Never played Kingmaker at launch, but people saying this was less buggy than launch WoTR are clearly playing a different version of the game than I am. The game constantly gets stuck waiting for a turn to end in combat, Yrilet's quests are buggy af, a number of passive skills don't work at all, and there's way more visual bugs than I remember WoTR having. On the bright side, the performance of the game is much better and the story/characters are quite engaging.
I think they made alot of money from pathfinder so yeah, the team and the budget should be bigger than before Even if pathfinder series have lots of bug, they still made it. The story is just good enough to offset the minus points..
0:27. “It’s still going to take me another week or so to finish the 100%…as it stands, I’ve completed the game one time and am coming to the end of my second playthrough…” The man is no doubt a machine, blessed by the Omnissiah itself.
Building an encompassing story instead of short 1-offs and keeping player characters personally engaged in it rather than having everything done by NPC red shirts are two of the biggest challenges in the source table top, so I'm not surprised that the overarching story is a little tougher to see unfolding here.
Yeah, true. I knew this would kind of be a problem a soon as they pitched Rogue Traders as the center. It was probably Games Workshop not trusting them with more important factions or the current lore timeline stuff, but as much as there is potential for Rogue Traders I think a tighter story focused specifically on, say, being a member of the Inquisition where you move up the wrong making hard choices or say member of the mechanicus would have given you clearer goals, enemies, internal conflict, and more fertile grounds for an instruiging story. Heck, I'm not even a space marine fanboy, but I'd go make out with all four chaos gods if they had allowed us to raise in the ranks of a space marine chapter from neophyte to a higher rank or something, or have done something spicy like letting us play as human (or other race) members of the tau.
@@CrystallineLore One of the biggest issues I have with the Rogue Trader lore basis and the Koronus Expanse in particular is because of the modern timeline. This is the galactic North West, it's been mostly cut off for 12 thousand years and as of now it's on the Nihilus side of the great rift. The Astronomicon is completely snuffed out here. Only short, blind warp jumps are now possible. By dialing the timeline back to before the fall of Cadia they have taken what could have been a true wild-west empire building scenario with a blank slate, and restricted it heavily.
100% agree but I'm pretty sure it's all Games Workshop. It seems from small leaks like about what they vetoed about Argenta that Games Workshop had a vice around their necks. A CRPG in 40k is a dream come true but they kind of played it incredibly safe with this one it seems. I guess I should be happy it's just not another space marine game though.@@xLisranda
@@CrystallineLore I mean, you pretty much have to go with a Rogue Trader or Inquisitor (or maybe Eldar Corsair if you're feeling super spicy) if you're gonna do the whole open world rpg thing, they're the only people that interact with other factions in any meaningful way and with a meaningful degree of influence, it also opens up interactions with xenos beyond shooting eachother in the face. Other factions could work with a much more focused game, but that's not really the kind of games Owlcat makes.
Being familiar with the original tabletop RPG from Fantasy Flight and having played through the entire alpha and part of the beta, this remains my most anticipated game of the year. I’m an old-school gamer with a high tolerance for jankiness, so- short of utterly game-breaking bugs- I’m looking forward to the full experience. It is still surreal to me that, in almost 3 decades of 40K computer games, this is the first CRPG in the setting. The circle is now complete. The first edition of 40K was known as Rogue Trader, so it is fitting that the first CRPG adaptation should share the same name.
Have they stated that the game is explicitly Fantasy Flights system or is that just assumed because of the name? I had assumed they were using Cubicle 7s Wrath & Glory system. Not that it matters much to me but hearing that they’re using the old system as opposed to the current one just seems odd to me.
@@miracledev2656 Neither. The setting of the Koronus Expanse is shared with FFG’s version of Rogue Trader and, in the first iterations of the game, the names of some mechanics (e.g. Profit Factor, Righteous Fury) were borrowed. Those were the only shared elements. The mechanics were otherwise Owlcat’s own. Then, with the Beta and now full release, those vestiges mostly disappeared. The concept of Profit Factor remained but was implemented differently from tabletop. Righteous Fury was dropped in favor of a more generic critical hit mechanic. The current rules include the same stats and D100 system as FFG’s version, with D100 being used for skill checks and attack rolls and D10’s being used for damage. Everything else- combat talents, abilities, character creation, psyker powers, armor and dodge rules- are Owlcat’s own invention or work differently from the source material. In short, it is a new ruleset only loosely inspired by FFG’s work. But it remains the closest semblance of an adaptation of that property, which is why I mentioned the company.
My channel suggestions to dive even further into the Warhammer 40K lore: - Bricky / Adeptus Ridiculous - Luetin09 - Arbitor Ian - Janovich - MajorKill - Weshammer - Oculus Imperia - Baldemort - Noirn Queen Alexis
I read from several people that 4 and 5 are unplayable buggy. However you didn't mention this at all. So these acts worked fine for you? In trying to figure out if I should continue from middle act 3 or put the game down.
What I will point out is so far my only grudge I have with the game, so please bear with me, I love the story and gameplay for the most part. Which for me boils down to items and item acquisition. Since relatively early level, you can specialize in any type of weaponry of your choosing. You like chain melee weapons, here is the ability that you can pick and be more efficient with them. You like power weaponry more, by all means, you have specialization for it. The game leveling up sytems does encourage that. Also, RPG wise, you are a rogue trader, a higher class of citizen within empire, that specialize in trade. Meaning, that almost anything there is to be bought on regular or grey/black market, you can get it through your position. And now comes the killer- you can't really get weapon type you want. There is no trader, that sells average equipment of all types. You will hope, that on your mission with some low life you will get their items and weapons after the fight. Seriously, some random cultist citizen or prisoner have better chance of getting and owning weapon they want than you do. Let me give you an example. The moment game showed its character creation, I wanted to make melee psyker, that will use force swords. Yes, like Heinrix. You know how many force swords are in the game? Two. One of which you will get by taking it from its owner, companion you recruit in game (sorry Heinrix) and other one you will get relatively late in game and that one cannot compete with other melee weapons. Now, compare that to amount of (for example) navigator only gear. Or techpriest only gear, which despite its exotic type have a lot more items in the game. None of those two backgrounds you can pick up for yourself, yet there is a lot of items to choose from. Lore-wise, I would understand why some of the more exotic weaponry used by either adeptus astertes or xeno races will be hard to find. But regular weapon utilized by psykers in the Empire of Man, being kinda disregarded... what the actual heck.
Yeah, there's a lot less variety of weapons in this game than in their previous games, but I will say that items are much more powerful here. The game will rely more on your build and item synergy than just every increasing item states, so much so since my level 18 Argenta in Act 2 Daring difficulty still uses the standard boltgun, but even so, she's still a walking nightmare because of her good soldier/bounty hunter build.
This sounds like everything I could hope for in a modern CRPG. Owlcat's pedigree, the WH40K setting, challenging (but not brutal) combat, and a choice-driven, story-focused RPG. Can't wait for tomorrow!
I am amazed at how absolutely awesome this game is. They have nailed the setting and RP parts in such a brilliant way. I don't care that it's not voiced and/or buggy, it FEELS Warhammer 40K like few other titles set in the universe. So far the morality aspects seem spot on and really reflect the nuances of this universe. I really enjoy the slower pace, gives plenty of time to savor it all, like a fine wine!
You're the best impartial reviewer out there. Not fanboyish enough to hide the faults, not hater enough to nitpick on useless stuff. Just right down the middle. Good job. Thanks for the review.
