Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

Dawn of War II successfully introduces RPG elements to its single-player campaign and provides a polished, if familiar, online experience that focuses on brisk combat.

87%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

88% User Score Based on 7,097 reviews

Critic Score 84%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II" is a Science Fiction Real Time Strategy game, offering both single-player and multiplayer modes, with a focus on fast-paced action and intricate storytelling. The game boasts beautiful mechanics, impressive graphics, and phenomenal music, but can be quite grinding and buggy. Its dense atmosphere and high replayability make it an engaging experience for fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,101 reviews

story476 positive mentions

grinding49 negative mentions

story
1,615 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
67%
4%
The story in "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II" is generally well-received, praised for its engaging narrative that captures the grimdark essence of the Warhammer universe. Players follow the Blood Ravens chapter of Space Marines as they confront various threats, including Orks, Tyranids, and Chaos forces, with a focus on character development and squad dynamics. However, some reviewers noted that the missions can become repetitive, and the lack of significant plot variation across playthroughs may detract from the overall experience.
- “The campaign is engaging, offering a well-crafted story that captures the grimdark tone of the Warhammer 40k universe.”
- “The story revolves around the Blood Ravens chapter of Space Marines, as they are thrust into a conflict against the Tyranids, Orks, and Chaos forces.”
- “The campaign unfolds through a series of engaging missions that not only challenge players tactically but also weave a compelling story filled with memorable characters and dramatic moments.”
- “The story is exactly what you’d expect from the Warhammer 40,000 universe—grim, dark, and filled with enough melodrama to make a soap opera look subtle.”
- “The campaign is repetitive and can feel like a slog at times, with uninspired missions that offer little variety.”
- “The story is also forgettable, with forgettable characters and a predictable plot that fails to engage the player.”
gameplay
861 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of "Dawn of War II" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its shift from traditional base-building mechanics to a squad-focused, tactical approach reminiscent of "Company of Heroes." Players appreciate the engaging RPG elements, such as unit customization and leveling, which add depth to the gameplay, although some long-time fans of the series miss the complexity and scale of the original game. Overall, while the gameplay is seen as fun and accessible, it may feel repetitive and simplistic to those expecting a classic RTS experience.
- “Dawn of War II delivers a thrilling and tactical real-time strategy experience, stepping away from traditional base-building mechanics in favor of a more squad-focused approach.”
- “The diverse factions, including Space Marines, Orks, and Eldar, each bring unique gameplay elements, making battles feel distinct and dynamic.”
- “The gameplay loop created with the new squad-based mechanics is genuinely fun and interesting, and the battles always feel action-packed without having the need to constantly micro your unit production back at base.”
- “The gameplay is crap, no one is available online to play.”
- “The single player experience especially suffers from too much downtime between fights while on a map and from an almost total lack of traditional RTS mechanics, which makes the gameplay too simplistic.”
- “The gameplay is so horribly useless and because of the frustrating micromanaging I could not give 2 damns about the good graphics.”
graphics
465 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
43%
3%
The graphics of "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II" have generally been praised for holding up well over time, with many reviewers noting that they remain impressive even by modern standards. The game's art style effectively captures the dark and gritty aesthetic of the Warhammer 40k universe, featuring detailed character models and immersive environments. While some players acknowledge that the graphics may appear dated compared to newer titles, they still appreciate the overall visual quality and the enhancements made in the anniversary edition.
- “Building on the solid foundations of the original 2009 release, this anniversary edition enhances the gameplay with modern graphics and refined mechanics, making it an inviting experience for both newcomers and longtime fans.”
- “From lush alien worlds to war-torn cities, each map is meticulously designed, contributing to the overall immersion and aesthetic appeal.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the gameplay is instinctive and easy to master, and the storyline is top-notch.”
- “50 dollars for a game 15 years old, no graphical updates, no bug fixes, no improvements.”
- “This game has not aged well as far as graphics, controls, and options are concerned.”
- “They just removed the best parts of the game, upgraded the visuals and destroyed the series.”
music
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its epic orchestral compositions that enhance the game's grimdark atmosphere. While some found the soundtrack occasionally repetitive, the overall consensus is that it effectively complements the gameplay and narrative, making it one of the standout features of the title. The audio design, including sound effects and voice acting, is also noted as being top-notch, contributing to an immersive gaming experience.
- “The audio design is equally impressive, with a soundtrack that complements the epic scale of the game.”
