations.

    • “The graphics are great, gang customization is extensive enough that they really feel like your gang, maps and missions are interesting, and the gameplay is satisfying, with even that touch of silliness that brings memorable moments I recall from playing tabletop Necromunda.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, a little slow-paced, waiting for your turn can be a little annoying, especially because the AI needs some work, they can make some silly decisions and occasionally get stuck walking into walls, but the progression of your gang and tactics are very satisfying.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is extremely satisfying as a turn-based tactical fan, and the game has a solid foundation, some nice improvements over Mordheim in terms of game mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and simplistic; it frequently crashes and the save games can corrupt with no way to fix them.”
    • “The ai is illogical, the saves get deleted, the textures and lighting are nothing like what I saw in the gameplay previews and reviews.”
    • “The gameplay is just mind-numbingly slow.”
  • graphics304 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the aesthetic and visual design as a strong representation of the Warhammer 40k universe, capturing the gritty atmosphere of Necromunda. While some players find the graphics to be beautiful and immersive, others criticize them for feeling outdated or lacking in detail, particularly in animations and environmental variety. Overall, the visuals are generally regarded as a highlight of the game, though they are often overshadowed by gameplay and AI issues.

    • “The game has great graphics and atmosphere, capturing the dark and gritty feel of the underhive.”
    • “The graphics are amazing and probably the best representation of the Warhammer 40k world up close to date.”
    • “The visuals are beautiful, exactly what Necromunda should look like, immersing you into the grim reality of 40k.”
    • “The graphics are pretty, but certainly not the grungy world of 40k that Necromunda is based in.”
    • “Graphics do the job but they feel old.”
    • “The graphics are okay, quality-wise.”
  • stability235 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of crashes, glitches, and AI issues that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players describe it as a "buggy mess," with some stating it feels unfinished and poorly optimized, leading to frustrating experiences during both single-player and multiplayer modes. While some minor bugs are tolerable, the overall consensus is that the game requires substantial patches and improvements to reach a playable state.

    • “Runs great.”
    • “If you are looking for a smooth, bug-free experience or did not like Mordheim, then maybe give it a pass, but otherwise, I recommend it.”
    • “Runs great though; still very enjoyable.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's both buggy and abandoned.”
    • “The game is still buggy; it's been abandoned at this point.”
    • “It's a buggy mess that I wish I could receive a refund for.”
  • atmosphere64 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning graphics and immersive design, effectively capturing the dark, gritty essence of the Warhammer 40k universe, particularly the underhive setting. Many reviewers highlight the impressive environments, sound design, and overall ambiance, which contribute to a compelling experience, although some feel that the gameplay does not fully match the atmospheric quality. Overall, the game is seen as a strong choice for those seeking a visually rich and thematically faithful representation of the Necromunda world.

    • “The game has great graphics and atmosphere, capturing the dark and gritty feel of the underhive.”
    • “They did a great job with the atmosphere, environments, music... the game really doesn't deserve all the hate.”
    • “The atmosphere appropriately conveys the grunge and grime of the industrial wastes of the underhive, without seeming too same-y like many environments from Mordheim.”
    • “The look of the underhive is interesting, but it just seems to lack the right atmosphere to give you the feeling that you're fighting down in the filthy depths alongside your gang.”
    • “The graphics, general art production, and atmosphere is fine but not enough to engross me.”
    • “It nails the atmosphere of Necromunda even though I would personally love to see fog of war implemented, as seeing where the other gang is when they move removes a lot of tension and excitement.”
  • music57 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and fitting soundtrack that enhances the dark, dystopian setting. While some players highlight the dynamic nature of the music during combat and its ability to evoke a cyberpunk feel, others find it generic and unmemorable. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's ambiance, despite some criticisms regarding its repetitiveness and lack of variety.

    • “The graphics are solid, the gameplay is unique, and the soundtrack is awesome.”
    • “The soundtrack is a definite highlight - the electronic industrial music provides excellent ambiance, and dynamically changes with the gameplay, rising in intensity in combat and when a unit is put out of action.”
    • “The music kicks ass, the gameplay is solid with an absolute multitude of ways to build your gangs, let alone the visual customizations.”
    • “Music is very generic and not memorable.”
    • “The music is so mediocre it hurts.”
    • “Sound is okay, but besides the voice overs from the main story, music and sound in Necromunda is... just there.”
  • grinding35 mentions

    Players consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and time-consuming, with slow turn-based mechanics and unskippable AI actions leading to prolonged gameplay that feels repetitive and unengaging. Many reviewers express frustration with the necessity to grind through a drawn-out campaign to unlock customization options, while the overall experience is marred by a lack of meaningful progression and poor AI behavior. Despite some improvements over previous titles, the grinding nature of the game ultimately detracts from its potential enjoyment.

