Warhammer: Mark of Chaos review (PC)

Way back in the mists of time when I was a lad, there was a parade of shops in my local town centre where none of the businesses seemed able to make a decent fist of things. Businesses would come, set up shop, and then go bust within a matter of months.

Then one day, a seemingly doomed-from the-start enterprise that sold geeky things such as fantasy miniature figurines decided to try its hand. 'Hah, they'll be shutting up shop and long forgotten in no time', I uttered to a distinctly nonplussed and slightly confused nearby security guard. But I couldn't have been more wrong, as that shop is still open even today.

So what's that got to do with this review, I hear you ask? Well, that business just happened to belong to the Games Workshop chain, a franchise responsible for the eternally popular tabletop universe, Warhammer, which also provides the backdrop for the latest game to emerge from Black Hole Entertainment. Promising a rip roaring war between Chaos Orcs and knights of the Empire, Mark of Chaos sets out to distinguish itself from Relic's highly popular and critically acclaimed Warhammer: 40k series. But how does it measure up?

Green as an orc

First off, if you've played any RTS title at all within the last ten years you'll have no trouble with the interface as it obeys many of the conventions established within that time frame. However, if you're a complete novice who thinks that a tank rush is something that happens after you flush your toilet, there is a solid tutorial that covers the control interface as well as the fundamentals of unit combat and management.

Another area where the game scores points is in not restricting itself to telling the story from a single perspective, as the view points of both the Empire and Chaos are represented through the eyes of an infamous warrior on either side. Playing as Chaos, you'll experience the game as Thorgarr the Blooded One. The Empire, meanwhile, throw their hat into the ring via the Teutonic sounding Stefan Von Kessel, and throughout the course of either campaign you are also introduced to various other prominent characters.

Whether you decide to play as Empire or Chaos, the campaign that awaits you is admittedly rather linear, with your choices as regards where to attack next on the campaign map being somewhat limited; the Total War series this is not, although there are some similarities. For one thing, when you've decided where to attack next on the campaign map the focus switches to a tactical battle. At this point, you get to deploy your troops, deciding what the composition of your army will be and where to place it within a designated starting zone before the battle begins.

Deeper than a dwarven mine

There is a bit more depth to the tactical element than in some RTS titles. For instance, there's the aforementioned hero units, which, while not possessing the wherewithal to win battles all on their lonesome, they can turn the tide in your favor in closely balanced skirmishes. More than just a formidable figurehead, from time to time your hero will also get to engage an enemy counterpart from the other side in a one-on-one face off. During these head to head contests you'll get the opportunity to use various special combat abilities in an effort to put one over the opposing faction's leader and strike a blow to enemy morale.

As your hero character fights, he accrues experience points which can be spent in a sort of RPG-lite manner. Three different areas of specialization are available to choose from, as you can focus on developing your hero's dueling skills, his general combat skills or his leadership abilities, which provides bonuses to your troops while in combat.

Furthering the RPG avatar-like concept, your hero character can also pick up loot and special items dropped by enemies during the heat of battle, some of which can be equipped to enhance your hero's fighting abilities, while others such as health and mana potions can be consumed for a timely boost during battles when it is most needed.

Gold and glory

An army may march on its stomach, but in Mark of Chaos you won't even get one to stand on its feet if you don't have the necessary coin to recruit units, which you can do at the settlements scattered across the campaign map. There are a number of different types available, but again a Total War comparison is almost inevitable as most fall under the categories of cavalry, spearmen and ranged, which are grouped into regiments.

The rock-paper-scissors relationship is very much in evidence also, as spearmen are most deadly against cavalry, cavalry against ranged and so on. Treating your troops as worthless lemmings isn't a smart move, as those that survive battles earn veteran status, making them bigger, tougher and that little bit more formidable to the next enemy they face, or you can go the upgrade route provided you've got enough gold, kitting them out with improved armor and weaponry.

Graphically, Mark of Chaos is up there with the current cream of its genre. Unit models are greatly detailed and brought to life with textures of a sufficiently high fidelity so that they bear favorable inspection even in close-up view, while aesthetics such as spell effects are also quite pleasing on the eye. The battle maps also do a solid job of conveying the dark and grim milieu of the Warhammer Fantasy setting, replete with leaden skies, barren wastes and imposing fortresses.

Play more, get more

When you've dispensed with the game's two campaigns, there's an enduring multiplayer aspect that incorporates both LAN and Internet play, with standard versus modes and a siege style of play. Admittedly, the online aspect is a bit like trial by fire as you will come up against some seriously tough opponents, but there is replay functionality so that you can watch previous matches and pick up some tips from players who've routed you.

Given its apparent influence from games that have come before, Mark of Chaos doesn’t set out to rewrite the book of real time strategy, but despite that it’s still an enjoyable romp. There are minor problems, such as lackluster cut scenes that fail to live up to the opening cinematic and a loot collection system that sometimes forces you to choose between holding the line and making a quick dash for cash, but if you're prepared to overlook these then the game should make a worthy addition to your collection.