Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 7,552 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War Game Cover
A pretty and novel use of the 40K license, brought down by uninspired design and plain bad game balance.
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In Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War, Gladius Prime becomes a battlefield following the awakening of an ancient horror. This 4X turn-based strategy game allows you to lead one of four Warhammer factions in a fight for survival against AI or online players. Discover ancient relics and engage in intense combat in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • Epic Games
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,552 reviews
gameplay277 positive mentions
monetization44 negative mentions
  • gameplay991 mentions

    The gameplay of "Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War" is characterized by its focus on tactical combat and strategic depth, drawing heavily from the mechanics of the Warhammer 40K tabletop game and the 4X genre. Players appreciate the unique mechanics and playstyles of each faction, although some criticize the game for its lack of depth, repetitive gameplay, and the absence of diplomacy or narrative elements. While the game offers a solid combat experience and engaging mechanics, it can feel slow and simplistic, particularly without the additional content provided by DLCs.

    • “If you like Warhammer 40k or tactical, combat-focused gameplay, this game is a hidden gem and a must-play.”
    • “The gameplay is deep, with you in charge of armies, taking over territories, and doing all sorts of strategic stuff.”
    • “With its diverse factions and strategic depth, it provides engaging gameplay for fans of the franchise.”
    • “The gameplay is painfully slow.”
    • “The gameplay itself is rather bland and doesn't do anything new for the genre.”
    • “The gameplay is very basic 4x with very shallow economy mechanics, absolutely no diplomacy, and a bare-bones research tree that provides very little in terms of variety.”
  • story703 mentions

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that it consists mainly of simple, repetitive quests tied to each faction rather than a cohesive campaign. While each faction has its own quest line that provides some lore and context, the quests often feel unbalanced and can disrupt gameplay by spawning powerful enemies unexpectedly. Overall, players express a desire for a more robust narrative experience akin to traditional campaign modes found in other strategy games.

    • “One of the best 4X games around, and personally I think it's a pretty good introduction into Warhammer 40K. Each faction comes with its own story quest which can lead to a victory along with giving better insight into that faction's way of life in the 40K universe.”
    • “The story is incredibly well written in my opinion, and I haven't even finished the main story for each of the factions. The quest system adds a nice layer of depth to the gameplay.”
    • “The faction-specific cinematics are decent and not too brief, and there is a chain of quests for each faction that follows their part in the story of the overall conflict, which is a nice touch.”
    • “Unfortunately, there's no real campaign or story mode; each faction has a 'quest' that you can turn on during a game that gives you four 'missions' that are fairly boring, but that's pretty much it.”
    • “The story is incredibly well written in my opinion and I haven't even finished the main story for each of the factions.”
    • “The game lacks a campaign/story mode so there's nothing really to draw you in to the world unless you're already a die-hard 40k fan.”
  • graphics403 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the aesthetic and attention to detail that captures the Warhammer 40,000 universe effectively. While some find the visuals stunning and immersive, others criticize them as dated or lacking in polish, particularly in terms of animations and UI design. Overall, the graphics are generally considered decent for a strategy game, but they may not meet the expectations of players seeking cutting-edge visuals.

    • “The graphics are stunning, and the sound effects are immersive.”
    • “The audio and graphics successfully invoke much of the glory and grandeur of the setting.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, gameplay extremely simple.”
    • “It also doesn't help that the graphics and sound design are mediocre, if not subpar, which kind of undermines what is usually the strong point of the franchise (aka, impressive visuals).”
    • “The graphics are ugly, the city management feels more punishing than fun, and combat is a slog.”
    • “The graphics are pretty poor even in the most advanced settings and the game mechanics feel dated and lack options compared to a game like Civilization.”
  • replayability167 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising the unique mechanics and diversity of factions that contribute to a high replay value, especially with the inclusion of mods and DLC. However, some reviewers express disappointment over the limited base content and repetitive scenarios, suggesting that the game may not sustain long-term engagement without additional factions or features. Overall, while there is significant potential for replayability, particularly in multiplayer and with mod support, the reliance on paid DLC and the lack of a robust campaign may hinder its appeal for some players.

    • “Each faction is unique enough and there are so many ways to customize a game that it seems to have endless replayability.”
    • “The game's four factions each bring their own playstyle and units to the table, adding variety and replayability to every match.”
    • “This game manages to be essentially simple but have a lot of replay value by generating interesting maps.”
    • “That said, it doesn't have much replay value - the maps and scenarios are pretty much the same every time - and the majority of factions are locked in paid DLC.”
    • “Just as their Steam sale page says: they exploit their player base's wallets, and then exterminate any real replay value by not adding anything of substance to this game over and over again as it goes stale around 2-3 hours.”
    • “The only reason why I don't recommend this game is because of its replayability.”
  • music166 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its epic and atmospheric qualities that enhance the Warhammer 40,000 experience. However, several players noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive, with a limited number of tracks that may become monotonous over time. Overall, while the music is generally well-regarded for its fitting tone and quality, there is a consensus that more variety and additional sound effects would significantly improve the auditory experience.

    • “The music is epic; each track is a masterpiece!”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal.”
    • “The battles feel intense even if this is a turn-based strategy; the music is awesome and sets the atmosphere very well.”
    • “The music is very boring and repetitive.”
    • “The soundtrack is one endlessly looped boring song.”
    • “The music is generic and forgettable.”
  • atmosphere66 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and gritty representation of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, featuring rich lore, dark visuals, and an impactful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While many players appreciate the attention to detail and the intense ambiance during battles, some critiques mention a lack of voice acting and narrative depth that could further enrich the atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of the franchise, making it a compelling experience for fans.

