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

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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

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,779 reviews

story154 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Engaging campaign with a compelling story that continues from the original Dawn of War II.
The corruption mechanic adds depth to gameplay, allowing for meaningful choices that affect squad abilities and endings.
Great graphics and sound design that enhance the Warhammer 40K atmosphere.

The campaign is relatively short compared to the original game, leaving players wanting more.
Some missions can feel repetitive, and the final boss battle is frustratingly difficult.
Multiplayer is largely inactive, limiting the game's replayability outside of the single-player experience.

story
551 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The story in "Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising" is generally praised for its engaging narrative and character development, continuing the saga of the Blood Ravens with a darker tone and moral choices that impact gameplay and outcomes. While the campaign is shorter and more linear than its predecessor, it introduces a corruption mechanic that adds depth and replayability, allowing players to explore different endings based on their decisions. Overall, the expansion is considered a solid continuation of the original's story, with well-crafted missions and a compelling plot that resonates with fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
- “A must-play for fans of the lore and dark storytelling.”
- “The story is a solid continuation of the original, involving new characters and exploring the 40k universe in more depth.”
- “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.”
- “The only reason I downvote this is because the campaign is way too short and the competitive community is on retribution; I wouldn't recommend buying this expansion if you want the multiplayer experience or a single-player story as long as the base game.”
- “The story is bland and not engaging as in Dawn of War II.”
- “Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising is a decent game, but 6 hours of campaign gameplay for $28 is a complete rip-off. The story is predictable, with no twists, and the game forces players down a specific path due to its linearity.”
gameplay
199 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
67%
4%
The gameplay in "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising" builds upon the solid foundation of its predecessor, introducing a corruption mechanic that adds depth and replayability through moral choices that affect squad dynamics and endings. While the campaign is shorter and some players find the corruption system limiting, the tactical squad-based gameplay remains engaging, with varied missions and character customization options. Overall, the expansion is praised for its immersive storytelling and challenging mechanics, though some critiques highlight a lack of significant new features compared to the original game.
- “Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising takes everything great about the base game and cranks it up with an intense new campaign, deeper RPG mechanics, and the ever-tempting corruption system.”
- “The gameplay is pretty fun and intense, the RPG elements are really good, the lore and all the history about planets and gear and people is really defined.”
- “The new corruption mechanic, as well as the multitude of new wargear and expanded skill tree, shall keep the players entertained with new build possibilities and tactics.”
- “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.”
- “The gameplay is just so utterly boring.”
- “Dawn of War 2: Chaos Rising is a decent game, but 6 hours of campaign gameplay for $28 is a complete rip-off. There's no new features different from the original, aside from a corruption and purity system that forces players into a specific playstyle to avoid a bad ending.”
graphics
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising their quality and detail, especially for an older title, while some note glitches and inconsistencies. Overall, the visuals are described as stunning, atmospheric, and still impressive even in 2024, contributing positively to the gameplay experience. However, a few users mention that the graphics may not be groundbreaking by current standards, but they still hold up well and enhance the game's appeal.
- “Even the graphics and animations look absolutely stunning at ultra settings and support UHD and ultra-wide UHD.”
- “The graphics are still just as gorgeous as you remember; character art and detail have been updated to look just as good, if not better, than ever.”
- “The visuals are exceptional and stand up very well compared even with new releases.”
- “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.”
- “Graphics: nothing special.”
replayability
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
51%
8%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its engaging campaign, diverse multiplayer modes, and mechanics like the corruption system that influence gameplay and endings. While some players note limitations in single-player experiences and a relatively short campaign, the variety of choices, character customization, and co-op modes contribute to a lasting appeal. Many reviewers emphasize that the game remains fun and rewarding, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
- “Multiplayer and last stand mode also get a fresh dose of content, ensuring endless replayability.”
- “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.”
- “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 story and the order of missions are mostly linear, and the frustrating final boss fight serves as a counterweight to the game's various strengths.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
18%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised for its epic quality and atmospheric immersion, effectively enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience. While some users note that the soundtrack may not surpass the original, the new compositions fit the game's themes well, and the voice acting is generally well-received, despite some uneven sound levels. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the gritty ambiance of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, making it a standout feature.
- “The new grim soundtracks on the chaos gothic-themed maps are nice and fit the setting well.”
- “Good atmospheric music and all-around great immersion with a good 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
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
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 choices, and immersive cinematics. Despite some graphical shortcomings, players appreciate the atmospheric music and storytelling that contribute to a deeply engaging experience. Overall, it is considered one of the best representations of the Warhammer 40k atmosphere to date.
- “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.”
- “It captures the atmosphere and grimness of the universe.”
- “I think this game stays true to the grim dark atmosphere that 40k is famous for.”
- “There are some missions reminiscent of the atmosphere that the alien films made famous.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its strong voice acting, with characters like Captain Diomedes providing comedic moments amidst a generally serious tone. While some players note a shift in the portrayal of cultists from humorous to more menacing, there are still instances of lighthearted dialogue that add to the overall experience. The blend of serious and funny elements contributes to a unique atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
- “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.”
- “Cultists no longer seem demoralized masochistic slaves but instead show their strength in joyful slaughtering, despoiling psychosis with a more serious side, further enhanced by their much more powerful creepy body frames compared to the devious, humorous but still fun demeanor of their counterparts in the original Dawn of War.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for frequent bugs and errors, including fatal crashes that prevent players from completing missions. While some users suggest playing despite these issues, the overall experience is marred by significant stability problems, particularly with online features.
- “After 6 hours, I keep getting a fatal scar error: execution paused and the game freezes.”
- “I can't even finish the first mission; it's so buggy.”
- “Windows online features can be a bit buggy.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to drawn-out boss fights and item juggling. While some appreciate the campaign missions, many criticize the linearity and lackluster story, making the grinding experience feel more burdensome. Overall, it seems that the grind can detract from the enjoyment of the game.
- “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
75%
25%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and integration with RPG elements, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the well-designed characters and the engaging mechanics that contribute to a rich narrative. Overall, the combination of real-time strategy and character growth is a highlight for many users.
- “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
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply impactful, often leading to moments of pride and connection, even evoking tears from characters like the emperor. The narrative resonates strongly, highlighting themes of honor and achievement.
- “So few, so proud, so emotional.”
- “Makes the emperor himself shed a tear of pride.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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
300%
The monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, particularly with the downloadable content (DLC) being criticized for lacking value.
- “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.”

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

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising
€19.99
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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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This game contains adult content

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