Warhammer Games in Order of Release – Spoilt For Choice

If you’re looking for an answer on which are some of the best RPGs on the market, then look no further than the Warhammer 40K franchise. Warhammer itself spans across many different areas, with Warhammer 40K being one section in what is a gigantic ocean of games, physical table games, and more. Each game provides hundreds of hours of fun, and they can be quite different from one another. Unfortunately, there are simply far too many Warhammer 40K games to list them in chronological order. But we believe we have come up with the next best solution. We have compiled a list of all Warhammer 40K games in order of release (the best ones, not all of them).

All Warhammer Games in Order of Release

As stated above, the games below are some of the most popular 40K games out there. They may not be for everyone, but in my opinion, it’s a pretty solid list containing a game for any genre you like.

There are more than 50 Warhammer 40,000 games on the market and tons of ‘offshoot’ content. Check out the table below for a short breakdown:

We may cover all these games in the future in more detail but for now, enjoy our list of the best Warhammer video games in order of release.

Best Warhammer Games in Order of Release

Warhammer 40,000: Final Liberation – 1997

Image Credits: gog.com

If you’re looking for a retro-style tactical game set in the 90s, then you may want to have a look at Warhammer 40K: Final Liberation. It was a strong game and worthy of being considered one of the better games in the Warhammer 40K collection.

Final Liberation was a turn-based strategy game on a large scale. For its time, this was a big achievement, having the game be that huge despite the hardware that was available during that time period. As you can see in the image above, the map was a giant grid, and you would place your units in the squares. You would build up your army to take back cities that have been overthrown, army bases that were captured, and more in your war against the Orks.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – 2004

Image Credit: Steam

Dawn of War was a true fan service game, with many believing it to be one of the best games made in the Warhammer 40k universe. Dawn of War is a real-time strategy game, focusing heavily on squad-based combat rather than single units, something not really seen before. Instead of a singular person or creature, you would get squads that you can upgrade, giving them various weapons, etc.

Players enjoyed the combat system which utilised real-world strategic advantages (e.g. placing long-range units behind the main army). I know we are playing a fantasy game, but it’s still nice to have some realism in these battles. Another aspect of realism is the moral feature. If your squad is performing well, they will react calmly. If things are going wrong, they could panic and start acting erratically.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 – 2009

Image Credit: Steam

It is a pretty wild experience going from Dawn of War to Dawn of War 2. The games are drastically different, which isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re coming into this thinking you’re going to get a more polished version of the 2009 game, you’re in for a rude awakening.

We went from a large-scale battlefield to shorter lanes, with Dawn of War 2 being more of a tactical game than a real-time strategy game. Which again, isn’t bad, but to some, it’s understandable that it can be a pretty jarring experience if you enjoyed Dawn of War so much. The morale system has been revisited but toned down by a lot (units won’t run away so easily). Overall, Dawn of War 2 was an excellent game and a true representation of Warhammer 40,000’s chaotic battles.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – 2011

Image Credits: Steam

Space Marine is very different from your standard Warhammer 40k game. It’s a third-person shooter, or hack and slash, depending on the type of weapons you use. Space Marine is a fast-paced game, which is a nice change of pace for Warhammer players who are used to slow combat.

This is one of the few titles that made its way to the console, with both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 getting their hands on this 40K game. For its time, it was a really solid game. You can actually feel what it was like to be a Space Marine in the Warhammer universe! Gunplay was also a huge bonus for me; it felt smooth, no clunkiness in sight. My only problem, which I guess was more of a limitation of the consoles, was that the campaign felt rather short.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Hulk Tactics – 2018

Image Credits: Steam

Space Hulk Tactics is one of the better games in the franchise and definitely worthy of being on this list. Warhammer 40K: Space Hulk Tactics is a tactical strategy game that sees you putting your men through dark corridors, with enemies lurking, waiting to pounce. Instead of marines, you’re leading a squad of terminators. As is standard with these games, each of these individuals has special abilities that are unique to them.

This game requires precision and great tactical prowess to succeed. Your terminators only have a limited number of action points, which means you have to think strategically or you’re going to be in trouble. The Genestealers are quick and deadly, so you need to make sure you have planned ahead properly. The game mechanics are somewhat similar to XCOM’s, so veterans of that game will feel right at home.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus – 2018

Image Credit: Steam

Out of the ships and into Mars, Mechanicus takes players to a completely different part of the universe. In this game, you are controlling the Adeptus Mechanicus, people who are worshipers of the Machine God of Mars. You’re tasked with exploring the world and retrieving forbidden technology while going into battle against the Necrons. The gameplay is similar to what you have become accustomed to in Warhammer 40k, but your terminators have special Mechanicus abilities that aren’t seen in other games.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – 2022

Image Credits: Steam

Now we have truly entered the first-person-shooter portion of the article. The first of which is Darktide, an action shooter game that is set in the Warhammer 40K universe. You and up to four teammates can team up to survive waves of enemies, each with their own set of challenges. There are different classes within Darktide; you can focus more on the melee side of things, but if shooting is more your style, there’s an option for it.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – 2024

Image Credit: Focus Entertainment

Space Marine 2 is considered a very strong game by the community standards. Its player count may not be what it once was, but at the time of its release, it was one of the most popular games of the year. These characters are meant to be super soldiers, and Space Marine 2 does a great job of capturing that feeling of what it’s like to essentially be a one-man army.

The developers have had time to improve on the first game, which came out fourteen years ago. There are multiple gameplay approaches you can take, including being a bruiser-melee soldier, or more of a one-man army that is running and gunning their way through every battle.

Read Also: Star Wars Games in Order of Release & Timeline

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