    • “Managing your own gang is fun and not tedious like it was in Mordheim. There's definitely work to be done, but so far it's shaping up to be a faithful recreation of the tabletop game.”
    • “The constant selecting of your fighter, then waiting for the screen to tell you it's your turn, and watching the other team make their moves first... so far I have played 3 missions in the storyline, and it took 3 hours of tedious running around fighting.”
    • “But those two improvements, while needed, aren't enough to fix the real problem which is boring, repetitive gameplay that just seems like grinding for the sake of grinding.”
    • “The fact that you can't skip watching the AI's turns makes games extremely long and tedious.”
  • humor33 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from the hilariously poor AI behavior, which often leads to amusing situations such as characters getting stuck, throwing grenades at walls, or performing ridiculous animations. While this comedic charm can be entertaining initially, it tends to wear thin over time, especially as players encounter frustrating bugs and inconsistencies. Overall, the game's blend of absurdity and unpredictability provides a unique, albeit sometimes exasperating, comedic experience.

    • “The AI is hilariously stupid and the game is very obviously half-baked, but despite that, the character customization is very nice, and the gameplay is still, while very simple, also pretty fun.”
    • “As hilariously bad and predictable as the AI is, it has some moments of brilliance when the field is open, creating big and fun fights that you can join or capitalize on; ending your neighbor's noisy dispute under a rain of grenades and barrage autocannon fire has never been this entertaining.”
    • “Some of the regular walking animations are just straight-up hilarious looking (looking at you, Goliath gang) and some of the close combat animations are quite silly (though some are weirdly awesome).”
    • “Nope, not funny.”
  • optimization21 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including crashes, glitches, and lag, particularly in online play. While a few users report smooth gameplay and stability on high settings, many others highlight the need for further polishing and bug fixes, especially regarding AI performance and camera controls. Overall, the game appears to be a work in progress, with potential for improvement through future patches.

    • “I haven't personally had any bugs, performance issues, or anything technical like that.”
    • “Mechanically the game functions fine for me and I haven't encountered any performance or save corruption others have reported.”
    • “Performance and gameplay is buttery smooth.”
    • “The game can be buggy and unstable at times, with some crashes, glitches, and performance issues, and it can also have a steep learning curve, a slightly confusing interface, with little tutorial or guidance.”
    • “Does not appear to be finished with many glitches and what appears to be poor optimization.”
    • “Purchased, downloaded, adjusted my settings, 2 minutes of choppy unoptimized gameplay before it crashed abruptly, requested refund.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it offers significant replay value through tactical gameplay and multiplayer options, others criticize the main story mode for lacking replayability and feeling repetitive. The potential for improvement exists, particularly with the introduction of procedural missions and future DLCs, which could enhance the experience further.

    • “Great tactical gameplay with real replayability.”
    • “Lots of replayability value and kept me very entertained.”
    • “Replay value is likely high as you can make gangs and play procedurally generated missions.”
    • “No replay value in the main story.”
    • “Only five fighter classes, three gangs are playable.”
    • “When you look at the concept, Necromunda should be good; the foundations of the game are solid, and the replayability is there.”
  • monetization13 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with multiple DLC packs released despite unresolved core issues and broken mechanics. Reviewers express disappointment that the developers prioritized profit over quality, leading to a perception of the game as abandoned and exploitative rather than engaging. Overall, the monetization approach has overshadowed the game's potential, leaving players frustrated.

    • “What could have been such an engaging game stinks to high heaven of a dirty cash grab!”
    • “What a joke of a game; might as well call it abandonware with the added insult of multiple cash grab DLCs being released while the core mechanics of the game are still broken.”
    • “I'm really upset that they'd go for a cash grab DLC before fixing game-killing problems.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the RPG-style system that allows for deep character and group builds. However, some users note a lack of variety in character customization options, such as hairstyles and facial features. While the storyline and character design are praised for their fidelity to the source material, the linear campaign is criticized for lacking meaningful character development.

    • “The RPG-style character development and equipment system offers some fairly deep character and group builds.”
    • “Great time waster; I am really enjoying the storyline and character development.”
    • “It's very true to the source material in character design, weapons, and terrain.”
    • “Lacks a few character design options like needs a few more hairstyles and face options, but other than that really good.”
    • “There is also a linear campaign but without character development which serves as a lengthy tutorial.”
    • “+/- easier to learn than Mordheim: with all of the gangers available from the start, and a bit more simplistic character development you can really quickly get a hang of things.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed reactions, with some players finding it heartbreaking and capable of evoking tears, while others criticize the developers and express frustration over gameplay mechanics that detract from the experience. While the story may not be deeply impactful, the emotional exhaustion from gameplay challenges resonates with some players, leading to a complex blend of love and disappointment.

    • “I love it a lot, even if the story/lore is basic as heck, but the gameplay needs some touching up.”
    • “I cried a little bit, then started to pay attention.”
    • “Not being able to run around barrels and just walking slowly for ten minutes directly into the barrel and making no progress while you click escape, try to forfeit the match out of emotional exhaustion, and get the message that all gangers will roll for injury and have a 50% chance to lose their gear if you do.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

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Play time

11hMedian play time
40hAverage play time
9-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 28 analyzed playthroughs

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