Warhammer Survivors review - "It's got the heart, but not the spark."

• Warhammer Survivors has hit mobile, and brings with it a load of fun for tabletop fans
• But, where it sparkles, it doesn't shine like Vampire Survivors did
• Where is it worthwhile, and where does it slack? Read on to find out!

Back before Vampire Survivors hit iOS and Android, there were already a number of games inspired by (or, some might say, ripping off) their formula. So much so that I was wondering if it would go the way of Fall Guys/Stumble Guys, and be outshined by others who had gotten to mobile first.

But while those other games still have their fans, Poncle’s arrival on mobile only increased the popularity of Vampire Survivors. So much so that Auroch Digital reached out to create their own spinoff, dubbed Warhammer Survivors, that seeks to do for roguelites what Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun did for boomer shooters!

So, now Warhammer Survivors is out in the wild. But does it hold up to the indie hit that is Vampire Survivors?

Hammer time

If you’ve played Vampire Survivors, then you know what to expect from Warhammer Survivors. And to their credit, Auroch Digital maintain much of the same gameplay loop and fun of dealing with hordes of enemies, albeit with some interesting twists on the formula, such as different mechanics for each faction, like toxic debuffs from Nurgle or a hive-mind aspect for Tyranids.

For fans of AoS and 40,000, it's a robust offering, as Warhammer Survivors splits each universe into its own sub-game with its own progression. That means different levels, enemies and weapons, although many of them will feel somewhat similar in everything but looks.

If you’re a Vampire Survivors fan, this’ll all seem quite familiar, but Warhammer Survivors can also feel a lot more difficult due to the slower-paced movement of your character and the more dangerous enemies. Depending on your perspective, that’s either a good or a bad thing, but it definitely makes you feel as if there’s more at stake when you get cornered.

And while the weapons and gadgets feel familiar to what we've seen before, there are enough tweaks to make them feel different. One particularly interesting mechanic is that when you pick up a weapon your character is incompatible with, another character joins your party. While mostly cosmetic, their positioning affects where their attacks spring from, and if nothing else, it makes you feel as if you’re leading your own Kill Team into battle.

Reference Overloaded

Probably the most Warhammer thing about it is the number of references and nods to the original franchise. Whether that’s collecting paint pots to unlock new characters, all the iconic weapons, or even power-ups inspired by various gubbins from the hobby (blast templates, my beloved).

Basically, if you’ve ever been a fan of Warhammer 40,000 or Age of Sigmar, you’ll enjoy the nods to the hobby’s lengthy history. But if you’re a newcomer who, for whatever reason, has picked this up as your first Warhammer experience, you’ll be left feeling somewhat confused.

Imperium Sound (& Graphics) System

One aspect where Warhammer Survivors is thrashed by the original Vampire Survivors is in its soundtrack and SFX. The bit-crushed music and impact of weapons don’t match up to the original, and feel more than a little flat at times. I was excited to hear about the 80s/90s rock and electronic mashup music, but nothing really hits the same way that tracks such as Mad Forest, Moms are Tough, or Gatti Amari do when you’re really in the zone.

The graphics, however, are perfectly acceptable, albeit without the same amount of charm as Vampire Survivors. But you’ll find all your favourite Warhammer characters crushed up into some tasty bits that make them instantly recognisable, but also feel distinctly Survivors-like, and the colourful locations manage to feel authentically grimdark while contrasting one another.

Oi- we’re the bloody Ubersreik five!

Now, there is one big omission here, and, of course, it’s the setting of The Old World. Not to sound like a grognard, but while Age of Sigmar is a perfectly worthy setting to draw from, Warhammer Fantasy, which kicked off the entire IP, has roared back into popularity in recent years. We get Gotrek Gurnisson, undoubtedly one of the most recognisable characters from The Old World, but no other nods to the original grimdark fantasy universe.

It’s a shame, because what’s already here is a great love letter to Warhammer. Hopefully, we’ll see some updates down the line, and heck, I’d even take a paid DLC to see content inspired by Warhammer Fantasy make an appearance. With more updates down the line, this could be the case, and there’re plenty of spinoffs in Games Workshop’s wider line that’d make for excellent one-off levels or characters to join the battle. So here’s hoping Auroch take advantage of the vast depth of the IP.

Grindhammer

I actually put off publishing this review because I wanted to put more time into Warhammer Survivors. And I did, to the tune of around three or so hours, which isn’t much in the grand scheme of things but usually more than enough to get a feel for a game; especially a fast-paced roguelite. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel I was missing something that might really change how I felt about it. But every time I played, it felt like I was making only the most incremental progress, even though (as you'll find) I was chugging along at a quite even pace.

And to me, that’s my main issue with Warhammer Survivors. Whereas Vampire Survivors feels like it moves fast, with you quickly unlocking new stages, weapons and abilities, Warhammer Survivors is much slower in terms of progression. Add to that the fact that you have two separate universes with (mostly) completely different progression, and what should be exciting, rapid progress quickly becomes a slog.

Although it’s been a while, I feel as if in five hours of Vampire Survivors I was already headed towards that 30-minute mark, exploring multiple levels and already well on my way to experiencing new weapon fusions and upgrades. Maybe it’s me getting older, or it’s that Warhammer Survivors simply feels smaller and less engaging than its spiritual predecessor, especially considering that even though I felt I was making slow progress, it seems I've already completed 14% of the 40k side of the equation!

A lot of the issues with progression and how slow it seems, I feel, are that aforementioned difficulty. Now, there’s a joke about game journalists and difficulty there, but let me explain. In Vampire Survivors, you’re encouraged to move, to explore the map and dodge enemies, thereby encountering more secrets and upgrades. Meanwhile, Warhammer Survivors’ more punishing damage encourages you to hunker down, and only move if you see an existing secret highlighted on the map.

That means that, while you play for the same amount of time, you feel as if you’ve found less (even if you've actually found more). And yes, it’s perfectly fun watching hordes of Tyranids fall to your bolters and las-rifle fire, but it’s not quite as exciting as whipping your way through hordes of bats. While it may be more Warhammer to pick a spot and stick to it as you fortify your position, it sort of misses the point of a fast-paced bullet heaven.

Point being, I love Warhammer, I love Vampire Survivors; so this should have me in a chokehold. But it simply doesn’t. It feels like a perfectly fine love letter to the franchise, yet it never quite hits the heights that Vampire Survivors did. And while it may feel unfair for me to continuously compare the two, it’s hard not to when Survivors is in the title.

Maybe, with the coming updates Auroch have promised, it’ll be able to stand on its own two feet. Even so, I can heartily recommend it if you’re either a Warhammer fan, or you’ve completely rinsed everything Vampire Survivors has to offer. Just be aware that recommendation comes with a few asterisks.