The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth

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The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth is a single player and multiplayer tactical turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Steel Wool Studios and was released on May 28, 2020. It received neutral reviews from players.

"The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth" is a turn-based strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Players command a Space Marine company during the Horus Heresy, leading them in tactical combat against traitorous forces. The game features a rich narrative, multiple factions, and a variety of customization options. It also includes a multiplayer mode for players to test their strategies against each other.

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41%

Audience ScoreBased on 176 reviews

story4 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game has a solid Warhammer 40k atmosphere with good voice acting and detailed models.
There is potential for a fun turn-based strategy experience, especially for fans of the genre.
The developers have shown responsiveness to community feedback and have made some improvements over time.

The game has been largely abandoned by the developers, with little to no updates or communication since its early access launch.
Gameplay is plagued by bugs, poor animations, and a lack of content, making it feel unfinished and unpolished.
VR support is problematic, rendering the game nearly unplayable for many users, and the controls are confusing and not well-implemented.

story
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
78%
9%
The game's story has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated into the Warhammer 30k universe, while others criticize it as tedious and underdeveloped, especially given the limited number of missions in early access. Despite some bugs and crashes affecting gameplay, there is anticipation for future updates that promise to expand the narrative and introduce new content. Overall, while the foundation of the story is appreciated, many feel it needs significant improvement to fully realize its potential.
- “This game is in the beginning stages, graphics are great so far, the storyline is perfect, I have been engrossed since I started!”
- “I hope to see more like Horus the Primarch turning against the Lord Emperor; for me, this is the story I want to see most.”
- “On the flip side, the story in the game is pretty good, the performance is decent, the voice acting and overall audio quality are great, and while everything is very limited in its availability, the things in place are pretty interesting.”
- “This is a lazy early access release from a company who have managed to take an incredible Warhammer 40k storyline and make it ineffectual and tedious.”
- “Currently the campaign has just 5 missions, including one from the board game.”
- “Maybe there's more to the story, but I doubt I would care to know.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a steep learning curve due to a lack of a comprehensive tutorial and confusing controls, particularly in non-VR settings. While the hex turn-based mechanics are reminiscent of popular titles like XCOM, the game is criticized for its limited content and technical issues, such as graphical glitches and audio problems. Some players see potential in the game's core ideas and mechanics, suggesting it may improve over time, but currently, it feels incomplete and challenging to engage with meaningfully.
- “Gameplay is hex turn-based like the great XCOM games; however, unlike it, it lacks in content.”
- “Having played the board game helps to understand the mechanics a bit.”
- “The game still has a way to go with the mechanics, but since observing it from the beginning, I can definitely say the game is worth supporting to see its end state.”
- “The tutorial is damn near nonexistent, so I don't understand mechanics, UI, or controls - it would probably make more sense on the desktop, and the core idea is okay (radial menu on the right hand, camera controls on the left hand), but the learning curve is a vertical wall.”
- “I can't evaluate the core gameplay as I wasn't able to 'play' in any meaningful sense.”
- “Maybe a long time from now this game will be further along and the very basic mechanics will work, but for now this is a complete waste of money.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
41%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing design and animations, particularly in the context of the Warhammer universe, though some users note that they lack sharpness and experience issues with frame rates and graphical glitches. While the art style is unconventional for a Warhammer title, it resonates well with some players, who appreciate the overall aesthetic. However, there are calls for further optimization and polishing to enhance the visual experience and address performance issues.
- “The map design and graphics are great, and the voice acting and sound effects are spot on for Warhammer 30/40k.”
- “The art style is not what I would expect from a Warhammer title, but frankly it really works for me. The units look great, they have some pretty neat animations and poses, and Cataphractii Terminators with dual lightning calls are just cool as heck.”
- “This game is in the beginning stages, graphics are great so far, the storyline is perfect, I have been engrossed since I started!”
- “Changing graphical settings does not actually work in game, and I can't get it to maintain a tolerable frame rate.”
- “But with lackluster visuals, very limited units (...3. all space marine variants), limited equipment (... just a few items to equip to your marines), almost no special skills, and a fairly simple map, it just lacks a level of depth that I feel other turn-based tactics games offer in spades.”
- “I must say nothing major popped out at me other than the odd spot of lag in the game, but that can be resolved with graphic settings and adjustments in the control panel.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its quality and ability to capture the Warhammer 30k atmosphere, others find it lacking and not fitting for the game's otherwise immersive environment. Overall, the soundtrack shows potential but may need further refinement to enhance the overall experience.
- “Spent the '7 min' of play time just staring at my desktop and listening to the title music.”
- “Nice music, by the way. It's really good and captures a bit of the 30k feel.”
- “For a Warhammer title, I'm currently missing details on the models and epic atmosphere with good background music.”
- “The music and sounds are... meh, which really does not do the otherwise great atmosphere of the ruined streets of Calth any justice.”
- “Spent 7 minutes of playtime just staring at my desktop and listening to the title music.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while the performance is decent, it struggles with high system demands and requires further improvements in graphics, animations, and controls. Users noted that sound effects and audio quality are strong, but the game still needs significant tweaks to justify its current price, especially in its early access state.
- “The gameplay may need to be optimized somewhat, and the graphics adjustments will need some tweaks while playing a part of the final product.”
- “For a regular game, it is okay and looks like it has a bit further to go with animation improvements, optimizations, and quality of life control improvements.”
- “Looks good but is hard on the system at the moment; it needs some optimization and work on the textures.”
- “Looks good but hard on the system at the moment, needs some optimization and work on the textures.”
- “For a regular game it is ok and looks like it has a bit further to go (animation improvements, optimizations, quality of life control improvements).”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its significant stability issues, including numerous graphical glitches, audio malfunctions, and overall poor gameplay experience. Users report problems such as image blurring and shaking, suggesting that the title feels incomplete and unpolished.
- “There’s no excuse to place a title as buggy and obviously incomplete as this on Steam.”
- “Taking into consideration the graphical glitches, audio malfunctions, and poor gameplay.”
- “It has some glitches; sometimes the image blurs or shakes, like it has to focus again, but for all I know, my calibration of the VR sensors may be in order.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in the game is generally praised for its depiction of the ruined streets of Calth, but it falls short due to a lack of detail in the models and subpar background music and sound effects, which detract from the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere of the ruined streets of Calth is truly immersive, capturing the essence of a Warhammer title.”
- “The epic atmosphere is complemented by the detailed environments, making the experience feel grand and engaging.”
- “The combination of the setting and sound design creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that draws you into the game.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the game's mechanics, particularly the janky movement of marines and map teleportation, which detracts from their emotional engagement and overall enjoyment, leading to a negative experience.
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is high, with players appreciating the variety of choices and outcomes that encourage multiple playthroughs. Many highlight the dynamic elements and different strategies available, which keep the experience fresh and engaging each time. Overall, players feel motivated to revisit the game to explore alternative paths and unlock new content.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and ineffective, suggesting that it detracts from the otherwise rich Warhammer 40K storyline. The early access release is viewed as lacking polish and depth, leading to a frustrating experience.
- “This is a lazy early access release from a company that has managed to take an incredible Warhammer 40k storyline and make it ineffectual and tedious.”

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The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth is a tactical turn-based strategy game with science fiction theme.

The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Windows and PlayStation.

The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth was released on May 28, 2020.

The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth was developed by Steel Wool Studios.

The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth has received neutral reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Adeptus Titanicus: Dominus, WARMACHINE: Tactics, Stormgate, Necromunda: Underhive Wars, Exoplanet: First Contact and others.

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