Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide Review

There are dog people. There are cat people. There are even ferret and tarantula people. The one pet that I have difficulty finding appeal in is the lowly rat. Spiders have an alien grace to them, dogs are loyal, cats clean and soft, but rats...well, I suppose I wouldn't feel as bad about eating them for emergency rations, but that's the only thing they have going for them in my book. It is fitting, then, that I should be lucky enough to test my fortitude in Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide, a co-op first person shooter that boasts a healthy roster of maps, characters, and weapons and an unhealthy surplus of rodents.

First off, let's talk about the zombified elephant in the room: yes, this game is a riff on Left 4 Dead. It's got four player slots, hordes of simple enemies, a few elites that punish lone players, and an AI director that encourages players to move forward. Hell, it's even got the same cinematic camera that starts with a high pan, then lowers to the perspective of the player's character as the game begins. The biggest difference between the two titles is that Vermintide takes place in a fantasy city called Ubersreik and uses Skaven, giant humanoid rat men, in lieu of the undead. An original title this is not. Now, taking all of that into account, developer Fatshark has done a pretty good job with the formula, but the title's lack of ambition shows.

Matted fur, bloody steel, and grimy environments are rendered passably. A dull palette colors the visual character of Vermintide and does it few favors. Levels look somewhat same-ish and enemies (even the distinct elites) similarly so. The soundscape of Ubersreik follows suit, with with an ocean of nigh unintelligible whispers and rasps composing the Skaven horde and a thoroughly average soundtrack and ambiance. Thankfully, player characters have distinct silhouettes and art direction. You'll never mistake the flaming Bright College wizard for the gaunt Witch Hunter or stout Dwarf. However, the five man squad's banter is the real aesthetic high of the game. They insult, joke, and pay grudging homage to each other all throughout the game and generally provide a bit of levity to the oppressively grim, dark setting. Of particular note is the Witch Hunter's over-acted fanaticism. Hearing him exclaim "Sigmar! Bless this wretched body!" is a slice of ham that always makes me laugh. On a similar note, the tavern that acts as the crafting and matchmaking hub is is one of the more engaging bits of flavor in the game. Each character’s room has a distinct look to it and the barkeep is always a bit of salty fun. I only wish that the gameplay were as invigorating.

Shooting, stabbing, slashing, and smashing through Ubersreik is the very definition of a passing distraction. Playing the game for fifteen to thirty minutes is novel, but after around a half hour I find myself wanting. The swordplay is compelling enough, but generally leaves me feeling like I am slashing at a giant undulating fur carpet that occasionally stabs me and rewards me with splattered raspberry jam when I get in a good hit. Scratch that - that actually sounds like a downright unique idea. Melee in Vermintide is the opposite. It scratches an itch, but fails to engage. Shooting has the twist of limited ammo refills scattered throughout the level, but otherwise boils down to an arsenal of vaguely interesting firearms and lethal string instruments. Mission objectives do add some flavor to the mix, though. Hauling explosive barrels, sabotaging arcane war machines, and weaving through misty caves and forests give Vermintide some momentum and breaks up the bombastic combat. A game of dice at the end of every successful mission promises a shot at varied equipment and incremental (if random) upgrades, but having to gamble for more gear options feels a tad ponderous in a game with repetitive combat.

Though Vermintide never made me yearn for the rotting embrace of Left 4 Dead, I never enjoyed it quite as much as the renowned progenitor of four person FPS co-op. In addition to the gripes listed above, it has a few performance issues and the occasional bug. It's a fun little niche title to be sure, and co-op fanatics will find a solid time sink in it, but a lack of originality means that Vermintide will not be a regular in my library.