- “The music perfectly fits the themes of a world that is equal parts grim and epic.”
- “The soundtrack is immense and really adds to the experience; especially during combat.”
- “The music is a little 'meh', but it works for its purpose.”
- “The voice acting and music aren't exactly anything to write home about, so it's not all good.”
- “I just feel like there could have been something a little more grand than the usual humdrum background music.”
replayability
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
46%
9%
Overall, "Dawn of War II" is noted for its high replayability, particularly due to its engaging campaign, customizable squad mechanics, and co-op features. While some players feel the single-player campaign lacks variety compared to its predecessor, many appreciate the multiple difficulty settings and the ability to experiment with different squad builds. However, opinions vary, with some reviewers citing limited replay value in certain modes and a more linear campaign structure.
- “With its compelling campaign and the addition of multiple difficulty settings, Dawn of War II offers a fair amount of replayability.”
- “The tried-and-tested class system means that you can tailor your experience to suit your own play style, while the selection of customizable battlefields provide endless replayability.”
- “You will find hours of enjoyment and replayability, always wondering what new wargear you can earn again and some different choices mid-campaign, and you would be happy with the co-op system that allows for one buddy to share characters with each other.”
- “The lack of scale and frankly poor skirmish mode (the bread and butter of Dawn of War 1's replayability) are big downgrades over its predecessor.”
- “The single ending limits the replay value of the main campaign significantly (and is not true to what I imagine the tabletop version of Warhammer 40k is like).”
- “This is okay for one playthrough, but replayability is nil.”
grinding
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially during the campaign and higher difficulty levels. While some appreciate the focus on small squad tactics over traditional resource management, others feel that the slow-paced combat and the need to repeatedly clear missions detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable in short bursts, but can become a chore due to its grindy nature.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “However, this game can get a bit grindy, especially on the higher difficulties, which more or less makes defending objectives pointless.”
- “Playing at the second to hardest difficulty, the game follows a very tedious, frustrating, and annoying pattern: enter a mission, abuse the bad enemy AI in order to slowly dwindle the opposing forces on the map, eventually reach the boss for said mission, and either have each member of your squad be systematically one-shot by him, or take minutes ticking his massive health pool down while making them evade his attacks, which costs you the opportunity to damage him, thus making it take even longer before he succumbs to you.”
- “The campaign is tedious and sleep-inducing.”
stability
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
5%
81%
The stability of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting frequent crashes, freezes at startup, and overall buggy performance that can even freeze their entire computer. While some players have managed to run the game smoothly under certain conditions, the prevalence of glitches and crashes significantly detracts from the experience, making it unplayable for many. Overall, the game's stability issues appear to overshadow its positive aspects.
- “Playing on my normal Windows machine, it runs great with no problems.”
- “No glitches or bugs.”
- “3 hours later, no crash, no glitches, nothing.”
- “Great game but does not run properly; it freezes my screen upon hitting play.”
- “Game freezes right at launch; can't click on anything even in task manager to kill the process.”
- “Loved this game but sadly will not even start up and freezes the whole computer.”
atmosphere
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
33%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and gritty representation of the Warhammer 40k universe, enhanced by top-notch voice acting, beautifully rendered environments, and a well-crafted storyline. Players appreciate the game's ability to capture the essence of the grimdark setting, with varied and atmospheric locations that contribute to a rich lore experience. Overall, the combination of engaging visuals, sound design, and thematic depth creates a compelling atmosphere that resonates with fans of the franchise.
- “The atmosphere is where it's at as this game seems to capture the essence of 40k.”
- “The game’s environments are beautifully rendered, showcasing a variety of settings that reflect the grimdark atmosphere of the Warhammer universe.”
- “The voice acting's awesome, the music fits right into the mood, and the ambience and atmosphere is spot on.”
- “Honestly, I f@cking hate the gameplay; it's total garbage. I mean, if you're new to RTS games, it should be fine for you. It'll be a great way for you to ease into the genre, but for me, I like my RTS games to be at least somewhat complex and have some amount of depth. At least that's my opinion, but the story and atmosphere are fine; it very much feels like a Warhammer 40k game.”
- “Sure, I didn't know what I was getting into when I bought this game, but right off the bat, to me at least, micromanaging four small squads doesn't really scream a whole lot of 40k atmosphere to me.”
- “I don't know what the atmosphere was supposed to be for this game, but it should have taken place on one planet and involved the same number of space marines. Instead, we got a rather hilariously abstract invasion scenario where you hop from planet to planet using ten space marines to fight off legions, again supposed legions... of enemies.”
