Warhammer 40,000: Soulstorm

Publisher: THQ

Developer: Iron Lore

Genre: Sci-Fi Real Time Strategy

Release Date: Mar 4, 2008

ESRB: Mature

System Requirements:

Processor: Pentium IV 2.0 GHz or equivalent

RAM: 512 MB

Graphic Card: 64 MB

Hard Disk Drive: 3.5GB free space

Soulstorm is the 3^rd and the final addition to the four year long running science fiction real-time-strategy franchise Warhammer 40,000. This series takes you in the post-apocalyptic era, where humans under the God-Emperor are claiming settlements in various stellar systems, across galaxies. There are several war hungry alien forces, of course, who pose a serious threat to this expansion program. There are others who fight to restore balance in the Universe. And there are those who are tainted by corruption and thus submit themselves to darkness. The popularity of this series leads to the fact that this is a strategy game packed with action. Soulstorm simply takes you to another dimension, where death is considered an honor! “Walk steadily and carry a big gun!” and such battle cries are sure to send a chill down your spine. The advanced technology, and weaponry is sure to please any game geek.

Soulstorm is a stand-alone expansion, following the 2006 Dark Crusade. This game, like its predecessors is action packed, but somehow gives a feeling of déjà vu. The non-linear campaign does lack a good story line, as it is based on a risk-style turn-based tactical map. However, it does give you a taste of intergalactic warfare as the battle ground spans the four planets and the three moons in the Kaurava System. The plot revolves around a warp storm that draws the interest of the game's nine factions to the Kaurava system, setting up a battle royal, which appears more like individual skirmishes. This makes the scenarios repetitive.

The races who fight for victory are the Imperial Guards, the regular human soldiers who serve the enigmatic Emperor; the Orks, savage war mongers; the Tau, who believe they are fighting for the Greater Good; the Space Marines, the empire’s elite soldiers and zealots, who fight for honor; the Chaos Marines, the dark forces who love bloodshed; the Necrons, the undead dwellers of the underworld; the Elders, arch-enemy of Necrons, trying to restore balance in the Galaxy; the Dark-Elders, demons who scavenge on souls; and the Sisters of Battle, a fanatically religious group who take it upon them to purge the world. The last two are the additions in Soulstorm. This add-on also experiences the addition of aerial units to the already fabulous armies.

The visual of this game, is again top notch. The gory battles and the persisting blood and body, gives a touch of reality. The best part of this game is it can run on basic configurations. Higher configurations however provide wonderful details. The terrain successfully gives a post-apocalyptic feeling.

The sound effects are also good. But somehow the same slogans make things boring.

Soulstorm is an epic in its own right, and a fitting end to the Warhammer 40,000 saga. So, garb your war-gear and go battle!