The vast, grimdark future of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe is a perfect canvas for video games, where endless wars rage and humanity struggles for survival against countless horrors. While the history of 40K digital adaptations has been a mixed bag, recent years have blessed us with truly outstanding and innovative titles. This guide isn’t about the ancient relics of the past; instead, we’re focusing on the best Warhammer 40K games released in modern times, offering a diverse array of genres from intense shooters to deep strategy.
Get ready to unleash the might of the Imperium (or its enemies!) as we explore the top Warhammer 40K games available on PC.
The Best Warhammer 40K PC Games:
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
Imagine a classic CRPG in the vein of Baldur’s Gate 3, but instead of sprawling fantasy landscapes, you’re navigating the treacherous void of the 41st millennium. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader perfectly captures the grimdark essence of the 40K universe, allowing you to embark on an epic journey aboard a colossal voidship.
Forge your own path by creating a unique character, engaging in intricate dialogue to resolve conflicts, or simply crushing your enemies with the largest weapon you can wield. Rogue Trader stands as an exceptional RPG, further elevated by its rich setting and the incredibly deep lore of Warhammer 40,000.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Boltgun is a retro boomer shooter that revels in style, blood, and visceral action. You step into the massive boots of a Sternguard Veteran Space Marine, wielding your iconic Boltgun and Chainsword to tear through legions of heretics in the Emperor’s name. Engage in frenetic gunfights across the Forge World Graia, confronting Chaos Marines, Orks, and even the formidable Tau Empire.
With its vibrant pixel-art visuals, Boltgun embraces the dark humor and campiness that defines much of the Warhammer 40K universe. This first-person shooter offers a nostalgic romp, boasting gorgeous sprites, smooth animations, and a heavy-metal soundtrack that will get your pulse racing. It’s a glorious testament to the idea that Warhammer 40K and Doom are a match made in heaven.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
If cleansing rat-men in the Vermintide Warhammer games isn’t quite the smiting you had in mind, you’ll be thrilled to know you can now purge heretics and mutants for the God-Emperor in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. This title was a late but strong contender for the best PC games of 2022.
The latest offering from Fat Shark follows the successful co-op structure of its fantasy-flavored Left 4 Dead-like predecessors, but it plunges players deep into the grimdark 40K universe. Instead of traditional magic users, you command Psykers attuned to the Warp, alongside other powerful classes like the heretic-slicing Zealots, veteran Imperial Guardsmen, and colossal Ogryns. If you’re seeking an intense 40K co-op experience, Darktide is an excellent choice.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters
This surprisingly engaging turn-based strategy game is set in one of 40K’s most somber chapters. It’s an XCOM-like tactics experience where a small, perpetually outnumbered squad of Grey Knights battles endless tides of Nurgle’s grotesque monsters.
Daemonhunters’ strengths lie not just in its satisfying management interfaces or chaotic tactical battles, but also in its ability to distil complex lore and mechanics into a readable and efficient gameplay loop. While our review noted a few rough edges at launch, this remains an exceptionally good Warhammer 40K game, easily earning its place on this list.
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
Despite some initial reservations in our review, Battlesector earns its spot for two key reasons. Firstly, its points-based army setup, diverse gear options, and turn-based design make it an excellent digital adaptation of the tabletop game. Secondly, if you love Space Marines and the original Warhammer 40K: Space Marine wasn’t enough, this game perfectly embodies the power fantasy of everyone’s favorite 40K faction.
Fighting against the Tyranids on a moon orbiting the Blood Angels’ homeworld, Battlesector immerses you in the might of Games Workshop’s golden boys in a way few other games have managed, rivaling even Dawn of War. While its technical foundations are solid, it thrives on better scenarios and more factions. Thankfully, the Necrons have already arrived via a faction expansion, and we eagerly await more additions to the roster.
Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2
While some fans might argue for elements of the original Battlefleet Gothic Armada, Armada 2 secures its top position due to extensive love and support, with every major 40K faction represented at launch. Inspired by Games Workshop’s fleet-based tabletop game of the same name (though not a direct translation), Armada 2 is a real-time strategy game where you command immense fleets of grimdark warships in epic space battles.
The game features three dynamic campaigns: one for the Tyranids, one for the Necrons, and one for the Imperium. It also boasts excellent persistence elements across single-player and multiplayer, allowing your ships to earn experience and grow stronger. With its bombastic atmosphere and tactically satisfying gameplay, it stands as one of the finest space naval warfare games on the market and a superb 40K-themed title.