@@codyvandal2860 Homie is probably thinking of the critiques people make. But there is a clear difference between a critique and a review. You watch a review to see someone's opinion on a product, you watch a critique to see someone completely tear something (in this case, a game) apart and do a in-depth analysis of the components. They serve very different purposes imo.
This is a first time I actually disagree with your review and that is the technical aspect. The game is very unstable for me to the point it can crash between 2 to 5 times per hour, some of them are even hard unity crashes which are not 100% my system fault. The game is also bug riddled, while it is true it has less game breaking bugs (never the less I had two in act 2 I had to reroll to older save) than WOTLR, the inconvenience bugs are much more frequent and it makes the game unpleasant. Luckily for Owl Cat I am conditioned by Games Workshop to suck it up, if it was not WH40k I would already put it aside and play after few patches. I verymuch care for Owlcat games so I diligently report it, but I have intrusive thought this review was for a first time on your side littble bit more generous due to your affection for the studio.
I won't stake my reputation on glossing over problems from any studio, I wouldnt last very long as a reviewer if that was the case. PC hardware is so varied that experiences with bugs and crashes will vary dramatically which is likely what is actually happening. I said in this review the real problem was little bugs that crept up over the course of a playthrough as well, so beyond it crashing more for you it sounds like we had a similar experience to me.
@@MortismalGaming Alright, I am reassured. Thanks mort! Your reviews were always 100% accurate and it took me by surprise I have different expeirence than you
9 місяців тому+2
I have to say this is Owlcat game again, while you didn't meet game breaking bugs, there certainly seems to be many. For me chapter 3 ending broke the game and now i have to wait updates, again. What happened is that all bridge discussions don't work at all, i simply move to bridge but the event doesn't trigger. Furthermore, i don't know if chapter 4 should've started immediately after chapter 3, didn't start for me. So, warning to all people, buy Owlcat games 6-12 months after release, then they are in shape for playing without too many issues.
In the somber vastness of the cosmos, a Rogue Trader is the quill that scribes new destinies upon the parchment of the stars. They are the torchbearers at the edge of night, the daring souls who venture where the map's edges fray and fall away into legend. Within their grasp, a Warrant of Trade - a holy scripture of purpose, etched in the blood of the God-Emperor and the ink of Imperial decree, a creed that blesses them with dominion over the uncharted reaches and whispers of power unknown. A Rogue Trader is the sovereign of the void, a regal monolith striding across the chessboard of the heavens. Theirs is a lineage or a destiny carved from the obsidian of deep space. In their hands, they wield not just the helm of their ship but the wheel of fate itself. Within the hollow halls of their starbound galleon, they command not just souls made of flesh and blood, but also the celestial spirits of adventure and the ravenous ghosts of ambition. On worlds where alien emperors reign unchallenged, a Rogue Trader is the shadow before the storm, the harbinger of a new dawn bedecked in war and wonder. With cannon and creed, they lay claim to these realms, scribing their names across the heavens in the indomitable language of conquest. They sail on the lonesome cosmic seas, where planets lie like unclaimed jewels, and nebulae drape over the black like the gossamer veils of celestial brides. A Rogue Trader gazes upon these wonders with the eyes of a ravening conqueror, a beneficent ruler, and a curious scholar, all at once. Each new world, a tome of unknown stories; each anomaly, a riddle wrapped in an enigma, swaddled in mystery. On occasion, like a thunderclap announcing the end of a storm, they come upon a world that sings with the echoes of ancient humanity-lost chords of a song once familiar. With the might of their Warrant, they weave these estranged brethren back into the Imperium's grand chorus. Elsewhere, they find planets that are silent, waiting for the sonorous boom of an Imperial banner unfurling or the guttural roar of a chainsword proclaiming conquest. In the boundless tableau of the universe, the Rogue Trader is the dauntless painter, the restless poet, whose every voyage scripts epic tales into the manuscript of the cosmos. They are the bridge between worlds known and unknown, the emissaries of the Imperium's insatiable hunger for dominion, and in their wake, they leave the enduring legacy of civilization twined with the dark beauty of the stars. So sails the Rogue Trader, a sovereign of the void, under the endless night of a million suns, each day a testament to human tenacity, each discovery a verse in the undying hymn to the God-Emperor. Their life is a battle, their path a crucible, as they cast the light of Holy Terra into the darkest corners of the galaxy.
Hey Mort, thanks for the review as always. Could you tell us a bit more about the responsiveness to choices in your 100% review when you get there. I`m curious how it compares to games like WOTR or BG3 in that area. Cheers!
as a diehard 40k fan I watched about 4 reviews before this and they all missed several important areas that you covered. So thanks for the comprehensive review.
Baldurs gate 3 had quite a lot of bugs, but people ignored them for some reason. Especially 3. act was downright awful, graphical bugs were everywhere. But they mostly fixed it later, although not completely. So I can tolerate some bugs, as long as they dont break the game.
Both the pathfinder games had some issues on launce. Not so much WOTR compared to Kingmaker. Right now I'm waiting for the dust to settle before I buy the game.
When level-headed Mort - who always champions CRPGs - indirectly says the game needed more time in the oven, you know the general population is going to view it unfavorably. I'd already seen imbecilic comments under the IGN preview where people complain about "PS2 era graphics" and "Yet another turn-based turd" and whatnot. But seeing how the game has real problems, some of which could have been fixed just by not insisting on releasing so early, saddens me. I knew this would happen. Even called it here and on Slandered's channel a couple of months ago. They should have taken 2-3 more months to squish mid to late-game bugs and maybe deal with some of those pacing / combat balance issues you mention. Other than publisher obligations, I don't know what they were thinking by releasing the game in the same year as BG3. It might have been a standout title next year, now it will likely just remain a 2023 blip. As if WoTR not being recognized for what it is outside the cRPG community wasn't disappointing enough.
CRPG hype is high right now after BG3 so its a good time to release it. Also so far it seems like a decent content complete release with some balancing and bug fixes needed at worst(They could have already fixed alot of them in the release version-this is owlcat tho and their releases are usually buggy until at least a year of patches and balancing and added content granted it sounds like its their best release version so far)
My boyfriend recently sat me down for 3h to explain 40k lore to me (he's been playing 40k and fantasy for 20 years) and i was like "that all sounds so cool but I'm not into the huge tactical battles, I'd rather have an rpg" - and next thing you know, this game pops up! :D definitely giving this a shot after i finish my BG3 playthroughs.
I like that they have gone for a similar style to Chaos Gate, making it look like the models rather than realistic. I know it's still the Owlcat style anyway.
The mentions that you will be pretty invincible before end game makes me want to get this game more! I am no hardcore gamer, just enough to beat XCOM and have played other CRPGs too. I don't want to exhaust myself when work is already stressful enough.
Story is the most important part of a RPG , "for me", thats why i never could come around with Solasta, so i have to say the way you talked about story got me a little worried but as always amazing video.
Yeah, every review of Solasta I saw had negative things to say, or little to say at all, It was always about the gameplay. For these types of games, story and character development is just as important as gameplay/mechanics to me. One big thing this game has going for it is the 40k universe. It's my favourite lore of any franchise, so as long as we can get lost in it with strong enough environmental storytelling/lore, I can look past a lesser story. At least he said whatever narrative they have comes together at the end.
To me, story is never the most important thing because you can have a horrible story, but if the gameplay is good you can have fun. But if you have a great story with terrible gameplay, it's a complete mess. Story is important on RPGs, but gameplay always comes first
@@focabox5594 Gameplay is important to any other genre. For RPG story is on the first place. I'd rather have text based rpg that rpg with atrocious story.
