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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

Dawn of War is based on the Warhammer 40K tabletop game. Players can choose to play on one of four sides: the Imperial Space Marines, the Chaos Space Marines, the technologically advanced Eldar, or the brutal Orks. You can customize the weaponry your squads employ and assign special command units to
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
94% User Score Based on 7,267 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 2 reviews

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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Game Cover

About

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a single player and multiplayer real-time strategy game with warfare and science fiction themes. It was developed by Relic Entertainment and was released on August 6, 2007. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War" is a science fiction real-time strategy game set in the 41st millennium. Players can engage in both single-player and multiplayer modes, commanding one of four races: Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Chaos Space Marines, Orks, or Eldar. The game offers an immersive experience with intense warfare, strategic military planning, and customizable army units for the complete extermination of opponents.

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94%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,267 reviews
story425 positive mentions
stability23 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay that emphasizes tactical combat and strategic positioning rather than traditional resource gathering.
  • Rich lore and atmosphere that immerses players in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with memorable characters and excellent voice acting.
  • The game remains enjoyable even after many years, with a solid campaign and a variety of factions that offer unique playstyles.
  • Outdated graphics and limited resolution options make it difficult to play on modern systems, often requiring mods for a better experience.
  • Pathfinding issues can lead to units getting stuck or not responding as intended, which can be frustrating during gameplay.
  • The campaign is relatively short and only features one faction, leaving players wanting more variety in single-player content.
  • story
    1,027 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Dawn of War" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative centered around the Blood Ravens' battle against Orks and the unfolding chaos plot. While some find the plot predictable and simplistic, it effectively captures the grimdark essence of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, enhanced by strong voice acting and cinematic cutscenes. Overall, the campaign is seen as a solid introduction to the lore, though some players express a desire for more depth and variety in missions.

    • “The writing of the campaign with twists and military, and all the players being introduced so elegantly to the story is just an absolute masterclass in warfare stories and the best 40k story I've ever experienced.”
    • “The campaign offers an epic tale into the 40k lore with amazing twists and turns around every mission.”
    • “The story is captivating with likable characters (I even liked the enemies) and the plot is great.”
    • “The plot itself is predictable as can be, but it's played so genuinely that I can't help but be a little invested.”
    • “The campaign is a generic 40k story but the character development and writing is done right; the missions, however, don’t offer much in terms of creativity or unique gameplay.”
    • “The story is lackluster and didn't really engage me full force; however, it did invest me into this universe.”
  • gameplay
    680 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Dawn of War" is widely praised for its engaging and tactical nature, emphasizing fast-paced squad combat and resource management through strategic point capture rather than traditional base building. Players appreciate the distinct mechanics of each faction, the depth of tactical decision-making, and the game's ability to remain enjoyable and relevant even years after its release, despite some dated graphics and occasional pathfinding issues. Overall, it is considered a classic RTS that successfully blends accessibility with strategic complexity, making it appealing to both newcomers and veterans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay is where it truly shines: tight base-building, strong tactical control, and perfectly balanced chaos.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and strategic, keeping me engaged the whole time.”
    • “The gameplay is rich and strategic, with diverse factions that keep things interesting.”
    • “The gameplay for an RTS just sucks.”
    • “Unfortunately, this kind of tactical battlefield gameplay gets old pretty fast as, regardless of which side you play, the underlying tactics one must employ change relatively little.”
    • “The gameplay is straightforward and boring, too: the same as in any other right-clicking RTS game you played before.”
  • graphics
    476 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War" have received mixed feedback, with many players acknowledging their dated quality due to the game's age, originally released in 2004. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and the game's ability to evoke the grimdark aesthetic of the Warhammer universe, others find the visuals lacking compared to modern standards, noting issues like resolution limitations and graphical glitches. Overall, despite the outdated graphics, many players emphasize that the engaging gameplay and strong narrative more than compensate for the visual shortcomings.

    • “The graphics in the definitive edition have been updated and look much better than the old versions of the game.”
    • “The graphics for Dawn of War are fantastic; they capture the dark setting of Warhammer 40k very well, and the areas look very nice.”
    • “Despite the game's age, and because it benefits from being an RTS, it's easy to overlook the dated visuals - except for cut-scenes.”
    • “The graphics are heavily dated, but if you get past that, the game is pretty good.”
    • “The graphics are outdated, but the gameplay and simplicity are very nice.”
    • “The graphics are a notable highlight, showcasing beautifully rendered units and environments that vivaciously bring the tabletop game to life.”
  • music
    123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its epic and atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the Warhammer 40k universe. Composed by Jeremy Soule, the soundtrack features memorable faction-specific tracks that evoke the game's themes, although some players noted issues with music playback after loading saved games. While the soundtrack is generally considered a highlight, opinions vary on its repetitiveness and uniqueness, with many still finding it enjoyable and fitting for the game's intense combat scenarios.