Space Hulk Tactics
For those unfamiliar with this board game classic, Space Hulk is a turn-based strategy game that tasks you with leading a team of either Blood Angels Terminators or Tyrannid Genestealers to wipe out the opposing force in brutal combat, closely mirroring actual 40K rules.
The digital adaptations of Space Hulk have historically been quite rocky, which makes Space Hulk Tactics a welcome surprise due to its impressive quality. It adheres closely to the design of the original tabletop game, offering a polished and fresh turn-based tactics experience. While not without its minor imperfections, there’s no denying this is the best Space Hulk game available and a fantastic adaptation of a beloved strategy board game.
Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War
In the long list of things nobody explicitly asked for, a ‘Civilization-but-it’s-Warhammer-40K’ might rank highly. Yet, Gladius is a 4X game that wisely strips away diplomacy, trade, and other niceties, focusing purely on the setting’s core purpose: war.
And it’s surprisingly good! Most of the 40K roster is available through DLC packs, each offering varied playstyles. This ensures that even though combat is your only option, you have diverse ways to engage. The challenge isn’t just about fighting AI or human opponents; the early game sees you struggling against aggressive local alien wildlife as you strive to dominate the planet Gladius.
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr
What if you took the addictive gameplay of Diablo and infused it with the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000? Inquisitor – Martyr is a robust action RPG that transports you to the perilous Caligari sector, a region far from the Emperor’s watchful eye and desperately in need of an Inquisitor to restore order through good old-fashioned hack-and-slash heroics.
You can embark on this mission solo or with up to three other players in co-op mode, choosing from three distinct classes. A plethora of micro-DLC packs offers additional missions and content to keep you engaged. These minor expansions complement the numerous free content updates Inquisitor – Martyr has received since its 2018 release, making it a refreshing departure from typical Warhammer game offerings.
Space Marine
The release of Space Marine coincided with the rising popularity of third-person shooters, largely thanks to Gears of War. But when the PR slogan is “You are the cover,” you know you’re in for a gloriously bloody experience. This is one of Relic’s unsung masterpieces, delivering a surprisingly robust Space Marine power fantasy where you truly embody the one-man army mythos of the Adeptus Astartes.
The game cleverly allows players, who assume the role of Ultramarine Captain Titus, to stand out despite belonging to the most iconic Astartes chapter. While there are no truly “good guys” in the grim darkness of the far future, the Ultramarines are as close as you’ll get. We’re eagerly anticipating the approaching Space Marine 2 release date and can’t wait to delve deeper into its world.
Space Marine 2
“Gears of Warhammer” returns with a vengeance! Saber Interactive’s highly anticipated follow-up to the original Space Marine throws you back into the oversized power armor of the now-disgraced Lieutenant Titus. Boasting some of the finest Tyranid-mashing action ever seen, Space Marine 2 is an essential experience for both veteran 40K fans and newcomers to the video game series.
Our Space Marine 2 review highlighted its “properly vicious combat” and “impressive presentation,” which, let’s be honest, are all you truly need to enjoy a horde-style game like this. If you’re ready to dive into the fray like the true Ultramarine you are, be sure to check out the best Space Marine 2 mods to further enhance your apocalyptic journey.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
The undisputed monarch of Warhammer 40K games remains Relic’s masterpiece: the original Dawn of War. Built upon the award-winning Company of Heroes format of real-time tactics, it immerses you in the visceral, bombastic action of the far future through gritty tactical combat. The initial release featured four iconic factions: Orks, Space Marines, Chaos Marines, and Eldar. Over time, expansions introduced even more playable races, including the Imperial Guard, T’au, Necrons, Dark Eldar, and the Sisters of Battle.
While the original game adhered to a linear mission structure for its campaign, later spin-offs experimented with meta-layers, with Soulstorm even allowing you to fight for control of an entire star system. Dawn of War has two drastically different sequels, both of which are good games in their own right, but for many, the original still holds a special, unmatched place.
There you have it – our definitive list of the best Warhammer 40K games currently dominating the PC landscape. With new and exciting projects continually in development, this list is ever-evolving. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the Imperium or a newcomer to the grimdark future, these titles offer incredible experiences that truly capture the spirit of Warhammer 40,000. Prepare your boltguns, sharpen your chainswords, and brace yourselves for endless war!