While the upcoming Space Marine 2 and excellent boomer shooter Boltgun mean we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the best Warhammer 40k games, it’s Fatshark’s co-op FPS follow-up to Vermintide 2 that has kept me coming back. Warhammer 40k Darktide suffered from some stumbles after its initial launch, but has continued to improve since. The new free update Secrets of the Machine God Part One is now here with a new mission, a selection of additional weapons, and more updates besides.
The new Warhammer 40k Darktide update takes us deep into the heart of Tertium, where we’re tasked with reawakening one of the lost Machinaria Gloriana. We’ll be accompanied on this new mission by a “mysterious new character,” and Fatshark says a dynamic end event should make the mission more interesting to replay. If you’ve been eager for a reason to come back to the co-op FPS game, now’s a perfect time.
The awakening of the Clandestium Gloriana also brings a selection of new Darktide weapons for each of the classes. The towering Ogryns get a selection of three pickaxes, their first two-handed weapons. You can opt for the heavy, medium, or light option depending on your preference between more powerful single-target attacks and wide sweeps that allow you to keep the Chaos hordes under control.
The other classes get a new double-barreled shotgun perfect for players that like to stay on the move, two electric shock mauls that can keep enemies stunned, and a bolt pistol with better handling and faster reloads than its boltgun variant, but is a little tougher to keep under control. Alongside this comes a new ‘Test Your Metal’ event, which offers you lots of ways to earn additional materials and currency by making use of the new weaponry.
Crosshairs have been given a complete overhaul, and should now make it much easier to see where your shots are landing. That’s an important change, with many blessings and talents requiring you to land weakspot or critical strikes to activate them. All weapons have now been categorized to a certain crosshair type and corresponding hit markers, and you can further adjust or change these to your liking in the options menu. You can also now preview how your operative will sound when wearing different helmet types.
Warhammer 40k Darktide update Secrets of the Machine God Part One is out now. You can find the game on Steam, and it’s also included as part of the Xbox game library for anyone with a subscription to Microsoft’s PC Game Pass. You can read the full patch notes courtesy of Fatshark for all the additional details.
If your need to stop heresy in its tracks is still unquenched, we’ve rounded up all the best Warhammer 40k games to keep you satisfied. Alternatively, jump into one of the best co-op games on PC with your friends.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.