@@focabox5594 Same. If the game mechanics don't engage me then the story & plot, alone, will not win me over. I can even do without an RPG story line if the rest is good; an example being traditional roguelikes.
Just a quick question, when you comment that the beginning of act 3 of this game is "railroady" would you compare it to the beginning of act 4 in Pathfinder WOTR (in as vague non-spoiler was as possible), or is it a completely different vibe?
OMG hearing that combat is curated is SO NICE. I want to try different paths in WotR, but the game is soooo loooong with so many pointless combats. It's a massive slog I just don't want to deal with. The Demon Lord's area is 10x as slow because you have to wait for your camera rotations to let you get places.
Wow thanks AI sounding Morty son, ❤ 💀 hope you feel a bit better soon. 🤧 I can’t believe it’s finally here!! Not expecting it to surpass WOTR, so looks like my expectations are on point for once. Just hoping the story has some choice and consequence that makes it feel meaningful. The rest im sure will be typical owlcat .
59/100 Chat GPT written PC Gamer "review" vs your video; I know which one I trust more. I'll be too busy with Path of Exile for a while but I'm definitely picking this one up.
This looks fantastic on every level. OWL CAT has done it again. Can't wait to see how ship combat goes. Been waiting forever for turn based ship combat set in the WARHAMMER 40,000 universe. GOTHIC was alright but the fast paced battles never did it for me which is too bad considering all the detailed systems involved. I think a turn based mode for old time tabletop gamers would have balanced things out. Love OWL CAT's PATHFINDER rpgs and will definitely be picking this up tomorrow. Thank you for the excellent review and happy gaming! ☕
Would you say this is less obtuse and more understandable for someone less familiar with CRPG's and the Pathfinder games? I really struggled understanding how those worked.
Definitely. The Pathfinder games are particularly hard to get into because the tabletop (1st edition specifically) is very crunchy and bloated with options. This is much easier to get into.
I wonder if Owlcat will be making a roguelike DLC like they did for their previous RPGs. That would be wonderful for an extra game mode in 40k. Wasn't a big fan of their extra mini-games in their previous titles such as the empire management, but the ship and trade empire side games in this looks more appealing to me than those were.
This. Absolutely this. I said much the same on another video. There is perfect opportunity for Havin a roguelite dlc. Whether it’s boarding enemy ships or taking over planetary garrisons. *It just makes sense*
I really wish they were giving us a preload option, because I want to play this right away. I'm also really looking forward to Rogue Trader 2, if this sells well enough, because based on the change between Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous, I suspect it'll turn out amazing.
I haven't gotten my hands on it yet. I'm new to this setting, but have played Owlcat's pathfinder video games. Its missing some elements I would have liked from those game but, it seems to be an interesting experience.
I’m really curious how the multiplayer is going to work. My boyfriend and I are planning on playing this together on launch and I’m hoping it works well.
i'm not really a fan of 40k with all the grimdark bleakness of the series, the real world is crappy enough without that, but i am a fan of owlcat studios... eh, what the heck, i really love the owlcat pathfinder CRPGs, might as well give this a try
Mortismal is a machine. Don't let the "sick" voice fool you - Mortismal is an AI gaming bot overlord. There, I said it. He must be a bot, luckily a benevolent bot, but a bot nonetheless. Mort is ok in my book. And when our AI overlords decide to decimate the human race; I am hoping this post saves me from being Borg'd.
Really looking forward to launch day. I'm using the TTRPG core rulebook as a mouse pad and have over 100 hours in the beta. I do wish they had kept the original names for the Convictions as I prefer the latinate terminology, but overall it looks awesome.
Unfortunately, the achievement bug mentioned in this review is still present in the release verson, at least on GOG. I got the achievement for dodging 500 shots by just dodging one. Same with critical hits.
Nice review which covered pretty much what I care about. I’ll throw my pennies in and guess that the overall 40k universe will carry. The game in its low point because I really like the setting. Slow combat is a bummer I really hope some onf those game would start to implement 2x or 4x speed for combat in case it guets too long. Some Underrail parts and the constant slow back and forth of Pillars of Eternity made me use cheat engine speed up and I’d rather it be native. Thanks for the content !
Really looking forward to this game. The last couple of weeks have been fun, reading and watching videos about 40k. I hope the release version doesn't have that many bugs lol.
The success of BG3 was incredible and I hope it inspires some large publishers/developers, but the future of the genre is going to be games closer to this scale. So it's nice to see Owlcat putting out another great game. I have a little bit of a backlog to get through first, but I'll give Rogue Trader a go in a little bit. I'm sure it won't hurt the experience to give Owlcat a minute to get a patch out for a minor bug or two.
It's wild that you can watch and acknowledge the raging immense success of bg3 and then turn around and immediately say nah that's not how these games are gonna go. Wtf
Backed this, so glad to hear Owlcat has made another great RPG, with the usual caveat of waiting couple weeks after release for more people to still kinda beta test the game and allow the devs to fix the issues. Luckily finally upgraded my PC over the blackfriday/week and just recently bought Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate edition, so Im all set there.
Pathfinder ofc, I find Baldurs Gate to be the best gateway to people play crpg. After BG3, the system is not that overwhelming to understand. Don't get me wrong, its still a shit ton of stuff to understand, but it will click faster
I've intensely loved all of Owlcat's games so I'll buy it discount-free at launch to support their work... but it's going to simmer for a year because I know better than to play one of their games anywhere close to release.
I'm fine with the problem you've mentioned with the early act much like I'm fine with the giant horseback knight you meet at the start of Elden Ring. I like finding I'm in over my head and made a mistake as long as it doesn't happen excessively. Bummer about the end acts being too easy, will be sure to turn up the difficulty when it gets too easy. Definitely buying it tomorrow based on your review, not going to wait for a sale. I adore your super honest and informative reviews.
I played it for 8 hours and was like, hey I haven't come across a single bug! I had to put Kingmaker on the shelf for a year while they hammered the bugs out of that game, and I didn't get WotR until Owlcat had polished the game already. So far I like it a lot. I don't have much Warhammer experience and the Mortismal primer helped immensely. Why didn't Owlcat release this as a Starfinder game? I'm sure it would have been easier to code
And again, an in deep review based on knowledge. If i compare this review against the PC Gamer review, its a masterpiece against a "i dont know shit but i have to write something". Thank you again for this piece of art. (and...think about funny merchandise, old grumpy gamers like me would like to buy funny shirts to show our *twink twink --- good taste...ahem...)
Thanks for the great initial review. I will definitely be picking this one up, but I may wait for a round or two of patches before I do so. I appreciate your efforts as it really makes it possible to help ensure we have the best play experience possible.
"If you are successful in killing your opponent with your first blow, quickly find new opponents as to not waste any of your valuable killing momentum !!". - Killgar
I am glad to hear that the prelaunch version looks better than Wrath launch version .... that is good, that said I am not surprised there are a lot of smaller annoying issues ... with just one early playtest version, it was likely a lot of the smaller issues would not be found/fixed in time. cant wait for tomorrow
I'm annoyed there isn't an Adeptus Mechanicus origin but hopefully one will be added eventually. The last time I played the tabletop game and was the leader of the Rogue Trader house I was playing a former Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet officer who was banished from his home sector due to Adeptus Mechanicus politics and some of his instructors and superiors becoming Hereteks. He had enough supporters and enough success that his supporters were able to arrange a Warrant of Trade and he met with representatives of his forge world at ports just outside him home sector to pass on information or technology he had recovered. I had always thought he was one wrong push from becoming an Innovator Heretek, and might even become a knowledge sharing Heretek, or both under the proper circumstances though it never happened in the tabletop game. And I have a massive soft spot for Frigates in general so I'm happy with the starting ship selection though I hope they add more later. Like the Space Marine Frigates (Also used by the Adeptus Mechanicus fleet), some of the Imperium Heavy Frigates, maybe even the Shrike class Raiders or the older Havoc class Frigates used more often by pirates then the Imperium by the 41st millennium.
