After beating the fantastic Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister, which we reviewed last time on the site, I was excited to jump into the other Warhammer game on the Quest: Tempestfall. Whilst this follows the Age of Sigmar timeline (which I have absolutely zero knowledge of), I was still eager to re-enter the world of Warhammer.

Unfortunately, this excitement also came with a bit of bad news too, as it was also announced last month that the game will soon be delisted on all storefronts from June due to the license running out. With that date approaching rapidly, it’s time to see whether it’s worth grabbing it before it’s gone forever.

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IF I HAD A WARHAMMER
Going into to Tempestfall, I was concerned that my lack of familiarity with the Age of Sigmar universe would prove to be a detriment to my appreciation of the game. Thankfully, as with Warhammer 40,000, this universe is also wonderfully crafted and had me gripped within moments of stepping into the shoes of Lord-Arcanum Castor Stormscryer.

Your fancy name isn’t for nothing, as you play one of the high ranking officials of the Stormcast Eternals. These divine warriors have been forged by the god Sigmar himself in order to fight off the undead monstrosities that entered the world following a catastrophic Necroquake. As such, you’ll need to hunt down these creatures and help restore balance to the world.

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Tempestfall is a linear adventure that focuses mainly on storytelling and a combination of melee combat and spellcasting. You have three weapons at your disposal, which can be summoned with either hand, and each one is armed with their own special spells that can be activated through specific gestures. You’ll start off with only a single spell to begin with, but you can add new ones and upgrade existing ones should you find the relevant material and scrolls to do so. 

It’s an interesting premise for the combat, but unfortunately it isn’t so strong with its execution. The spellcasting itself never really feels all that satisfying to do, particularly as it’s easy to rely on a single weapon and a couple of spells since there’s no real reason to switch things up. Whilst this in itself is a recipe for repetition, the main issue is that the enemies you fight are pretty much universally terrible. With bad AI that often makes them get trapped on scenery with their basic pathfinding, and a large health bar that encourages you to spam attacks instead of engaging with the blocking system, they just feel immensely boring to fight – something that isn’t even improved with the game’s tedious boss encounters. 

Unfortunately, things aren’t improved all that much with the rest of the gameplay either. Whilst the game does have immersive controls, they’re not always 100% reliable. Often I would climb a ladder only to be forced to teleport off since it wouldn’t place me on the top ledge, or I’d fail to open a door properly – which is honestly rather embarrassing for such a mighty warrior. It’s not enough to spoil things, but it does make the experience feel very unpolished.

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Yet despite all those issues, I never felt the desire to stop playing, and I think that is down to Tempestfall’s wonderful portrayal of the Age of Sigmar universe. Sure, the visuals may be dated now, but they capture the gothic atmosphere perfectly. And, even the game’s relatively simple plotline still felt compelling enough to make me want to see it through to the end. Of course, such advantages are extremely subjective, so it’s hard to say whether or not you’ll find it just as interesting as I did. 

It’s also worth noting that the game comes bundled with a bonus mode known as the ‘Storm Trials’, which offer a roguelite twist on the formula. It’s a great idea and one that feels perfect for the game, if it wasn’t for the fact that it focuses on the game’s weakest feature – the combat. It’s an interesting curiosity to try out, but wasn’t one that I wanted to replay after my first attempt. Perhaps those who find the combat may appealing will enjoy the mode as a way to stay within this wonderful world, but I find it unlikely that it will win over most gamers.

VERDICT
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall manages to capture the essence of the Age of Sigmar timeline perfectly. Unfortunately though, the mediocre combat and occasionally unresponsive VR controls threaten to spoil the experience. As such, the game won’t be for everyone, but should you find yourself engrossed in the universe, you probably won’t mind the game’s shortcomings.