Space Hulk
Purge the alien!
The original Space Hulk boardgame from Games Workshop, home of the Dawn of War and Dark Omen games amongst others, is a cracking little game which is well worth digging out. However, if you don't have access to the boardgame version, this computerized take is just as enjoyable and although it's been superseded by more modern interpretations, this one still shines. In terms of concept, this is pretty much the same thing as its inspiration, and sees you controlling a squad of bad ass space marines as they enter an abandoned spaceship which just happens to be infested with a nasty species of aliens. Through a series of missions, you'll track them down and wipe them out with a mix of weapons, both ranged and melee, and hopefully return home in glory. The key difference between this version and the boardgame is that this plays out in real time rather than being turn-based, and you'll control each member of your squad simultaneously, issuing orders on the fly and adapting to changing circumstances. Space Hulk is a great take on a classic boardgame and although the real time element might seem strange to fans, it actually works incredibly well (there is also an option to freeze time for those who prefer a slower game). The tension which is the original's trademark is still present in spades, thanks to the cool grainy visuals which really make you feel like you're exploring a creepy old spaceship. The campaign is pretty extensive and if you've got the CD version, you'll have a few more plus digitized speech, but in whatever version you play this, it's a great game.
From board game to real time action game
Space Hulk is an action game, a pretty fast and mean one, for all intents and purposes, that started its life as a top down board game produced by the Games Workshop squad. It's based on the technologically advanced branch of the Warhammer universe, and, it's a squad based action shooter, seen from above, with some elements of strategy, but rather more tilted towards action and fast reflex. You can control your squad of space marines, the soldiers of the universe. The perspective is that classic one, seen from above; the enemies as well as your maries can take turns, no less sharper than 90 degrees, and your maps are rather confining, as you roam derelict space ships, invaded by an alien race called Genestealers, All in all, the game has all the staples of action, almost RPG like, as you can upgrade your weapons, your armors and so on, becoming harder and harder to take down. So, all in all, Genestealers is a fast game, for players that want a great experience, yet don't want to dwell on a lot of game breaking mechanics, but rather appreciate speed and direct combat.
A great Warhammer action game
This game is presented to us by EA, in collaboration with Games Workshop, the father of the Warhammer 40k games (like Warhammer: Dark Omen) and from that collaboration we get a great tactical wargame set in that universe, space marines and all. You get to control 4 marines besides yourself, and you have small windows that depict the motions and behavior of all of them. The game is played in the first person perspective, with very nice graphics and good animation. The 51 missions are various, from the search-and-destroy missions to object recovery or rearguard. There is also a game campaing, comprising 21 of these missions played in sequence. As expected from a Warhammer game, it's action filled, fun and very exciting. GW did a great job and the game will be perfect for all WH fans looking for a good computer version of their favorite board game. Recommended!
