It’s usually powerful to construct on a components that largely works as-is, however a brief hands-off preview of Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II final week confirmed us that even small tweaks can really feel monumental. Mechanicus II appears to be like like an improve to its turned-based predecessor in the entire proper methods, with some sensible new additions that make its fight loop really feel way more approachable to every kind of gamers.
The sport revolves round a single planetary battle, a battle between the Adeptus Mechanicus, a machine-worshipping cult, and the Necrons, a race of robotic skeletons that primarily wakened after tens of millions of years and selected violence. In contrast to the primary Mechanicus, gamers can select which faction they need to management and may swap at will between the 2 campaigns. The campaigns have the identical core story arc, however the developer tells me there’ll be gameplay and narrative variations for every faction.
The sequel builds on Mechanicus, a meaty turn-based tactical affair the place you play solely because the titular Adeptus Mechanicus faction. Right here, you may take management of quite a few factions, customise and improve their skills, and make distinctive choices that influence the result of the story. In Mechanicus II, the story’s conclusion additionally will depend on participant alternative – the workforce is preserving the narrative beneath wraps, however does affirm that there’s a canonical ending to the primary recreation, which is the Videx ending, for individuals who’ve seen it.
The demo showcased a vital narrative siege seen from the angle of each the Necrons and the Adeptus Mechanicus. Every faction has a roster of leaders, with the Mechanicus coming back from the primary recreation – however, this time round, they’re all playable characters with their very own distinctive skillsets. Their skills may be tweaked to go well with a selected playstyle – you may spec them out to deal large injury on their very own, or dwelling in on extra support-based actions that may buff your workforce as an entire, which appears to be like nice for supporting totally different approaches you could need to take.
There’s a faction spoiler developing, so if need to go into Mechanicus II with as little info as potential, look away now!
Mechanicus II may even see different factions make an look in battle for the primary time; our demo exhibits off some fiendishly highly effective Area Marine allies, and we discovered earlier this 12 months {that a} comparatively new Warhammer 40,000 faction – The Leagues of Votann – may even seem in the course of the campaigns in some unspecified time in the future. These teams are usually not playable, however they may carry out sensible, computerized actions in fight, both alongside you or towards you.
One main change that Mechanicus II makes is inside its Cognition system. Cognition factors (or Dominion factors, if you happen to’re taking part in on the Necron aspect), are primarily a forex collected by your chosen faction that can be utilized to improve or unlock weapon actions or expertise hearth one-off assaults, or carry out different helpful actions in battle. Mechanicus II seems to supply way more flexibility in the way you gather Cognition factors – each particular person unit can gather them by finishing smaller goals or taking sure actions. This alteration is small, but it surely permits for a lot much less rigidity in the way you strategy a skirmish, and the models you utilize.
Every little thing appears to be like a lot nicer, too – unit fashions and their environments are crisp and vibrant, the maps are dynamic and may change all through the course of the battle. There’s additionally a brand new cowl system, which permits the Mechanicus models to guard themselves from oncoming hearth, however these parts are destructible, which implies their use is proscribed. It’s a pleasant contact that makes you take into account your positioning in another way to realize an edge, but it surely received’t final without end.
Mechanicus II appears to be like like a promising iteration on the primary title – bringing again its signature advanced technique gameplay, with considerate modifications and additions that actually really feel just like the sequence is evolving with participant alternative on the forefront of its design. For brand new gamers, there’s a way more affordable barrier to entry, and way more flexibility in the way you select to do battle. It’s a formidable course, and one which Mechanicus followers – and Warhammer 40k fanatics on the whole – can stay up for.