    • “The game’s setting in the Warhammer 40k universe adds an extra layer of depth, with rich lore and a grim atmosphere that fans of the series will appreciate.”
    • “The game presents a dark and gritty aesthetic that perfectly captures the grim and war-torn atmosphere of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.”
    • “Gladius absolutely captures the essence, mood, and atmosphere of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.”
    • “The game has no voice acting to speak of (something that served old 40k games quite well, for example Dawn of War), there is no feeling of story, no identifying with the character, no atmosphere.”
    • “The game atmosphere feels a bit empty and I feel this is due to the lack of voice acting on units.”
    • “Graphic is meh, sounds/fx are disappointing, atmosphere is zero.”
  • monetization62 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized as excessively predatory, with many factions and essential units locked behind high-priced DLCs, leading players to feel they are being subjected to a cash grab. Reviewers express frustration over the in-game advertisements for DLCs and the perception that significant content is withheld from the base game, making it feel incomplete. While some acknowledge the game's enjoyable mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the monetization practices detract significantly from the overall experience.

    • “Good game destroyed by bad monetization.”
    • “Base game cost ~$35, DLCs with races and additional single units for factions ~$50 (new units and factions should be free, players already paid for the game! This is not an MMO RPG with microtransactions or a pay-to-play approach!).”
    • “I suggest these changes to avoid the cancer that monetization can become when things that obviously should have been part of the base game end up becoming DLC due to a launch date happening too soon and the other parts needing more polish before they're ready.”
    • “The game itself is a very standard and solid 4x game, but the monetization of this game is unforgivable given over half of the factions are marked at $15 a piece with another $5 needed to buy the unit packs for each faction.”
    • “On the minus side, the monetization of this game is so excessively predatory that it beggars belief.”
    • “The DLCs and their pricing are predatory and asinine; parts of your army get locked behind paywalls. As common sense dictates, I did not bother to play this shameless cash grab any longer.”
  • grinding61 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and slow, often leading to a frustrating experience. Many reviews highlight that the combat and unit management become monotonous, especially in the late game, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. While some appreciate the lore and mechanics, the overwhelming grind often detracts from the enjoyment, with comparisons made to other strategy games that handle these elements more effectively.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “It's not that this design is too hard to surpass, it's just that it's really tedious and not actually very fun.”
    • “Grinding through endless waves of kastelan robots is no fun at all.”
    • “The story quests are extremely tedious and annoying, and the over-watch mechanic makes the game really frustrating and punishing at times.”
  • stability42 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs that hinder gameplay. While some players have found it runs well on lower-end systems and enjoy the core gameplay, the overall experience is marred by technical issues, particularly in multiplayer modes. Despite attempts at troubleshooting, many players continue to encounter significant stability problems that detract from their enjoyment.

    • “Overall, solid strategy game, runs great with a solid 60fps, simple and easy to learn to play.”
    • “++well-optimized; runs great on my non-gaming laptop.”
    • “This game seems very stable and bug free in a single player environment.”
    • “I spent like 2 hours troubleshooting just to get the game to work semi-properly and I still cannot access the T'au (which I have bought) and the game will crash every time I tab out of it.”
    • “The game either freezes or crashes every turn.”
    • “This game is buggy as hell and barely matches up to other hex-based 4X games.”
  • optimization39 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and stability on various hardware configurations, some experience frequent crashes and technical issues, particularly on specific setups. The game generally runs well on mid-range systems, but optimization concerns persist, especially with certain graphics cards and during extended play sessions. Despite these issues, many users appreciate the game's performance-friendly design and quick turn transitions.

    • “Performance-wise, it ran just fine on Surface Pro 7, cheers!”
    • “On the positive side, the game is very stable, with no performance issues or crashes.”
    • “I was absolutely mind blown by how extremely well this game is optimized.”
    • “Which may be my main grievance against the game, along with its optimization: the amount of DLCs.”
    • “Only problem is the game is not quite optimized; I experience frequent crashes, disconnects, and the game doesn't launch properly sometimes.”
    • “Ps: I had to edit my review because I previously stated that I had no crashes but unfortunately that became no longer the truth...the game has some optimization issues that make it crash sometimes...it's still a decent game, but sadly it crashes more than it should.”
  • humor24 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and absurd elements, particularly through the antics of orks and skeletons, which provide a comedic contrast to the otherwise grim setting of the Warhammer universe. Players find the interactions and chaotic gameplay with friends to be particularly amusing, despite some criticisms regarding the game's depth and mechanics. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the experience, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate its unique style.

    • “Skeletons are still funny, even in the grim dark future of the 41st millennium.”
    • “Having a friend team up with you versus some NPCs is the route I always take, and because of it, it can be hilarious.”
    • “There's a hilarious twist included in the orks' intro related to imperium intros that only the dumbest boys in the universe can be responsible for.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    Players express a mix of frustration and emotional engagement with the game, highlighting its challenging gameplay and the heart-wrenching experiences it can evoke, particularly when facing tough opponents like the Necrons. While some find the game difficult and occasionally overwhelming, others appreciate the beautiful models and the rich lore, which contribute to a sense of connection and investment in the game world. Overall, the emotional experience varies widely, from feelings of joy and accomplishment to moments of heartbreak and frustration.

    • “This game is hard and the Necrons made me cry.”
    • “Had a tremendously heartbreaking experience that almost broke me from playing this game.”
    • “It gives you something to focus on, which sometimes in games like this just creates a more wholesome feeling of doing the right thing.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is highlighted as a key strength, with intricate designs and detailed narratives that create a deeply immersive experience, elevating the game beyond mere gameplay to a rich storytelling journey.

    • “The depth of its world-building, from the intricate character designs to the detailed narratives, makes it much more than just a game—it's an experience that draws you in completely.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

Buy Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War

Play time

11hMedian play time
73hAverage play time
5-42hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 50 analyzed playthroughs

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