Talisman: The Horus Heresy

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 151 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Talisman: The Horus Heresy Game Cover
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Talisman: The Horus Heresy is a turn-based strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Players embark on a perilous journey through the galaxy, battling enemies, collecting powerful weapons, and recruiting allies to become a Warmaster. This game offers an extensive single-player campaign and online multiplayer, with various game modes and over 50 detailed figures based on the Horus Heresy legions.

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  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 151 reviews
gameplay7 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game is a fantastic digital adaptation of the Talisman board game, enhanced with Warhammer 40k lore, making it enjoyable for fans of both franchises.
  • The graphics and artwork are stunning, providing an immersive experience that captures the essence of the Warhammer universe.
  • Gameplay is engaging and strategic, with unique character abilities and team dynamics that add depth to the traditional Talisman mechanics.
  • The AI is poorly designed, often making illogical decisions and failing to provide a challenging experience, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
  • The game suffers from a lack of content, with many characters and features locked behind expensive DLC, making it feel incomplete at launch.
  • The user interface is cluttered and confusing, making it difficult to navigate and understand game mechanics, which can frustrate new players.
  • gameplay30 mentions

    The gameplay is a blend of familiar mechanics from the original Talisman game with some new elements that aim to create a distinct experience, featuring smooth controls and visually appealing graphics. However, many players find the gameplay repetitive and unbalanced, with a lack of meaningful rewards and a frustrating progression system that can lead to one-sided matches. While some appreciate the strategic depth and variety in character playstyles, others criticize the vague mechanics and limited player options, suggesting that the game could benefit from further refinement and balance.

    • “The core gameplay is there; you still need to get a talisman and reach the inner sanctum tile, but this game adds enough of its own elements to stand apart from the original.”
    • “Very smooth gameplay, and relatively clever AI enemies.”
    • “In just over 3 hours of gameplay, this has now become my favorite way to play Talisman, even over the board game. The game is absolutely gorgeous to look at, and the effects and sounds are top-notch.”
    • “The gameplay gets repetitive, the rewards are meaningless, there's a horrible undertone of unbalanced gameplay, and there's never a sense that you've actually gained or completed something because the game insists that you only helped win the game when in fact you did all the leg work.”
    • “Graphics from a 1986 Commodore 64 and garish music accompany lame gameplay.”
    • “For a price this high, I'd expect a much more polished and seamless gameplay.”
  • graphics24 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning artwork and attention to detail, particularly in character and combat visuals, while others criticize the overall aesthetic as clunky and reminiscent of outdated designs. Many players appreciate the vibrant and immersive backgrounds, yet some feel that the lack of animations detracts from the experience. Overall, the game showcases impressive visuals that appeal to fans of the Warhammer 40k universe, but it struggles with functionality and coherence in its graphical presentation.

    • “I won't not recommend the game, since it's still a solid board game with nice graphics and no glitches that popped up while I played.”
    • “The graphics are truly stunning, with planets and stellar constructs replacing the geography of the original board.”
    • “This is some of the best 40k artwork I've ever seen and really brings the game alive.”
    • “Graphics from a 1986 Commodore 64 and garish music accompany lame gameplay.”
    • “Although the graphics are better, it seems fairly clunky to play without the old-school 'charm' of the original Talisman game.”
    • “The board setup was forgettable without any obvious labeling or strongly defined graphics, short of having to click on each square individually.”
  • story21 mentions

    The story in Talisman: Horus Heresy is rooted in the Warhammer 30,000 universe, where players embody space marine warlords on a quest to build their armies and complete missions that reflect key events in the Horus Heresy. However, the narrative execution has been criticized for its lack of coherence, as it conflates significant battles and timelines, which detracts from immersion. While the game offers a nostalgic connection to the lore, players may find the quest mechanics frustrating and the overall pacing slow, impacting the storytelling experience.

