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Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
91% User Score Based on 1,813 reviews

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Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising Game Cover

About

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Feral Interactive (Mac/Linux) and was released on March 11, 2010. It received very positive reviews from players.

In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II Chaos Rising, defend Sub-Sector Aurelia against the Chaos Space Marines of the Black Legion, while also dealing with traitorous forces within the Blood Ravens. Experience 15 new single-player missions and a new multiplayer race, the bloodthirsty Chaos Space Marines. New units and wargear are also available to aid you in your battles against Chaos.

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Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising screenshot
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91%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,813 reviews
story155 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • Engaging campaign with a compelling story that continues from Dawn of War II.
  • The corruption system adds depth to gameplay, allowing for meaningful choices and multiple endings.
  • Great graphics and sound design that enhance the Warhammer 40k atmosphere.
  • The campaign is shorter than Dawn of War II, leaving players wanting more content.
  • Some missions can feel repetitive and the final boss battle is frustratingly difficult.
  • Multiplayer is largely inactive, limiting replayability outside of the single-player experience.
  • story
    563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising" is generally regarded as a compelling continuation of the original game, featuring a darker narrative that explores themes of corruption and moral choices. While some players appreciate the depth and branching paths that affect the outcome, others criticize the campaign's linearity and predictability, noting that it can feel short and repetitive. Overall, the expansion is praised for its engaging characters and immersive Warhammer 40,000 lore, making it a must-play for fans of the franchise.

    • “Chaos Rising is a stellar expansion that deepens the core gameplay with a morally complex story, corruption mechanics, and the arrival of the chaos space marines.”
    • “A must-play for fans of the lore and dark storytelling.”
    • “The story is actually more in-depth this time than the first game’s, being that you can have several dialogue pieces with your comrades and others in between missions, your actions have more lasting effects on their opinions and just a general sense of things either going good or bad arise.”
    • “Story plot line is very childish, meaning at the level of a 5-year-old, with no regard for logic, which just makes it extremely bad.”
    • “Short, uninspired, bugged, uninteresting banal story even devoid of any space marine exaggerations shenanigans.”
    • “The story is bland and not engaging as in Dawn of War II.”
  • gameplay
    208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its squad-based mechanics and RPG elements, which enhance tactical depth and replayability through the new corruption system. However, some players feel that the game lacks the strategic complexity and base-building features of its predecessor, leading to a more linear and simplified experience. Overall, while the expansion introduces interesting mechanics and a darker narrative, opinions vary on its execution and the overall enjoyment of gameplay compared to the original.

    • “The corruption system is no mere mechanic.”
    • “Chaos Rising is a stellar expansion that deepens the core gameplay with a morally complex story, corruption mechanics, and the arrival of the chaos space marines.”
    • “The addition of chaos as a new threat, alongside corruption mechanics and new units, makes the gameplay even more intense.”
    • “The game simplified many mechanics that made the first Dawn of War so engaging, removed some key features, and overall lacks the depth and strategy of its predecessor.”
    • “The difficulty curve is rather steep and the new corruption mechanic is kind of pointless because you have to pretty much skip content in order to gain corruption.”
    • “Dawn of War 2: Chaos Rising is a decent game, but 6 hours of campaign gameplay for 28 dollars is a complete rip-off. The story is predictable, and there are no new features different from the original Dawn of War 2, aside from a corruption and purity system that forces players into a specific playstyle to avoid a bad ending.”
  • graphics
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the environment details and character models are impressive and have aged well, there are also reports of glitches and inconsistencies. Overall, the visuals are often described as good to great, especially for an older title, with some praising the art style and atmospheric effects that enhance the gameplay experience. Despite some criticisms, the graphics are generally considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its enduring appeal.

    • “The graphics are still just as gorgeous as you remember, character art and detail have been updated to look just as or even better than ever.”
    • “The visuals are exceptional, and stand up very well compared even with new releases.”
    • “Graphically, the game still holds fast and it has aged like lovely, delicious dark wine.”
    • “While the graphics, particularly the environment details like grass and terrain, are still decent, almost everything else falls short.”
    • “Admit, the graphics are partly horrible, but the atmosphere is really good.”
    • “The gameplay style, graphics, and controls are the same as the original game and offer no new features.”
  • replayability
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its engaging multiplayer modes, corruption system, and varied campaign choices that lead to multiple endings. While some players note the campaign's brevity, the diverse gameplay mechanics and customization options significantly enhance replay value. However, a few reviews mention limitations in single-player experiences and AI, which may affect long-term replayability for some users.