    • “The music is incredible; it adds to the might of each race, enhances tense combat situations, and signals when enemies are starting an attack.”
    • “The sound design is top-tier, with bombastic battle cries, explosive weapon effects, and an intense soundtrack that perfectly complements the chaos of war.”
    • “The music is wonderfully atmospheric and fits the characters, the world, and the story perfectly.”
    • “The soundtrack is a mixed bag for me.”
    • “Another problem I should point out is that whenever you load a campaign save, the music and ambience disappear, which takes away from the experience.”
    • “I got so bored with the music I played music from a media player on my computer while playing several of the larger battles.”
  • replayability
    67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability through its diverse factions, engaging skirmish mode, and extensive mod support, allowing players to customize their experience and explore various gameplay styles. While the base campaign has limited replay value due to a single playable faction, expansions like Dark Crusade and Soulstorm enhance replayability with additional races and campaigns. Overall, the combination of multiplayer options, modding capabilities, and varied gameplay ensures that players can enjoy countless hours of entertainment.

    • “Each faction feels distinct, from the brute-force Orks to the sinister Chaos, and that variety still gives every match real replay value.”
    • “The game's multiplayer mode extends its replayability, offering intense battles against players worldwide.”
    • “Skirmish mode has essentially infinite replayability, with dozens of different maps and several different gameplay styles to choose from.”
    • “The main downside is outside of the skirmish mode, there is no real replay value.”
    • “I don't think there's too much replayability in the campaign or skirmishes in the base game, but hopefully after beating all of the expansions, the Ultimate Apocalypse mod for Soulstorm will unlock that infinite replay value that all the best RTS games have!”
    • “There seems to be a few other options to increase replayability, and while I haven't really bothered with multiplayer, I feel like if you were to match this up with C&C or Starcraft, there's just not enough single-player content compared to the other major players in the same genre.”
  • atmosphere
    53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and gritty representation of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, characterized by intense battles, rich lore, and effective sound design, including voice acting and music. Despite some criticisms regarding outdated graphics, players appreciate the game's ability to capture the brutal and dark tone of the setting, making it a standout experience for fans of the franchise and strategy games alike. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, enhancing both gameplay and storytelling.

    • “Developed by Relic Entertainment, it still stands out for its brutal atmosphere, tactical depth, and strong Warhammer 40k identity.”
    • “The game's atmosphere, intense battles, and rich lore pulled me in right from the start.”
    • “It's a classic real-time strategy game that brilliantly captures the brutal, gothic sci-fi atmosphere of the 40k universe with fast-paced tactical combat and rich faction diversity.”
    • “The music, atmosphere, voice acting, and all other aspects of storytelling are pretty good, but the game is simply outdated.”
    • “Cutscenes and voice acting effectively convey the grimdark atmosphere of the setting, drawing players into the narrative as they fight for control over the galaxy.”
    • “Even if it is just a bit old school it still holds up with its quality of play, tone, atmosphere, and lore.”
  • humor
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its over-the-top voice acting, quirky character interactions, and absurd cutscenes that blend dark comedy with charm. Players find the orks particularly amusing, with their hilarious dialogue and antics, while the game's self-aware humor and ridiculous plot twists contribute to a lighthearted experience. Overall, the mix of intentional and inadvertent humor, along with memorable voice performances, makes for a uniquely entertaining atmosphere.

    • “The cutscenes are absolutely hilarious (in the most charming way).”
    • “What ensues is a weird mix of hilarious voice acting, over-the-top dramatization, and plot twists so telegraphed that you can't help but grin in happy anticipation.”
    • “Props go to the voice actors for the chaos lord Bale (hilariously evil) and sorcerer Sindri (devious and manipulating both friends and enemies).”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
    • “I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
    • “The attempts at comedy just missed the mark entirely.”
  • stability
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is generally criticized, with many users reporting various bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly with pathfinding and autosave features. While some players find it runs well on modern systems, others experience frequent crashes and frustrating gameplay due to poor optimization and coding. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable despite its stability problems, especially considering its age.