My channel suggestions to dive even further into the Warhammer 40K lore: - Bricky / Adeptus Ridiculous - Luetin09 - Arbitor Ian - Janovich - MajorKill - Weshammer - Oculus Imperia - Baldemort - Noirn Queen Alexis
Im so glad that there is finally a WH40K game which i will enjoy. I love the universe and I hope more RPG like rogue trader will come with that universe. Hope the game held up to my expectations
I like a lot of the universe, but unfortunately its design limits a lot of the narrative choices you can make in other settings. That being said, I’d love for an Eldar centered CRPG to come out next if this one is a success!
@@kingleech16 totally agree. It’s hard to capture the overpowering elements like the space marines and the sheer mass of enemies you find within the Orks or other troops in that setting. I belive you have to go both ways away from the lore itself - I mean image a video game adaption of the Horus heresy, that would be absurd. But the lore itself offers so many unique settings which I hope can be adapted. For example focus on a planet, or chose a tau invasion. But I think the rogue trader option is very well chose for en entry point for such a video game. Hope we will see more!
Oh yes, 27:40 that was the toughest fight for me in the entire game. I've failed that fight sooo many times. But after a couple of levels I managed to build up my team and nuke everything. (basically I was using momentum abilities in every turn) So yeah that was a huge problem in the beta for me aswell.
I'm always glad to see cRPG's that haven't forgotten the key aspect that actually DEFINES what an 'RPG' is- Player Agency. As a PnP Roleplayer since 1982 at the age of 11, I have a ton of XP under my belt in that regard. Though I know many have their own ideas of what 'makes' an RPG (Stats, XP, Loot, Puzzles, etc...) without actual player input into the story, you end up with something like 'Diablo'. While it may be a good GAME, it fails to contain that key element that makes RPG's a truly unique form of entertainment. One of my greatest achievements as a Gamemaster was actually being able to run a Campaign from start to finish, that lasted 16 years (1996-2011). With a group of 6-10 people, through all the Real Life ups & downs that entails, I managed to keep those people engaged and wanting to return to the world I created. How? Again, Player Agency. See, the goal of a GM is NOT to just tell a great story, while your players sit back on their Duffs & gaze at you in Awe. That is essentially what a Book or Film does. RPG's are special because the goal is to create an interesting and engaging world, through which the players in that world can tell their OWN stories. That fact often gets lost in marketing commercial blather, or because individuals love one or more secondary aspects so much. However, once you've actually participated in an RPG that allows you that creative input, games that don't have it are flat cardboard cut-outs by comparison. Now of course, no cRPG can match the flexibility and adaptability of even a moderately talented GM in a PnP setting, but TRYING to reach that goal should always be Job One with any Dev team. Owlcat has done a respectable job within modest technological limits & hopefully with games like this & Baldur's Gate 3, we will see the genre move forward in a positive way. Excellent review, by the way. Didn't want to leave that out! ^_^ I am very glad to see a review that is thoughtful, detailed, not merely a corporate ad & actually focused on informing your audience.
Nurgle has granted me his blessings (I am sick) so I sound a bit weird here.
yeah, sick in the head!
feel better Morty.
Hope you feel better soon. Rember Grandpa nurgel loves us.
I heard it in the voice and was a bit worried. Glad it's just a boon from nurgle and nothing more serious.
Heresy! For real though, get better. The Emperor Protects.
Get well soon!
Papa Nurgle loves you.
Never played Kingmaker at launch, but people saying this was less buggy than launch WoTR are clearly playing a different version of the game than I am. The game constantly gets stuck waiting for a turn to end in combat, Yrilet's quests are buggy af, a number of passive skills don't work at all, and there's way more visual bugs than I remember WoTR having. On the bright side, the performance of the game is much better and the story/characters are quite engaging.
Thank you for keeping up with great content.
I'm assuming we all know that you can sing the words "Mortismal Gaming" along with the intro music.
Do think BG3 giving being an entry to crpg going to help this game.
To some degree sure
I dropped the game few hours in after an encounter that had like 40 enemies each taking like 1 minute for their turn
Day 1 release on xbox too? This went completely under my radar until I saw this vid. Ill be buying on launch.
I think the fact that each of Owlcats releases has been less buggy is, at the very least, a good trend to see.
they did come a long way from the trainwreck that was Kingmaker
@@lorenzosp8566kingmaker was a good game tho
@@AndRei-yc3ti it was also catastrophically buggy at release.
Like unplayable buggy
@@AndRei-yc3tiyes it is, nobody discusses that, but it was borderline unplayable at launch
I think they made alot of money from pathfinder so yeah, the team and the budget should be bigger than before
Even if pathfinder series have lots of bug, they still made it. The story is just good enough to offset the minus points..
0:27. “It’s still going to take me another week or so to finish the 100%…as it stands, I’ve completed the game one time and am coming to the end of my second playthrough…” The man is no doubt a machine, blessed by the Omnissiah itself.
This has been an absolute monster of a year for turn-based tactical cRPGs.
Still waiting for the RTS genre to get a revival LOL
@@frankieb9444 Homeworld 3 is coming out at some point @frankieb9444
LOL@@frankieb9444
@@frankieb944413 sentinels was really good and hope we can get more of that
@@frankieb9444 if AoE couldn't do it then IDK what can. I'd be ecstatic if it did happen, I'm just not seeing any avenues there lol
Building an encompassing story instead of short 1-offs and keeping player characters personally engaged in it rather than having everything done by NPC red shirts are two of the biggest challenges in the source table top, so I'm not surprised that the overarching story is a little tougher to see unfolding here.
Yeah, true. I knew this would kind of be a problem a soon as they pitched Rogue Traders as the center. It was probably Games Workshop not trusting them with more important factions or the current lore timeline stuff, but as much as there is potential for Rogue Traders I think a tighter story focused specifically on, say, being a member of the Inquisition where you move up the wrong making hard choices or say member of the mechanicus would have given you clearer goals, enemies, internal conflict, and more fertile grounds for an instruiging story.
Heck, I'm not even a space marine fanboy, but I'd go make out with all four chaos gods if they had allowed us to raise in the ranks of a space marine chapter from neophyte to a higher rank or something, or have done something spicy like letting us play as human (or other race) members of the tau.
@@CrystallineLore One of the biggest issues I have with the Rogue Trader lore basis and the Koronus Expanse in particular is because of the modern timeline. This is the galactic North West, it's been mostly cut off for 12 thousand years and as of now it's on the Nihilus side of the great rift. The Astronomicon is completely snuffed out here. Only short, blind warp jumps are now possible. By dialing the timeline back to before the fall of Cadia they have taken what could have been a true wild-west empire building scenario with a blank slate, and restricted it heavily.
