5 Best Warhammer Games of All Time, Ranked

The Warhammer video game line has got to be one of the most expansive game franchises out there. You have roughly over 20 games in the Warhammer Fantasy line, easily over 30 games in the Warhammer 40,000 series, and even a handful of installments to the new Warhammer Age of Sigmar series. This is not even mentioning the expansions and DLC for each of these games.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a new game to the 40k series that is set to launch in the early spring of 2022. The game's initial launch was delayed in 2021 due to Covid-19, and the high expectations it has from the fanbase. A report from the game developer, provided by PC Gamer, states “we have a responsibility to deliver the best game we possibly can, and frankly we need more time to accomplish this goal,” says Fatshark CEO Martin Wahlund.

While we wait in anticipation for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's release, it's a good time to look at a few of our favorites. Here are the five best Warhammer games of all time, ranked.

5.  Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

Growing up, deep down inside I think we all wanted to be a Space Marine at one point. I know I did. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine stood out because it really achieved the feeling of being a Space Marine.

Space Marines aren't your average soldier. They're a super-soldier, standing 10 feet high, in thousand pounds of armor, swinging chainsaws, hammers, and axes at Orks. This is exactly what is so great about Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine: the carnage. They're very few moments in the game where you don't find yourself knee-deep in combat with Orks, Chaos Marines, and other enemies.

Playing as Space Marine – Captain Titus, how you want to deliver this reckoning is completely up to you. Come through guns blazing with your squad of Marines, gunning down orks as you work through the levels. Even better, combine melee attacks with your chainsword or thunderhammer to literally saw in half orks in a slow-motion style. The game really has a great feel to it, and stands out in the 40k series, making the fifth spot on this list.

4. Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Released back in 2018, is the first-person shooter Warhammer: Vermintide 2. The game sets a squad of four marines on a warpath through Helmgart, fighting off different horde mobs, elites, specials, and bosses. Be prepared for special enemies like the Packmaster, who will constantly grab your squad members and throw them out of battle. There is a vast amount of enemies in the game, all with their own set of abilities, which makes every battle unique and exciting.

It's not just the intricacy of the enemies that made Warhammer: Vermintide 2 stand out, but the complexity in characters and combat. You can choose from five different characters, that all have unique abilities, weapons, and talent trees. Within these five characters are their own three unique classes, known as “careers”. The game offers a ton of variety with its characters and enemies, which is what sets it apart from other games in the franchise.

3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is an old classic. Initially released in 2004, the game has sold over six million copies worldwide, and holds some of the best reviews of any 40k game since then. The real-time strategy lets you choose between Space Marines, Orks, Chaos, and Eldar to command in legendary battles. Each faction has its own unique abilities, weapons, and tech trees. There is even an impressive amount of unit customization that lets you choose your armies insignias, banners, squad names, and colors.

The game brings similar inspiration from Starcraft as you go about building your base, command squads, and go about different missions. Let's just say it's all fun and peaceful until you go out on a mission with your army. At that moment the game flips, and total chaos and anarchy ensue. The game really branched out with what a real-time strategy can offer in action gameplay, and made a name for itself in the 40k series. I think it goes without saying that fans would go crazy over a remastered version of the original Dawn of War.

2. Total War: WARHAMMER II

Total War: WARHAMMER III was just released on Steam on February 16, 2022. The game climbed to the top of Steams sale charts after its announcement and has held that spot since. The only reason for this wave of sales has to be credited to the success of Total War: WARHAMMER II. The game held the largest congruent players base out of all the Total War games for a long while. That was until other Total War games came along. Despite this, an average of over 20,000 players are still playing the game every day.

There is an extensive amount of replayability as there are two distinct halves to the game. First, a turn-based open-world campaign, and second, a tactical real-time multiplayer. For the campaign, you choose between four factions which include Lizardmen, High Elves, Dark Elves, and Skaven. The other half consists of tactical real-time battles across a variety of maps. This opens up a multiplayer mode to the game, that plays and feels separate from the campaign.

Total War: WARHAMMER II is not only one of the best Total War games, but one of the best Warhammer games. And if a single game can top both of these lists, it deserves a podium finish.

1. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

I'm pretty sure you had it guessed already, but Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II takes the number one spot. Initially released back in 2009, the game still hails as the best Warhammer game. That is not just in the 40k series, but across the entire franchise of Warhammer games. There has to be a reason that the game still has an average of 300 daily players, over a decade after its release. I mean, that is not typical of any game, even great games.

The game had improved on its previous version, but it was also quite different. One drastic change from its predecessors was the removal of base buildings. The focus this time around came to the gameplay, the story, and the mechanics.

There are consequences on which missions are chosen over others. Even when you're set on a mission, you may get distracted by a time-sensitive distress call. Once you embark out with your squads on a mission, how you play that mission is effectively up to you. Choosing between objectives, saving people, or obtaining the best loot.

The game really questions how you want to go into each battle, and is vaster than any other 40k game in the series, giving it the number one spot.

Looking for more insight on Warhammer games? Take a look at these articles:

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