Recs.
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Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a first-person action, set in the grim dark Warhammer universe. You play as one of the 5 heroes to exterminate the agents of Chaos and the endless swarms of the rat-like Skaven.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro The difficulty levels are far more than just tougher enemies
Rather than just making the enemies tougher, a lot of work went into making sure each difficulty setting adds something new to the mix. There's 4 difficulty levels total to choose from, and as you increase the difficulty, the enemies will obviously hit harder and have larger health pools, but the game goes beyond that. Item drops also become more scarce and the loot is better quality overall. On the harder difficulty levels friendly fire exists, so you can't just swing wildly. Your hits and spells will have to be timed and precise so you don't kill your friends or your AI teammates on accident.
Pro Intense melee focused combat
Vermintide 2 really draws you into the action by having up close and personal encounters with monsters. You hack, slash, and skewer enemies to pieces with axe, sword, or spear, which can feel quite unnerving as opposed to throwing a fireball from a safe distance. The tension is further reinforced by the unpredictability of the enemies, since you never know from which side they'll strike. Some enemies can even sneak up in your party's blind spot, dragging away an unsuspecting member. The end result is a very intense combat experience, where you're always in the middle of the action.
Pro The skill system is detailed and diverse with a bunch of different builds
Using the diverse talent system, you can pretty much make any kind of character you want to suit your playstyle.
There are five different character classes, each with a series of abilities that are unlocked every 5 levels. Additionally, at levels 9 and 12, you can split off your talent tree into subclasses which opens up a whole new tree of active and passive skills - meaning each class has access to 3 distinct subspecs with 25 skills each for a whopping 75 talents to choose from.
Pro With the crafting system, getting loot is rewarding even if you can't use it
The crafting system is flexible, allowing players to craft their own gear and weapons with the stats or bonuses they want if RNG has been unkind. If you get any loot you don't want or can't use, you can salvage it into raw crafting materials. These materials can then be used to forge new weapons, upgrade existing ones, reroll the stats and bonuses on a weapon, or give the weapon a cosmetic illusion effect. For example, if you find a weapon with a cool glowing effect but it's a downgrade for you, you can transfer the cosmetic effect to your weapon of choice.
Pro Weapon choice actually matters with each weapon type providing its own playstyle
Weapons have their own stats and special bonuses like critical strike based on what random stats your loot happened to roll, but what's especially interesting is the weapon type themselves vary in their physical combat capabilities like speed, damage, and swing arc. For example, swords have a wider swing arc than maces, making them better for taking out large groups of monsters. Daggers are quick and require timing to use properly. Spears are slow but have a huge arc and can knock down enemies. This adds a strategic element to play as you'll have to choose the right weapon to get the job done.
Pro Heroic Deeds give you the opportunity to replay levels in new and exciting ways
A Heroic Deed is a consumable item that lets you replay levels with specific challenges and modifiers. For example, the enemies might be tougher or more numerous, you can't use certain weapons or abilities, or you will see a new storyline play out. Upon completion, you will get bonus experience and loot, making them a way to replay levels in a rewarding new way. This adds a nice degree of replayability and keeps gameplay fresh by playing old levels in new ways.
Pro Dynamic enemy placements to keep the action exciting
This game always keeps you on your toes by having enemies that can appear anywhere. Whether you've just turned a corner, climbed a ladder, or destroyed a wall with a cannon, there's no telling when and where the monsters will spring a chaotic ambush. This is accomplished through an overhead AI system that watches your path and pace through the level, placing enemies dynamically wherever you tread. As a result, replaying levels often leads to wildly different experiences, preventing the action from going stale for a long time.
Cons
Con Some of the side objectives are tedious or don't match the level theme
At times, you are asked to do some side objectives like lighting a cannon, but they don't really fit in with the overall theme of the level. In this case, you would have to search for the cannonball and then find the cannon itself. It feels like a way to inflate the play time in some cases, and some are rather boring as they detract from the otherwise fast paced action.