100% agree but I'm pretty sure it's all Games Workshop. It seems from small leaks like about what they vetoed about Argenta that Games Workshop had a vice around their necks. A CRPG in 40k is a dream come true but they kind of played it incredibly safe with this one it seems. I guess I should be happy it's just not another space marine game though.@@xLisranda
@@CrystallineLore I mean, you pretty much have to go with a Rogue Trader or Inquisitor (or maybe Eldar Corsair if you're feeling super spicy) if you're gonna do the whole open world rpg thing, they're the only people that interact with other factions in any meaningful way and with a meaningful degree of influence, it also opens up interactions with xenos beyond shooting eachother in the face. Other factions could work with a much more focused game, but that's not really the kind of games Owlcat makes.
I'm going to guess they vetoed her falling to Chaos if the Main Character does?@@CrystallineLore
Gonna wait maybe a months or two before getting the game like usual
Being familiar with the original tabletop RPG from Fantasy Flight and having played through the entire alpha and part of the beta, this remains my most anticipated game of the year. I’m an old-school gamer with a high tolerance for jankiness, so- short of utterly game-breaking bugs- I’m looking forward to the full experience. It is still surreal to me that, in almost 3 decades of 40K computer games, this is the first CRPG in the setting. The circle is now complete. The first edition of 40K was known as Rogue Trader, so it is fitting that the first CRPG adaptation should share the same name.
Have they stated that the game is explicitly Fantasy Flights system or is that just assumed because of the name? I had assumed they were using Cubicle 7s Wrath & Glory system. Not that it matters much to me but hearing that they’re using the old system as opposed to the current one just seems odd to me.
@@miracledev2656 Neither. The setting of the Koronus Expanse is shared with FFG’s version of Rogue Trader and, in the first iterations of the game, the names of some mechanics (e.g. Profit Factor, Righteous Fury) were borrowed. Those were the only shared elements. The mechanics were otherwise Owlcat’s own. Then, with the Beta and now full release, those vestiges mostly disappeared. The concept of Profit Factor remained but was implemented differently from tabletop. Righteous Fury was dropped in favor of a more generic critical hit mechanic. The current rules include the same stats and D100 system as FFG’s version, with D100 being used for skill checks and attack rolls and D10’s being used for damage. Everything else- combat talents, abilities, character creation, psyker powers, armor and dodge rules- are Owlcat’s own invention or work differently from the source material. In short, it is a new ruleset only loosely inspired by FFG’s work. But it remains the closest semblance of an adaptation of that property, which is why I mentioned the company.
My channel suggestions to dive even further into the Warhammer 40K lore:
- Bricky / Adeptus Ridiculous
- Luetin09
- Arbitor Ian
- Janovich
- MajorKill
- Weshammer
- Oculus Imperia
- Baldemort
- Noirn Queen Alexis
We are eating so good this year. It's crazy how stacked next year is with RPGs, too.
I need to start keeping up more - what's good next year, except Avowed if it drops?
@@Outmind01 Dragon's Dogma 2
@@Outmind01hopefully dragon age, and I’m excited for ff7 rebirth also.
@@Outmind01 I completely missed Avowed. An Obsidion First Person perspective RPG? Sign me up.
@@Outmind01Broken Roads looks promising too.
I read from several people that 4 and 5 are unplayable buggy. However you didn't mention this at all. So these acts worked fine for you? In trying to figure out if I should continue from middle act 3 or put the game down.
What I will point out is so far my only grudge I have with the game, so please bear with me, I love the story and gameplay for the most part. Which for me boils down to items and item acquisition. Since relatively early level, you can specialize in any type of weaponry of your choosing. You like chain melee weapons, here is the ability that you can pick and be more efficient with them. You like power weaponry more, by all means, you have specialization for it. The game leveling up sytems does encourage that. Also, RPG wise, you are a rogue trader, a higher class of citizen within empire, that specialize in trade. Meaning, that almost anything there is to be bought on regular or grey/black market, you can get it through your position. And now comes the killer- you can't really get weapon type you want. There is no trader, that sells average equipment of all types. You will hope, that on your mission with some low life you will get their items and weapons after the fight. Seriously, some random cultist citizen or prisoner have better chance of getting and owning weapon they want than you do.
Let me give you an example. The moment game showed its character creation, I wanted to make melee psyker, that will use force swords. Yes, like Heinrix. You know how many force swords are in the game? Two. One of which you will get by taking it from its owner, companion you recruit in game (sorry Heinrix) and other one you will get relatively late in game and that one cannot compete with other melee weapons. Now, compare that to amount of (for example) navigator only gear. Or techpriest only gear, which despite its exotic type have a lot more items in the game. None of those two backgrounds you can pick up for yourself, yet there is a lot of items to choose from.
Lore-wise, I would understand why some of the more exotic weaponry used by either adeptus astertes or xeno races will be hard to find. But regular weapon utilized by psykers in the Empire of Man, being kinda disregarded... what the actual heck.
Yeah, there's a lot less variety of weapons in this game than in their previous games, but I will say that items are much more powerful here. The game will rely more on your build and item synergy than just every increasing item states, so much so since my level 18 Argenta in Act 2 Daring difficulty still uses the standard boltgun, but even so, she's still a walking nightmare because of her good soldier/bounty hunter build.
This sounds like everything I could hope for in a modern CRPG. Owlcat's pedigree, the WH40K setting, challenging (but not brutal) combat, and a choice-driven, story-focused RPG. Can't wait for tomorrow!
Cant believe this game copied bg3...
I. Wouldn't say copyed although they usually do real time, with pause they said they wanted to do something new I hope it's harder then bg3
@@jolt187 get out of here. Baldur's Gate 3 is not the first and only CRPG there is.
@@jolt187 It HAS to be a joke xD
NO ONE this dumb ahaha
So you hoped that the entire story didn't work up until act 5, near the end of the game like he says in the review?
I was waiting for your review, WotR is one of my favorite games of all time so I'm really excited for this. Thank you for reviewing the game.
Glad you didn’t wait to do 100% review. I have my eye on this and wanted your opinion. Nice to get it before launch! Happy Holidays 👋
Happy Holidays!
I am amazed at how absolutely awesome this game is. They have nailed the setting and RP parts in such a brilliant way. I don't care that it's not voiced and/or buggy, it FEELS Warhammer 40K like few other titles set in the universe. So far the morality aspects seem spot on and really reflect the nuances of this universe. I really enjoy the slower pace, gives plenty of time to savor it all, like a fine wine!
You're the best impartial reviewer out there. Not fanboyish enough to hide the faults, not hater enough to nitpick on useless stuff. Just right down the middle. Good job. Thanks for the review.
Hear hear, well worded comment 🎅
This comments needs more votes!
@@codyvandal2860 Homie is probably thinking of the critiques people make. But there is a clear difference between a critique and a review. You watch a review to see someone's opinion on a product, you watch a critique to see someone completely tear something (in this case, a game) apart and do a in-depth analysis of the components. They serve very different purposes imo.
Released 48 minutes ago
Me: “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner”
This is a first time I actually disagree with your review and that is the technical aspect. The game is very unstable for me to the point it can crash between 2 to 5 times per hour, some of them are even hard unity crashes which are not 100% my system fault. The game is also bug riddled, while it is true it has less game breaking bugs (never the less I had two in act 2 I had to reroll to older save) than WOTLR, the inconvenience bugs are much more frequent and it makes the game unpleasant. Luckily for Owl Cat I am conditioned by Games Workshop to suck it up, if it was not WH40k I would already put it aside and play after few patches. I verymuch care for Owlcat games so I diligently report it, but I have intrusive thought this review was for a first time on your side littble bit more generous due to your affection for the studio.
