Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team

 ***I would like to give special thanks to my brother for being my partner against the Ork hordes, and to both Cold Dingo and Chap for proofing this review.

Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team (WKT) is a twin-stick shooter based in the Warhammer 40,000 (W40k) universe featuring various Space Marine specialities combatting Ork  hordes across variable five stages. Players participate as one of four classes of Space Marines, each containing their own abilities and strengths. This title has been received as notoriously negative, though this writing is based on my mixed and positive experiences in both single player and multiplayer modes. I have also recently completed this title after approximately ten hours of play, so I can confidently speak on the achievements being incredibly accessible.

Here are just a few points to consider:

Gameplay - Having controlled this title with both a PlayStation remote and general PC layouts, I am confident in stating that both are adequate for play. For two players, it is obvious the controllers are essentially required, and the scheme is as follows: Left Stick moves your Space Marine, Right Stick aims and fires your ranged weapon, X is the designated melee attack, L1 utilizes each character’s special ability, L2 allows for a short sprint, and R1 allows a grenade to be thrown. A minor gripe I personally had while playing was that you cannot remap the controls as I preferred melee by set to R2, but the default scheme makes sense in that you aim melee attacks by facing the way you wish to strike-with the Left Stick. There are four character classes to choose from, each with their own abilities and appropriate strengths; six selectable Space Marine Chapters are also available for additional choices. Sternguard Veterans are the general ranged unit, focusing on the use of a Heavy Bolter and similar weaponry to dispatch Xenos from a distance; Tech Marines, my personal favorite, are weaker at range, but deploy a Tarantula Turret which acts as a secondary gunner; Vanguard Veterans have the advantage of drop-assaults by utilization of a jump packs against their foes; and Librarians  focus on melee attacks against their opponents, culminating in a burst-style special attack. Power-ups such as Rapid Fire litter the stages for a classic arcade feel, and there are ten collectibles in each of the five stages to collect. Overall, WKT feels great as a twin-stick shooter, though lacks in overall design, discussed below.

Design - As stated previously, this title is spread between five stages, each relatively varied in layout with corridors and looping events being the main detractors. These corridors and set pieces tend to be repetitive, preferring to pad the game’s length with similar events and even a Cardinal Sin: back-tracking. The camera attempts to be inventive in that it does not snap to the various points on the map, rather it glides across the landscapes to create a more cinematic experience; this aspect fails in execution as it tends to clip into the environment’s geometry, or will often skip cues to follow the player’s selected Space Marine. Sound design is also flawed, with several of the weapons not executing their firing accents.

TL:DR - Though it has its flaws, Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team is still a decent twin-stick shooter for fanatics of the genre and the W40k universe. Single player and multiplayer formats are adequately balanced, and this title is worth it if on sale. The title has its obvious flaws, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do gameplay-wise. Thanks for reading.

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Originally posted on August 23, 2021