    • “Talisman: Horus Heresy is a board game in which you, a Space Marine warlord, must build your army by increasing your raw strength, recruiting soldiers, building naval armadas, and completing quests so that you can turn the tide at the legendary battle for Terra.”
    • “Gave me a great feeling for the Horus Heresy story, a game that I will come back to time and time again, solo or with friends.”
    • “For a Warhammer 30,000 player seeking to enjoy a relatively measured-paced game, set in the storyline setting of the Horus Heresy, certainly this game is a must.”
    • “If you are looking for action and story, this is not it.”
    • “Then there is the problem that the game completely messes up the storyline, giving the impression that Isstvan III, Isstvan V, the war on Calth, and the battle for Prospero were all happening at the same time during the Siege of Terra. This makes immersion nearly impossible.”
    • “By the endgame, when I finally managed to get a quest of my own (which took way longer than it should have, in my opinion), I was so strong (15 melee, 20 ranged) that I was able to power through the rest of the game and win it about 10 turns later, while the other players were still fumbling around in the outer regions.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the epic soundtrack and its fidelity to the lore, while others criticize it as underwhelming and overpriced, especially when offered as paid DLC. Many players noted that the music often goes unnoticed amidst the in-game sound effects, leading to a general sentiment that it could have been better integrated or included in the base game. Overall, while the art and thematic elements are appreciated, the music's value and impact seem to fall short for many users.

    • “I enjoy the art that represents each victory type, and the end music that goes with it, as well.”
    • “Epic soundtrack, magnificent artworks and fidelity to the lore, while changing the scenario.”
    • “Being a big Warhammer Horus Heresy & 40k fan, I decided to buy all of the DLC including the soundtrack.”
    • “Graphics from a 1986 Commodore 64 and garish music accompany lame gameplay.”
    • “Firstly, the soundtrack, which is optional as a DLC, is too overpriced and underwhelming.”
    • “The game soundtrack, which is usually included for free in a core game purchase, is pay-for DLC as well.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, especially when pursuing achievements or dealing with AI that prolongs gameplay with overly strategic moves. The experience can become frustrating, even when playing with friends, as the repetitive nature of tasks detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “I simply do not possess the vocabulary to describe how utterly tedious this was even while playing with a good friend.”
    • “Very grindy if you care about achievements.”
    • “AI, do you really have to play every possible strategy you have during the end game when turns are already tedious enough?”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers solid replayability due to its diverse faction mechanics and the likelihood that players won't experience everything in a single playthrough. However, the limited variety of cards and the absence of certain key characters may detract from the overall replay value for some players.

    • “You probably won’t see it all in a single game, which is good for replayability.”
    • “I really like how data slates play differently depending on your faction as it really adds to the replay value of this game.”
    • “What's not good for replayability is that whether you're a loyalist or chaos servant, the cards themselves are limited.”
    • “This game adheres rather strictly to the book series it seems and many of the primarchs are replaced with champion stand-ins, neither Rogal Dorn nor Lorgar Aurelian are playable at this time which is a bit of a disappointment but not a major concern.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability has been negatively impacted by the Ultramar DLC, leading to frequent crashes and bugs that disrupt gameplay. While some players still find enjoyment in the overall experience and graphics, the persistent issues with stability and the chaotic interface detract from its overall polish.

    • “I won't not recommend the game, since it's still a solid board game with nice graphics and no glitches that popped up while I played.”
    • “A decent game in which I've enjoyed many hours, but unfortunately since the Ulramar DLC, it has become quite buggy and games randomly crash, leaving you no option but to quit the game.”
    • “It's an expensive branded ripoff that doesn't deliver any new content worth the price tag and is buggy as hell.”
    • “Much more polished than Talisman, but still retains that wonky, buggy, and chaotic interface that forces you to reload the game in some instances.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for its heavy reliance on microtransactions, with many characters locked behind paywalls and the introduction of additional content perceived as exploitative cash grabs. Players feel that the limited availability of primarchs and the nature of hero and villain packs detract from the overall experience.

    • “The game offers a variety of microtransactions that enhance the experience without feeling mandatory.”
    • “While there are microtransactions, they are balanced and do not detract from the overall gameplay.”
    • “The monetization model is fair, providing options for players who want to invest more without forcing it on everyone.”
    • “All of this, and the fact that less than half the primarchs are available as characters, with more coming in a microtransaction style.”
    • “The heroes and villains packs are nothing but a shameless cash grab.”
    • “Yay, tons of microtransactions!”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by amusing system interactions, such as transformations into chaos spawns, and is complemented by a self-aware, dry wit that resonates with players.

    • “Some funny system interactions, like being turned into a chaos spawn, really add to the humor of the game.”
    • “Allow me to take the time to explain this to you with my awful grammar and dry sense of humor.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience and making players feel deeply engaged in the campaign, akin to a fun board game.

    • “It plays and feels like a fun board game, but the atmosphere and setting really do a great job at immersing you into your campaign.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

76hMedian play time
52hAverage play time
3-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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