I won't stake my reputation on glossing over problems from any studio, I wouldnt last very long as a reviewer if that was the case. PC hardware is so varied that experiences with bugs and crashes will vary dramatically which is likely what is actually happening. I said in this review the real problem was little bugs that crept up over the course of a playthrough as well, so beyond it crashing more for you it sounds like we had a similar experience to me.
@@MortismalGaming Alright, I am reassured. Thanks mort! Your reviews were always 100% accurate and it took me by surprise I have different expeirence than you
I have to say this is Owlcat game again, while you didn't meet game breaking bugs, there certainly seems to be many. For me chapter 3 ending broke the game and now i have to wait updates, again. What happened is that all bridge discussions don't work at all, i simply move to bridge but the event doesn't trigger. Furthermore, i don't know if chapter 4 should've started immediately after chapter 3, didn't start for me.
So, warning to all people, buy Owlcat games 6-12 months after release, then they are in shape for playing without too many issues.
Ah, CRPG and its act 3 curse
In the somber vastness of the cosmos, a Rogue Trader is the quill that scribes new destinies upon the parchment of the stars. They are the torchbearers at the edge of night, the daring souls who venture where the map's edges fray and fall away into legend. Within their grasp, a Warrant of Trade - a holy scripture of purpose, etched in the blood of the God-Emperor and the ink of Imperial decree, a creed that blesses them with dominion over the uncharted reaches and whispers of power unknown.
A Rogue Trader is the sovereign of the void, a regal monolith striding across the chessboard of the heavens. Theirs is a lineage or a destiny carved from the obsidian of deep space. In their hands, they wield not just the helm of their ship but the wheel of fate itself. Within the hollow halls of their starbound galleon, they command not just souls made of flesh and blood, but also the celestial spirits of adventure and the ravenous ghosts of ambition.
On worlds where alien emperors reign unchallenged, a Rogue Trader is the shadow before the storm, the harbinger of a new dawn bedecked in war and wonder. With cannon and creed, they lay claim to these realms, scribing their names across the heavens in the indomitable language of conquest.
They sail on the lonesome cosmic seas, where planets lie like unclaimed jewels, and nebulae drape over the black like the gossamer veils of celestial brides. A Rogue Trader gazes upon these wonders with the eyes of a ravening conqueror, a beneficent ruler, and a curious scholar, all at once. Each new world, a tome of unknown stories; each anomaly, a riddle wrapped in an enigma, swaddled in mystery.
On occasion, like a thunderclap announcing the end of a storm, they come upon a world that sings with the echoes of ancient humanity-lost chords of a song once familiar. With the might of their Warrant, they weave these estranged brethren back into the Imperium's grand chorus. Elsewhere, they find planets that are silent, waiting for the sonorous boom of an Imperial banner unfurling or the guttural roar of a chainsword proclaiming conquest.
In the boundless tableau of the universe, the Rogue Trader is the dauntless painter, the restless poet, whose every voyage scripts epic tales into the manuscript of the cosmos. They are the bridge between worlds known and unknown, the emissaries of the Imperium's insatiable hunger for dominion, and in their wake, they leave the enduring legacy of civilization twined with the dark beauty of the stars.
So sails the Rogue Trader, a sovereign of the void, under the endless night of a million suns, each day a testament to human tenacity, each discovery a verse in the undying hymn to the God-Emperor. Their life is a battle, their path a crucible, as they cast the light of Holy Terra into the darkest corners of the galaxy.
Hey Mort, thanks for the review as always. Could you tell us a bit more about the responsiveness to choices in your 100% review when you get there. I`m curious how it compares to games like WOTR or BG3 in that area. Cheers!
as a diehard 40k fan I watched about 4 reviews before this and they all missed several important areas that you covered. So thanks for the comprehensive review.
All the severe bugs ? That make it unplayable?
Baldurs gate 3 had quite a lot of bugs, but people ignored them for some reason. Especially 3. act was downright awful, graphical bugs were everywhere. But they mostly fixed it later, although not completely. So I can tolerate some bugs, as long as they dont break the game.
Reason was the game was good
And a lot of people didn't get to act 3 for a while so not something you're going to hear lots about at launch
tbh it took me 8 days to reach act 3, by the time i got to it most of the stuff was fixed.
Both the pathfinder games had some issues on launce. Not so much WOTR compared to Kingmaker. Right now I'm waiting for the dust to settle before I buy the game.
BG3 in act was just fine for me bug wise. I just felt it was a bit too long, had too many sidequests and needed to get tightened up.
When level-headed Mort - who always champions CRPGs - indirectly says the game needed more time in the oven, you know the general population is going to view it unfavorably. I'd already seen imbecilic comments under the IGN preview where people complain about "PS2 era graphics" and "Yet another turn-based turd" and whatnot. But seeing how the game has real problems, some of which could have been fixed just by not insisting on releasing so early, saddens me.
I knew this would happen. Even called it here and on Slandered's channel a couple of months ago. They should have taken 2-3 more months to squish mid to late-game bugs and maybe deal with some of those pacing / combat balance issues you mention. Other than publisher obligations, I don't know what they were thinking by releasing the game in the same year as BG3. It might have been a standout title next year, now it will likely just remain a 2023 blip. As if WoTR not being recognized for what it is outside the cRPG community wasn't disappointing enough.
CRPG hype is high right now after BG3 so its a good time to release it.
Also so far it seems like a decent content complete release with some balancing and bug fixes needed at worst(They could have already fixed alot of them in the release version-this is owlcat tho and their releases are usually buggy until at least a year of patches and balancing and added content granted it sounds like its their best release version so far)
I've been looking forward to this game, and your review, for awhile. Can't wait to dive into this.
Still tangled up in BG3 for now. It's a good feeling to have a new RPG waiting for you when you finish. 😁
Getting off of work to see the only review I care about for this game was a real treat
Definitely a buy. 40k and crpgs will always have a big chunk of my heart so this is no tough choice. Big E protects.
My boyfriend recently sat me down for 3h to explain 40k lore to me (he's been playing 40k and fantasy for 20 years) and i was like "that all sounds so cool but I'm not into the huge tactical battles, I'd rather have an rpg" - and next thing you know, this game pops up! :D definitely giving this a shot after i finish my BG3 playthroughs.
I like that they have gone for a similar style to Chaos Gate, making it look like the models rather than realistic. I know it's still the Owlcat style anyway.
The mentions that you will be pretty invincible before end game makes me want to get this game more! I am no hardcore gamer, just enough to beat XCOM and have played other CRPGs too. I don't want to exhaust myself when work is already stressful enough.
Tried it today, it's really good! You have the difficulty slider so you can just customize it yourself.
Huh, you sound a bit off on the game. I trust you on anything crpg so maybe I'll wait for a sale then.
Story is the most important part of a RPG , "for me", thats why i never could come around with Solasta, so i have to say the way you talked about story got me a little worried but as always amazing video.
Yeah, every review of Solasta I saw had negative things to say, or little to say at all, It was always about the gameplay. For these types of games, story and character development is just as important as gameplay/mechanics to me. One big thing this game has going for it is the 40k universe. It's my favourite lore of any franchise, so as long as we can get lost in it with strong enough environmental storytelling/lore, I can look past a lesser story. At least he said whatever narrative they have comes together at the end.
To me, story is never the most important thing because you can have a horrible story, but if the gameplay is good you can have fun. But if you have a great story with terrible gameplay, it's a complete mess.