optimization
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
42%
10%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players praise its smooth performance and impressive graphics on modern systems, others report significant performance issues, particularly in certain scenarios. Some users highlight the game's age as a factor in its good optimization, while others express frustration over inconsistent frame rates and the lack of substantial updates. Despite these criticisms, many still find it playable on a range of hardware, including less powerful setups.
- “With improved textures, lighting, and performance optimizations, the game looks stunning and runs smoothly on modern systems.”
- “The game is well-optimized due to its age.”
- “War torn: I love this game’s graphics, they could continue to launch expansions for this game and I’d be very happy with the level of graphics, the optimization is amazing as well as my computer easily breaks 60 frames on the highest settings with high resolution.”
- “There are no significant performance updates, no new resolutions, the game turns off Windows night light settings, and FPS is unstable and variable. I only have it because it came for free since I had the original game.”
- “I don't like the art style even though the graphics are not the worst, but the game drops like a rock in terms of performance in some situations and I have a semi-decent rig.”
- “For a game that's been out for over 6 years now, this game has a lot of optimization issues that I can't get past.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding the orks' voices and names particularly hilarious, alongside amusing character interactions and quirky physics moments. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to blend humor with engaging gameplay, making it a fun experience overall. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in the humor's delivery, the general consensus is that the comedic elements significantly enhance the game's appeal.
- “Brilliant game, it's a little different from the previous Dawn of War games but still a great game, plus the Orks' voices are hilarious.”
- “Hearing Orcs talk is funny as hell.”
- “The physics of collapsing buildings and ragdolls can bug occasionally, but only ever in funny ways, like when you shoot an Orc, only to have its body spiral across the screen and up into the sky.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and integration of RPG elements, enhancing the overall experience with engaging storylines and character progression. While some reviews note that character development can be subpar, many feel that the progression systems and loot mechanics compensate for any shortcomings. Overall, the focus on character development over traditional resource management and base building is seen as a significant strength, contributing to a more immersive gameplay experience.
- “Very deep story, exciting new mechanics, great character development, and a wonderful loot/upgrade system.”
- “It removes the monotony of resource gathering grinds, the wild jumble of mass troop movements, and the constant wish-wash of AI politics; then it slams a large dose of character development, intriguing story full of twists, and badass loot into your game.”
- “Character development is subpar, but the character progression covers for that in my opinion.”
- “One of the cool things this game does is take the focus away from resource gathering and obnoxious base building, and replace it with character development with RPG elements and loot.”
- “This is what you get when you combine ultra violence with small infantry squad-based tactics, loot drops, and progressive character development.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
43%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional experience, with some players feeling a strong attachment to characters and storylines, particularly praising deep and touching narratives. However, others criticize the lack of emotional engagement in gameplay and storytelling, noting that certain games fail to create the same level of attachment as RPGs. Overall, while some elements resonate emotionally, there are significant shortcomings in character development and narrative depth in certain titles.
- “Being able to outfit my men before each mission and decide their specializations was a blast, and really made me feel as if they were my troops.”
- “Story was moving, deep, touching, bro.”
- “Furthermore, Dow1 actually attempted to characterize the protagonist through its cutscenes (including a last minute plot twist that I found truly touching!) and this is where Dow2 falls down a bit.”
- “The story is dull and lacks emotional depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “The voice acting is uninspired, which detracts from any potential emotional impact.”
- “The gameplay feels repetitive and fails to evoke any real emotional response.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users expressing frustration over the high price of $50 for a product that has seen minimal updates, aside from additional paid content like the $8 Necron Overlord. Overall, players feel that the game's pricing and lack of substantial new content reflect poor value.
- “Hard avoid this cash grab.”
- “50 USD for a game that's barely been updated, except for more cash grabs (looking at you Necron Overlord for 8 USD, which was the only addition to the game in the past several years for the last stand).”
- “It's a 2009 product and this is a blatant cash grab.”

84%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews

Buy Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

9h Median play time

38h Average play time

15h Main story

48h Completionist

5-70h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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