Warhammer Vermintide 2

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 was developed by Fatshark, and released in 2018. Set in the grimdark world of Warhammer Fantasy, it builds on its predecessor’s cooperative, first-person action gameplay, while expanding on the mechanics, story, and content. The game takes place during the End Times event, a world-shattering era where Chaos forces are trying to bring ruin to the Warhammer world, and the Skaven (ratmen) continue their onslaught.

Story & Setting

Vermintide 2 picks up after the events of the first game, with the players’ heroes continuing to fight for survival in a world torn apart by war. The game starts with the Skaven, who have now aligned themselves with the Chaos forces in a brutal alliance, making their combined forces even more deadly.

This union of Chaos and Skaven leads to the creation of a massive and terrifying invasion. Players once again take on the role of various heroes in an effort to thwart their plans and try to stem the tide of destruction. The game’s narrative follows these heroes as they battle their way through enemy hordes, trying to survive and ultimately defeat the forces of Chaos, which now include a broader range of enemies, including Chaos warriors and their monstrous beasts.

Playable Characters and Classes

One of the biggest updates in Vermintide 2 is the addition of new heroes and expanded character classes. The game introduces a total of 15 different careers (5 for each hero), which allows for a much more varied playstyle. The original five heroes are back, each with new careers to choose from, as well as their own unique weapons and abilities.

1. Witch Hunter (Victor Saltzpyre)
   • New Career: Witch Hunter Captain – A more supportive role with buffs for the team, including the ability to mark enemies for greater damage.
   • Old Career: Witch Hunter – Focused on high damage and ranged combat.
2. Dwarf Ranger (Bardin Goreksson)
   • New Career: Ironbreaker – A tanky career focused on absorbing damage and controlling enemy crowds.
   • Old Career: Ranger Veteran – A more balanced and offensive-oriented character, with ranged and melee attacks.
3. Bright Wizard (Sienna Fuegonasus)
   • New Career: Battle Wizard – Offers more powerful spells and is designed to be aggressive in combat, able to cast devastating magic attacks.
   • Old Career: Pyromancer – Specializes in fire-based magic but has a risk of self-harm due to overheating.
4. Waywatcher (Kerillian)
   • New Career: Shade – A stealth-based career that focuses on ambushing enemies with great speed and high critical damage.
   • Old Career: Waywatcher – Primarily ranged, with high mobility and a focus on precise, long-range shots.
5. Empire Soldier (Markus Kruber)
   • New Career: Huntsman – A ranged-focused career with the ability to track and damage enemies from afar.
   • Old Career: Mercenary – A versatile, all-around fighter, with a balanced playstyle for both melee and ranged combat.

Gameplay Mechanics

Vermintide 2 builds on the strong foundation of the first game, refining its combat system and expanding on cooperative gameplay:

• Combat: The combat in Vermintide 2 is as visceral as ever, with intense melee and ranged combat mechanics. Each character has a unique set of weapons, such as swords, hammers, bows, crossbows, and more. The game’s combat feels weighty and tactical, with an emphasis on timing your attacks, dodging, blocking, and positioning.
• Cooperative Play: The cooperative element remains at the core of Vermintide 2. Players team up in squads of up to four to tackle the many missions and face hordes of enemies together. Teamwork is essential, as you will need to work with your allies to survive waves of enemies, revive fallen teammates, and complete objectives.
• Enemies: Vermintide 2 introduces even more variety in terms of enemies, with Skaven continuing to be the primary threat. However, the Chaos forces play a bigger role in this game. New enemy types, such as the heavily armored Chaos Warriors, the powerful spawn of Chaos, and the fearsome Bile Trolls, keep combat fresh and challenging. Additionally, Vermintide 2 introduces elite enemies and tougher variants that require more team coordination to take down.
• Difficulty and Challenges: The difficulty settings in Vermintide 2 are even more intense than in the first game, with higher levels offering tougher enemies, better loot, and more dynamic challenges. The game also features a system where you can challenge yourself to complete "Heroic Deeds" – special tasks that give unique rewards but come with their own set of risks.

Loot and Progression

Loot is an essential part of Vermintide 2, and the game offers a robust progression system:

• Loot System: After each mission, players are rewarded with loot boxes containing gear, which can include weapons, trinkets, and more. The gear you acquire will directly affect your character’s power and abilities. Weapons come in different tiers, with higher-level weapons offering more stats and abilities.
• Career Progression: Each hero has multiple careers to choose from, and each career has its own skill tree and abilities. As you progress through the game, you unlock more options for each hero, allowing for more diverse playstyles and strategies. Players can level up their characters and careers, increasing their power level and unlocking new perks.
• Crafting: A crafting system allows players to break down unwanted loot into materials, which can be used to upgrade or reroll the stats on equipment.

Maps and Environments

Vermintide 2 offers a range of environments, with levels set in forests, villages, castles, and cities that reflect the devastation wrought by the Chaos forces. These maps are designed with exploration and environmental storytelling in mind, featuring hidden areas, destructible objects, and interactive environments. The maps are also procedurally generated to some extent, which adds replayability and variety.

Endgame and Content Updates

• Endgame: Once players have completed the main campaign, they can dive into the endgame content. This includes challenging difficulty modes like "Cataclysm" and a "Weave" system, which introduces even more difficulty, custom challenges, and unique rewards for veteran players.
• Expansions: Vermintide 2 has seen multiple post-launch expansions, including Shadows Over Bögenhafen, Back to Ubersreik, and The Curse of Drachenfels, which add new maps, enemies, weapons, and features to keep the experience fresh.
• Regular Updates: Fatshark has continued to support the game with free updates, seasonal events, and balance patches, ensuring that the community remains active and engaged.

Graphics and Audio

The game boasts impressive graphics with detailed character models, environments, and animations. The settings are dark and atmospheric, adding to the game’s grim tone. The sound design is also top-notch, with immersive environmental sounds, impactful weapon effects, and an intense soundtrack that heightens the drama of the action.

Overall Experience

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 refines and expands upon everything that made the original game great, offering a deeper, more varied cooperative experience. Whether you’re a fan of Warhammer or just enjoy intense co-op action, the game offers plenty of replayability, depth, and satisfying combat. It is a must-play for anyone who loves first-person action games with a focus on teamwork, strategy, and high-stakes gameplay.