Story is important on RPGs, but gameplay always comes first
@@focabox5594 Gameplay is important to any other genre. For RPG story is on the first place. I'd rather have text based rpg that rpg with atrocious story.
@@focabox5594 Same. If the game mechanics don't engage me then the story & plot, alone, will not win me over. I can even do without an RPG story line if the rest is good; an example being traditional roguelikes.
@@LordKolumbI think its very subjective either way.
A new golden age of CRPGs?
Big and small CRPGs, I'm felling spoiled for choice.
Just a quick question, when you comment that the beginning of act 3 of this game is "railroady" would you compare it to the beginning of act 4 in Pathfinder WOTR (in as vague non-spoiler was as possible), or is it a completely different vibe?
I would say it is technically similar yeah, but the narrative is quite different
I just want to play because I am a huge 40K fanboy
I appreciate the fact that you give both positives and negatives in your review. Looking forward to giving it a go myself!
OMG hearing that combat is curated is SO NICE.
I want to try different paths in WotR, but the game is soooo loooong with so many pointless combats. It's a massive slog I just don't want to deal with. The Demon Lord's area is 10x as slow because you have to wait for your camera rotations to let you get places.
Wow thanks AI sounding Morty son, ❤ 💀 hope you feel a bit better soon. 🤧 I can’t believe it’s finally here!! Not expecting it to surpass WOTR, so looks like my expectations are on point for once. Just hoping the story has some choice and consequence that makes it feel meaningful. The rest im sure will be typical owlcat .
@@NotCharAznable 🙄 yeah. Thanks.
What a time to be alive for a Warhammer videogames fan!
59/100 Chat GPT written PC Gamer "review" vs your video; I know which one I trust more. I'll be too busy with Path of Exile for a while but I'm definitely picking this one up.
PC Gamer really fell from grace huh? They're basically Kotaku and Polygon level hacks now.
This looks fantastic on every level. OWL CAT has done it again. Can't wait to see how ship combat goes. Been waiting forever for turn based ship combat set in the WARHAMMER 40,000 universe. GOTHIC was alright but the fast paced battles never did it for me which is too bad considering all the detailed systems involved. I think a turn based mode for old time tabletop gamers would have balanced things out.
Love OWL CAT's PATHFINDER rpgs and will definitely be picking this up tomorrow.
Thank you for the excellent review and happy gaming! ☕
The just released another patch like a few days ago and it FIXED ALOT
Great review. You continue to be one of the best gaming focused creators on UA-cam. Hope you feel better soon.
Would you say this is less obtuse and more understandable for someone less familiar with CRPG's and the Pathfinder games? I really struggled understanding how those worked.
Definitely. The Pathfinder games are particularly hard to get into because the tabletop (1st edition specifically) is very crunchy and bloated with options. This is much easier to get into.
instant upvote, thx bro for all your content :)
Thanks as always for the great wrap up.
How well does it play on the Steam deck?
Hey Mort! When you're feeling better, are you planning to cover the huge patch 2.0 for King Arthur: A Knight's Tale? 🤘
Not currently Im afraid
All 100% and no sleep makes Mortismal a dull boy :D
I wonder if Owlcat will be making a roguelike DLC like they did for their previous RPGs. That would be wonderful for an extra game mode in 40k.
Wasn't a big fan of their extra mini-games in their previous titles such as the empire management, but the ship and trade empire side games in this looks more appealing to me than those were.
This.
Absolutely this.
I said much the same on another video.
There is perfect opportunity for Havin a roguelite dlc.
Whether it’s boarding enemy ships or taking over planetary garrisons.
*It just makes sense*
Looking forward to this one, just the main menu theme alone kinda pulls you in, it really channels that 40k atmosphere.
So excited, almost entirely because of your coverage, for this game!!! Hope you feel better ASAP.
I really wish they were giving us a preload option, because I want to play this right away.
I'm also really looking forward to Rogue Trader 2, if this sells well enough, because based on the change between Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous, I suspect it'll turn out amazing.
I'm so glad my absolute favorite IP is getting good video games again, and I'm glad others will be exposed to this awesome loreverse.
I haven't gotten my hands on it yet. I'm new to this setting, but have played Owlcat's pathfinder video games. Its missing some elements I would have liked from those game but, it seems to be an interesting experience.
I’m really curious how the multiplayer is going to work. My boyfriend and I are planning on playing this together on launch and I’m hoping it works well.
i'm not really a fan of 40k with all the grimdark bleakness of the series, the real world is crappy enough without that, but i am a fan of owlcat studios... eh, what the heck, i really love the owlcat pathfinder CRPGs, might as well give this a try
Completely agree! Imagine how amazing it would be if a new Pathfinder game was releasing tomorrow
@@ancientartrevivedJust because Pathfinder is good, doesn't mean that Rogue Trader shouldn't exist. Especially speaking as a big fan of 40k.
I've never played anything in the WH40k universe. Would this be a good place to start or would I be completely lost?
Good place to start, devs knew a lot of people would be new and will explain what's what, who's who and an in game encyclopedia.
3rd playthrough and still calls it as launch review. You are the best!
Mortismal is a machine. Don't let the "sick" voice fool you - Mortismal is an AI gaming bot overlord. There, I said it. He must be a bot, luckily a benevolent bot, but a bot nonetheless. Mort is ok in my book.
And when our AI overlords decide to decimate the human race; I am hoping this post saves me from being Borg'd.
how is the optimization? like fps, ram, etc
Really looking forward to launch day. I'm using the TTRPG core rulebook as a mouse pad and have over 100 hours in the beta. I do wish they had kept the original names for the Convictions as I prefer the latinate terminology, but overall it looks awesome.
Unfortunately, the achievement bug mentioned in this review is still present in the release verson, at least on GOG.
I got the achievement for dodging 500 shots by just dodging one. Same with critical hits.
Bit of a renaissance in CROGs. How was performance overall? I found the pre-release still had the odd stutter even with my 4090.
The usual problems with Unity causing it slow down on occasion, but otherwise it was good
@@MortismalGaming TY.
@@MortismalGaming couple hours in and it’s been fine on ultra settings 4k. +1
Owlcat: we are releasing the game tomorrow!
Mort: I'm coming up on the end of my second playthrough!
Classic
Nice review which covered pretty much what I care about. I’ll throw my pennies in and guess that the overall 40k universe will carry. The game in its low point because I really like the setting. Slow combat is a bummer I really hope some onf those game would start to implement 2x or 4x speed for combat in case it guets too long. Some Underrail parts and the constant slow back and forth of Pillars of Eternity made me use cheat engine speed up and I’d rather it be native. Thanks for the content !
Really looking forward to this game. The last couple of weeks have been fun, reading and watching videos about 40k. I hope the release version doesn't have that many bugs lol.
Can't wait to play this one day.
Currently playing kingmaker.
Next will be wrath of the righteous.
By then, we would have the definitive edition. 😆
The success of BG3 was incredible and I hope it inspires some large publishers/developers, but the future of the genre is going to be games closer to this scale. So it's nice to see Owlcat putting out another great game.
I have a little bit of a backlog to get through first, but I'll give Rogue Trader a go in a little bit. I'm sure it won't hurt the experience to give Owlcat a minute to get a patch out for a minor bug or two.
It's wild that you can watch and acknowledge the raging immense success of bg3 and then turn around and immediately say nah that's not how these games are gonna go. Wtf
Fingers crossed we'll see DLCs from the side of non-Mankind factions as well. Ork Boyz deserve some serious green limelight!