    • “Great replayability, where your choices heavily impact the gameplay, story, and character interactions.”
    • “The corruption mechanic allows high replayability as there are several ways the campaign itself can go, and thus, several endings, but also the missions are quite well crafted and varied.”
    • “A vast improvement over Dawn of War II -- the campaign is endlessly replayable and the addition of serious RPG elements make this tactical RTS a wonder to play.”
    • “The only regrettable part of this game is how short it is; however, the replayability of the game helps make up for some, though not all, of this.”
    • “Regretfully, Relic has not improved the skirmish AI, so the game suffers some replayability limitations as a single-player experience.”
    • “Although the multiple-ending structure adds some potential replayability to this game, the game itself, its story, and the order of missions are mostly arranged in a fairly linear fashion, and the frustrating final boss fight serves as a bit too much of a counterweight to this game's various strengths.”
  • music
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its epic quality and atmospheric immersion, effectively complementing the story and gameplay. While some users note that the soundtrack may not surpass the original, the new compositions fit the game's gothic themes well. However, there are complaints about uneven voice and sound levels, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The new grim soundtracks on the chaos gothic-themed maps are nice and fit the setting well.”
    • “Excellent gameplay, awesome music, great story.”
    • “The music and sounds are great and appropriate for the gritty theatre of war found in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.”
    • “Some voices play very loudly which hurts the ears, others play softly that it is drowned by the background music.”
    • “The battle music climbing and climbing as your chainsaw revs up right before you purge these traitorous chaos scum…”
    • “The music is everything you remember, all the characters have retained their original voice actors, Gabriel Angelos with that zealous voice that just drives you to do more, to be more, to be the space marine that the emperor needs you to be.”
  • atmosphere
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to authentically capture the grimdark essence of the Warhammer 40k universe, enhanced by intense battles, moral dilemmas, and immersive cinematics. Reviewers highlight the effective use of atmospheric music and voice acting, contributing to a deeply engaging experience that resonates with fans of the lore. Overall, the game is celebrated for its compelling atmosphere, making it a standout in the genre.

    • “Relic Entertainment once again nails the grimdark atmosphere of the 41st millennium, bringing the Chaos Space Marines into the fold with brutal new units and devastating abilities.”
    • “The game perfectly captures the Warhammer 40k atmosphere with intense battles and moral choices that shape your squad’s loyalty.”
    • “40k is my favorite source material for video games, and this does not disappoint with regard to atmosphere, capturing the essence of the lore through cinematic storyboards and great voice acting.”
    • “There are some missions reminiscent of the atmosphere that the alien films made famous.”
    • “I think this game stays true to the grim dark atmosphere that 40k is famous for.”
    • “Legendary game, much better than dow 3 and better than retribution due to the better campaign, story, and atmosphere it brings.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of absurdity and clever voice acting, with players enjoying moments like teleporting a terminator amidst a nuclear explosion and humorous lines from characters like Captain Diomedes. While some aspects of the humor have shifted from the original game's more lighthearted tone to a darker, more serious approach, there are still plenty of amusing moments that resonate with players. Overall, the humor is a blend of the ridiculous and the witty, contributing to the game's charm.

    • “I found it humorous when the power creep gets to the point of you teleport a terminator and he appears in a nuclear explosion.”
    • “One of my favorite things in it is the voice acting; it can either be incredible like Chapter Master Azariah Kyras or hilarious like Captain Diomedes, but in general, it is really well done.”
    • “'Sorry for being late, but I was being chased by some funny-smelling maniac in a vette,' he lied.”
  • stability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with players reporting frequent game-breaking bugs, including crashes and unresponsive units, leading to a frustrating experience. Many users have encountered fatal errors that prevent them from completing missions, indicating significant issues with overall reliability. While some minor glitches are noted, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game suffers from severe stability problems.

    • “Utterly bug-ridden mess, 1 game-breaking bug per hour that forces you to restart the game without saving. The units sometimes don't want to do anything you ordered them to do. The visual aspect is a drop in quality compared to Dawn of War 1, so much wasted potential.”
    • “After 6 hours, I keep getting a fatal scar error: execution paused and the game freezes.”
    • “Can't even finish the first mission; it's so buggy.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to drawn-out boss fights and item juggling. While some campaign missions are enjoyable, the overall experience is marred by a boring linear narrative and lackluster character development.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Campaign missions are good, though they suffer from the tedious, drawn-out boss fights that the original game had.”
    • “Tedious item juggling, boring linear campaign, awful nonsensical story and characters.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and integration with real-time strategy and RPG elements, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the well-designed characters and maps, contributing to a rich gameplay environment.

    • “From character development to the game mechanics, there are so many things to love in this game.”
    • “The character designs are great; the map designs (not layouts) are great.”
    • “If you like real-time strategy combined with RPG elements such as character development, then you'll most probably enjoy playing this.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to deepen the narrative through tougher decisions that impact the squad's future, enhancing the overall experience. Players express a strong emotional connection, with some moments evoking tears of pride, solidifying it as one of the best expansions in the series.

    • “It builds on the first game's strengths while adding emotional weight and tougher decisions that affect your squad's future - it’s considered one of the best expansions in the series.”
    • “So few, so proud, so emotional.”
    • “Makes the emperor himself shed a tear of pride.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users praise the game's optimization, highlighting its good graphics relative to its simplicity and expressing satisfaction with the overall performance, suggesting that the franchise has successfully delivered a well-optimized product.

    • “I love the storyline; I think the graphics are quite good for the simplicity of the game. Overall, this game is well worth playing, and I believe the franchise has done extremely well with the overall performance of this product.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, particularly through its downloadable content (DLC), which has led to negative feedback from users.

    • “It's rather a cash grab DLC.”
    • “The monetization feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
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5h Median play time
4h Average play time
2-6h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising is a strategy game.

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising.

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising was released on March 11, 2010.

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising was developed by Feral Interactive (Mac/Linux).

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising 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® II Chaos Rising is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II: Retribution, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3, Gears Tactics and others.