Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – Beginner’s Guide

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is shaping up to be one of the most brutal and realised games set in the 41st Millenium. It is dark, gory, action-packed, and downright gorgeous to behold. Coming off the back of the outstanding Vermintide series, there is a lot to like about this futuristic plunge into grim darkness.

Of course, the game isn’t out yet as it launches later in November, however, we managed to get our mitts on the game early thanks to the recent Closed Beta Test. We had a lot of time to sink into it, and there’s a to talk about. We thought we’d prepare a beginner’s guide for newer convicts about to do the Emperor’s Justice.

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More Warhammer 40,000: Darktide content:

New Trailer | Darktide Banter | Darktide Release Date

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Keep Moving!

We cannot stress enough how important this is – hence why we slapped it right up top. Movement is vital in Darktide, and staying still in just about any scenario will get you beaten up – if not outright killed. Always be moving in combat to avoid getting clipped by a plague-rusted shiv, always be moving towards your objectives to prevent hordes of enemies swarming you, and always run away from barrels – they will explode.

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Level Up Your Convicts

You are free to create whatever character you like thanks to a pretty decent character creation system that really pays attention to the subtleties of Warhammer lore (shout out to Cadian-only purple eyes!). The most important decision is to pick a Class out of the four available – Sharpshooter, Zealot, Psyker, and Ogryn. These all have drastically different gameplay styles that only get more varied as you level up and play. Try them all, but don’t forget to focus to get the most out of each.

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Experiment With Different Weapons

There are a lot of weapons in Darktide, and these are split into a variety of weapon types. Every class has access to their own unique arsenal, and you will unlock new weapons as you play. Psykers, for example, have access to basic swords and visually similar Force Swords. At a glance, you may think they will play the same, and you’d be wrong. Mix and match weapons, get a feel for them, and take what fits you best. A hatchet might be good for single-target hacking, but a sharp blade is exceptional at cleaving the hordes. Something to consider. 

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Power Isn’t Everything

Every item in the game will grant you Power, and Power is a rough approximation of how good you are in combat. Higher Power weapons are, typically, better than lower Power ones. However, this also ties into the above when it comes to outfitting your character and experimenting. Just because X is a better power than Y doesn’t mean it will outshine it in every way, and maybe you just prefer the elegance of Y’s combat.

Not to mention stats vary wildly. A higher Power weapon could actually deal less damage than an identical weapon with a lower Power. 

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Check Out Your Traits

As you level up you will unlock new traits, with each Class having a handful of unique ones at creation, and then slowly gaining access to more. These traits are passive bonuses with very powerful effects. You can turn your single-target Psyker into an AOE beast, or your Zealot into an even better melee beatstick. You can change your traits between missions, and you can drastically change your style by messing with them.

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Stick Together

Darktide is a cooperative game for four players. As powerful as you might think you are, you can’t get through Darktide alone, and you need to stick together if you want to make it out to the other side. The game is more than happy to murder stragglers or the overconfident. This could be by spawning a sneaky enemy, like a Dog, who pins you down and mauls you to death if you don’t have mates nearby. Stick together, and you’ll be fine. 

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Explore

There’s a lot to see in Darktide, and scouring the gorgeous scenery is recommended. Aside from the pretty visuals, there are plenty of resources to find on your journey. These could be vital objective-based items, ammo packs, portable first-aid kits, or even just resources. Rushing from A to B can leave you wounded and short on bullets, so take some time out to check behind a few nooks and crannies.

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Move Quickly

Of course, going too slowly is not advised either. Huge hordes of enemies can spawn in and swamp your team at any moment, and trundling around at a snail’s pace isn’t going to help that. You want to always be moving towards the objective, but do so whilst quickly dipping in and out of side passages to look for bits and pieces. Don’t linger.

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Use Your Resources

After a mission, you can pop on over to the Black Market and check out what weapons are available to buy. These weapons are rather expensive but are often more powerful than the gear you are using early on. This gear is usually of a higher rarity too, providing bonus effects in combat. Check it out and pick up something fancy. 

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Don’t Be “That Guy”

This is another biggie. Darktide, as we have mentioned, is a team game. Don’t be selfish by hoarding everything for yourself. Healing and ammo are very limited in Darktide, and if you take some of that vital resource for yourself when a teammate is in desperate need, you become “that guy”. It’s not a good look, you actively harm your chances of winning, and to be honest, your team will happily leave you to die in an alley if you do it consistently. 

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Keep an eye out for even more Warhammer 40,000: Darktide content in the future.