Warhammer: Vermintide 2 - Chaos Wastes tested on PC
Warhammer
Exactly three years have passed since the debut of Warhammer: Vermintide 2: the game immediately fascinated both fans of the series and new users, and the developers of Fatshark have never stopped supporting it in a convinced way, as evidenced by the release. of this free expansion.Available from April 20 on PC and coming soon also on PS4 and Xbox One, the package introduces a brand new mode with roguelite traits that leads us into an unprecedented and disturbing scenario. We tried Chaos Wastes, and here are our impressions.
Setting
Chaos Wastes, a glimpse of one of the first maps. The Expanses of Chaos are the setting that is the backdrop to Warhammer: Vermintide 2 - Chaos Wastes, as part of a new mission in which we will find the mercenary Markus Kruber, the dwarf ranger Bardin Goreksson, the elven archer Kerillian, the hunter of witches Victor Saltzpyre and the warrior sorceress Sienna Fuegonasus.The five heroes decide to test themselves with a path that will lead them through a total of fifteen new scenarios, in a desperate search for the Citadel of Eternity. It goes without saying that reaching the ultimate goal will not be easy: four ancient gods will influence the journey in various ways, with their blessings and their curses, in order to make each attempt different from the other.
Structure
Chaos Wastes, some of the upgrades available at the "stations" on the map. Once the Chaos Wastes expansion has been installed, you will notice a new accessible door inside the fortress: after having crossed it, you can consult the traditional map to select the various options (quick or custom game, public or private) and try your hand with one of the four unlockable paths, linked to the aforementioned divinities.Each path is customizable, in the sense that we will gradually be able to choose the next destination, whether it is a mission or a station where to spend the resources obtained up to that point to obtain upgrades. The main novelty of this mode lies in its roguelite approach, with a progression that starts from scratch every time.
Gameplay
Chaos Wastes, a frenetic combat sequence. In short, Chaos Wastes puts on the table a very interesting variation on the theme, especially for those who have largely completed the basic campaign of Warhammer: Vermintide 2, have unlocked all three professions of each individual character and are therefore looking for new stimuli. From this point of view, there is no doubt, the expansion offers a lot of content and does it completely free of charge.On the gameplay side, the system is what we already know very well: an action in first-person cooperative to Left 4 Dead in which you fight by alternating cutting and slashing weapons but also rifles, pistols and fire-based spells. Against us we will find a virtually infinite amount of enemies including rats, Marauder and Ungor, elite soldiers, special opponents and five different types of bosses.
Chaos Wastes, Sienna can control fire and attack from a distance with one's own spiritual energy. Collaborating is the key to success, especially at the higher difficulty levels: waves appear suddenly and at completely random moments, making each expedition different; special enemies can capture or subjugate us, necessarily requiring the intervention of our comrades; and situations where you have to defend a position for a certain period of time are wasted, while hostile units come in swarms from every direction.
The difference in Chaos Wastes is given by the bonuses and penalties of each path , from the progression that must be carried out as part of the single attempt (where you enter the game over, in fact, you will return to the starting point, losing what is obtained in the uncompleted mission) and from the stations that can be found along the way to obtain new weapons, upgrade those in our possession and unlock various kinds of upgrades, which can help us get to the bottom, often placed as a reward for a special challenge.
Technical achievement
Chaos Wastes , a forest scenario full of enemies. In terms of technical implementation, Chaos Wastes introduces fifteen new scenarios, some of which are really interesting in terms of design. We will in fact find ourselves walking the infinite stone stairs, apparently suspended in the void, of a ruined stronghold, or we will cross swamps full of enemies who at a certain point will chase us in large numbers.Let's say that the points of strength and the artistic vision of Warhammer: Vermintide 2 are confirmed with conviction in this expansion, together with some technical limitations linked to specific elements of the scenario: water, fire, effects in general. Compared to the launch, however, the glitches relating to the physics of corpses have practically been eliminated.
The performances are strongly linked to a peculiar feature of the game, namely the huge waves of enemies that you have to face during the missions. With an RTX 3070 the game runs at 4K and 60 fps with all effects at maximum, but during these specific battles the frame rate also drops by half. However, the options to scale the graphics are not lacking, and in any case by switching to 1440p without decreasing any preset it is possible to enjoy 60 stable frames in any situation.
The Forgotten Relics DLC
At the same time at the release of Chaos Wastes, Fatshark has seen fit to also publish a new DLC (for a fee, in this case) that includes five new weapons for the protagonists of Warhammer: Vermintide 2. This is the Trollhammer Torpedo for Bardin, a set of spear and shield for Kruber, of the Moonfire Bow for Kerillian, of the Griffonfoot pistol for Saltzpyre and of the Coruscation Staff for Sienna.Chaos Wastes is a great value content for Warhammer: Vermintide 2, a free expansion full of substance and fun for those looking for new stimuli with Fatshark's cooperative action. The universe created by Games Workshop therefore continues to deliver disturbing and evocative settings, and the quality of this last experience bodes well for the release of Darktide.