    • “Great game, very retro feel, but it runs great on PC.”
    • “Old, but runs great and is lots of fun.”
    • “Being 16 years old, it runs great on our less powerful computers.”
    • “Soulstorm is less good, mid-a-tier, because they handed it off to another dev; and it's buggy, and poorly optimized.”
    • “Sadly, the game fails at this with poor writing, bad unit coding, and buggy gameplay.”
    • “This is the game that taught me that troubleshooting a game for more than 2 hours trying to get it to patch and play without crashing every 15 minutes means I cannot get my money back.”
  • grinding
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be tedious and repetitive, particularly due to excessive micromanagement and level design that lacks innovation. Players often find themselves spending long periods managing units and resources, which can detract from the overall enjoyment, especially in higher difficulty levels. However, some appreciate the strategic elements and base-building aspects, suggesting that while grinding exists, it can still be engaging for fans of the RTS genre.

    • “If you like RTS games with a focus on base building and combat, and no tedious gathering of the same old resources, get it.”
    • “Build your base, hoard your resources like a neurotic squirrel, amass an ungodly blob of units, and then maybe, just maybe, roll over the other bloke after forty minutes of tedious micro-management.”
    • “Managing the units (micromanaging) is for the most part tedious and annoying.”
    • “The campaign missions can get very grindy and repetitive, and the story isn't really worth going into.”
  • optimization
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of Soulstorm has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant bugs and performance issues, including frequent stuttering and occasional hang-ups. While some users found workarounds to improve performance, the game is generally considered poorly optimized for modern PCs, despite its engaging story and solid mechanics. Overall, it is seen as a decent entry in the Warhammer 40,000 series, but it struggles with optimization compared to more recent titles.

    • “The game can run smoothly without any major FPS hits.”
    • “For its release date, I consider the game to be very technically capable with things like decent character animations and solid overall performance.”
    • “Runs smoothly, easy to learn but hard to master, looks pretty good for an older game, engaging story mode and addicting co-op/AI mode.”
    • “Soulstorm is less good, mid-a-tier, because they handed it off to another dev; and it's buggy, and poorly optimized.”
    • “Most modern gaming PCs can brute force through the poor optimization.”
    • “There's pretty frequent stuttering.”
  • monetization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, particularly with the release of the definitive edition, which fails to modernize the original experience. While some expansions offer new content, the overall sentiment reflects disappointment in the perceived exploitation by the developers, likening it to a trend of shallow marketing tactics without genuine improvement.

    • “This was a decent game in 2006 that doesn't work in 2025, and the definitive edition that came out this year is just a cash grab that does not modernize the RTS genre.”
    • “Original was great, but the upgrade is a shameless cash grab.”
    • “I should have known, this was just another cash grab from yet another company like Sega.”
  • character development
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with well-crafted writing that enhances the relationships between characters, particularly between Gabriel and Isador. While the overarching campaign story may be predictable and the missions lack creativity, the character design and voice acting effectively bring the lore of the Warhammer 40k universe to life, contributing to a rich and immersive experience. Overall, the game's focus on character depth and thematic consistency elevates its narrative despite its generic plot.

    • “The story is predictable, but there is a lot of character development between Gabriel and Isador, despite being a 40k game that focuses on blood, gore, and more bodies and death, which I love.”
    • “The campaign is a generic 40k story, but the character development and writing are done right. The missions, however, don’t offer much in terms of creativity or unique gameplay.”
    • “Every character sounds exactly how you would expect based on their character design, especially the chaos faction.”
    • “The story is predictable, but there is a lot of character development between Gabriel and Isador, despite being a 40k game that focuses on blood, gore, and more bodies and death.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, making them feel like true leaders in their digital conquests while simultaneously grappling with feelings of despair and nostalgia. The immersive experience is heightened by personal connections, as players recall significant moments, including emotional conversations with friends during gameplay. Overall, the game successfully blends triumph and vulnerability, leaving a lasting impact on its audience.

    • “It was the first digital crusade that made me feel like an imperial commander, not just a player.”
    • “They conquered the land and made me feel all shitty - this game manages to simultaneously make me want to end it all and keep going.”
    • “Highly detailed and made me feel nostalgic.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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14h Median play time
33h Average play time
12h Main story
18h Completionist
10-18h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 19 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a real-time strategy game with warfare and science fiction themes.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is available on PC and Windows.

The main story can be completed in around 12 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 18 hours to finish. On average players spend around 33 hours playing Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War was released on August 6, 2007.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War was developed by Relic Entertainment.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II: Retribution, Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars and others.