The UI bug issue was a problem in wotr console edition and didn’t get fixed for awhile
Backed this, so glad to hear Owlcat has made another great RPG, with the usual caveat of waiting couple weeks after release for more people to still kinda beta test the game and allow the devs to fix the issues.
Luckily finally upgraded my PC over the blackfriday/week and just recently bought Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate edition, so Im all set there.
Any idea if the PS5 version is any good? Still torn on which platform to buy.
That's also the big question for me
After playing bg3 which would be a better choice to buy rogue trader or pathfinder wotr?
Likely WOTR if you want more dnd stuff. But be aware it’s Pathfinder not 5E so it will be different
WOTR has a lot of that D&D flavor but be warned the game is a lot more complex and harder to digest than BG3.
Pathfinder ofc, I find Baldurs Gate to be the best gateway to people play crpg. After BG3, the system is not that overwhelming to understand. Don't get me wrong, its still a shit ton of stuff to understand, but it will click faster
Why not rogue trader@@blushingralseiuwu2222
I've intensely loved all of Owlcat's games so I'll buy it discount-free at launch to support their work... but it's going to simmer for a year because I know better than to play one of their games anywhere close to release.
I’ll probabably do the same
Thanks for the review. I purchased the game based on your recommendation.
I'm fine with the problem you've mentioned with the early act much like I'm fine with the giant horseback knight you meet at the start of Elden Ring. I like finding I'm in over my head and made a mistake as long as it doesn't happen excessively. Bummer about the end acts being too easy, will be sure to turn up the difficulty when it gets too easy. Definitely buying it tomorrow based on your review, not going to wait for a sale. I adore your super honest and informative reviews.
I learned a lot from this comprehensive review. Thank you, Mort! 😁
I played it for 8 hours and was like, hey I haven't come across a single bug! I had to put Kingmaker on the shelf for a year while they hammered the bugs out of that game, and I didn't get WotR until Owlcat had polished the game already. So far I like it a lot. I don't have much Warhammer experience and the Mortismal primer helped immensely.
Why didn't Owlcat release this as a Starfinder game? I'm sure it would have been easier to code
And again, an in deep review based on knowledge. If i compare this review against the PC Gamer review, its a masterpiece against a "i dont know shit but i have to write something". Thank you again for this piece of art. (and...think about funny merchandise, old grumpy gamers like me would like to buy funny shirts to show our *twink twink --- good taste...ahem...)
My main gripe with the BETA was the foreground elements too numerous conflicting with the camera view readability. Hopefully they worked on that.
I'm so glad they moved away from Pathfinder. I like Owlcat, but definitely hate the pathfinder setting. 40K is so much fun.
Thanks for the great initial review. I will definitely be picking this one up, but I may wait for a round or two of patches before I do so. I appreciate your efforts as it really makes it possible to help ensure we have the best play experience possible.
"If you are successful in killing your opponent with your first blow, quickly find new opponents as to not waste any of your valuable killing momentum !!". - Killgar
I am glad to hear that the prelaunch version looks better than Wrath launch version .... that is good, that said I am not surprised there are a lot of smaller annoying issues ... with just one early playtest version, it was likely a lot of the smaller issues would not be found/fixed in time. cant wait for tomorrow
Wonder if Cavill playin xd and taking notes from game
I'm annoyed there isn't an Adeptus Mechanicus origin but hopefully one will be added eventually. The last time I played the tabletop game and was the leader of the Rogue Trader house I was playing a former Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet officer who was banished from his home sector due to Adeptus Mechanicus politics and some of his instructors and superiors becoming Hereteks. He had enough supporters and enough success that his supporters were able to arrange a Warrant of Trade and he met with representatives of his forge world at ports just outside him home sector to pass on information or technology he had recovered. I had always thought he was one wrong push from becoming an Innovator Heretek, and might even become a knowledge sharing Heretek, or both under the proper circumstances though it never happened in the tabletop game.
And I have a massive soft spot for Frigates in general so I'm happy with the starting ship selection though I hope they add more later. Like the Space Marine Frigates (Also used by the Adeptus Mechanicus fleet), some of the Imperium Heavy Frigates, maybe even the Shrike class Raiders or the older Havoc class Frigates used more often by pirates then the Imperium by the 41st millennium.
I think the minus of the owlcat games is just the cinematics scene.. overall the story and the world building is fun
My channel suggestions to dive even further into the Warhammer 40K lore:
- Bricky / Adeptus Ridiculous
- Luetin09
- Arbitor Ian
- Janovich
- MajorKill
- Weshammer
- Oculus Imperia
- Baldemort
- Noirn Queen Alexis
Im so glad that there is finally a WH40K game which i will enjoy. I love the universe and I hope more RPG like rogue trader will come with that universe. Hope the game held up to my expectations
I like a lot of the universe, but unfortunately its design limits a lot of the narrative choices you can make in other settings. That being said, I’d love for an Eldar centered CRPG to come out next if this one is a success!
@@kingleech16 totally agree. It’s hard to capture the overpowering elements like the space marines and the sheer mass of enemies you find within the Orks or other troops in that setting. I belive you have to go both ways away from the lore itself - I mean image a video game adaption of the Horus heresy, that would be absurd. But the lore itself offers so many unique settings which I hope can be adapted. For example focus on a planet, or chose a tau invasion. But I think the rogue trader option is very well chose for en entry point for such a video game. Hope we will see more!
Oh yes, 27:40 that was the toughest fight for me in the entire game. I've failed that fight sooo many times.
But after a couple of levels I managed to build up my team and nuke everything. (basically I was using momentum abilities in every turn)
So yeah that was a huge problem in the beta for me aswell.
I’ve been playing 40k since ‘91. Looking forward to playing this!
Love Owlcat, love the Pathfinder games, and am super hyped for this game!
I'm always glad to see cRPG's that haven't forgotten the key aspect that actually DEFINES what an 'RPG' is-
Player Agency.
As a PnP Roleplayer since 1982 at the age of 11, I have a ton of XP under my belt in that regard. Though I know many have their own ideas of what 'makes' an RPG (Stats, XP, Loot, Puzzles, etc...) without actual player input into the story, you end up with something like 'Diablo'. While it may be a good GAME, it fails to contain that key element that makes RPG's a truly unique form of entertainment.
One of my greatest achievements as a Gamemaster was actually being able to run a Campaign from start to finish, that lasted 16 years (1996-2011). With a group of 6-10 people, through all the Real Life ups & downs that entails, I managed to keep those people engaged and wanting to return to the world I created. How?
Again, Player Agency. See, the goal of a GM is NOT to just tell a great story, while your players sit back on their Duffs & gaze at you in Awe. That is essentially what a Book or Film does. RPG's are special because the goal is to create an interesting and engaging world, through which the players in that world can tell their OWN stories.
That fact often gets lost in marketing commercial blather, or because individuals love one or more secondary aspects so much. However, once you've actually participated in an RPG that allows you that creative input, games that don't have it are flat cardboard cut-outs by comparison.
Now of course, no cRPG can match the flexibility and adaptability of even a moderately talented GM in a PnP setting, but TRYING to reach that goal should always be Job One with any Dev team. Owlcat has done a respectable job within modest technological limits & hopefully with games like this & Baldur's Gate 3, we will see the genre move forward in a positive way.
Excellent review, by the way. Didn't want to leave that out! ^_^ I am very glad to see a review that is thoughtful, detailed, not merely a corporate ad & actually focused on informing your audience.