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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

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9.4 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 51 critic reviews
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Based on 65 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: THQ

Developer: Relic

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: September 20, 2004

Summary

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a science fiction real-time strategy (RTS) game set in the violent, post-apocalyptic universe of the 41st Millennium. Utilizing the exceptional game design skills of Relic Entertainment, Dawn of War provides an immersive entertainment experience of epic proportions. Command hardened troops, deadly vehicles and high tech weaponry with one goal in mind, the complete extermination of the opposition. Whether you lead Humanity's finest - the Space Marines, the diabolic and villainous traitors of man - the Chaos Space Marines, the brutal and savage beasts - the Orks, or the psychic and technologically advanced alien warriors - the Eldar, you control the action and the fate of your race! [THQ]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior Warhammer Online

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: 1UP Preview ActionTrip Preview eToychest Preview EuroGamer Preview GameSpot Preview GameSpy Preview IGN Hands-On IGN Interview Official Game Site

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

GamePro

There's no question that Dawn of War will turn even the meekest, mildest players into bloodthirsty battle addicts.

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Worth Playing

Simply a great game. The streamlined gameplay stressing combined arms tactics over brute force should and will appeal to any RTS gamer who is looking for something new.

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Gamers' Temple

Finally, a Warhammer game worthy of Warhammer... and one of the best strategy games of the year.

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Gamezilla!

For all Warhammer 40,000 fans, you'll find a sumptuous, satisfying look at the age of war, with units that are both familiar and completely faithful, including the impressive Avatar of Khaine. Those of us that are RTS fans will find a game that has some deep gameplay elements, furious action, and absolutely gorgeous art design.

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IC-Games

The RTS game of the year...If it the single player was a bit longer and the cutscenes had been improved then this would be the perfect RTS but as it is its still damn impressive.

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Game Informer

Awesome on almost every level. To be quite honest, it kicks ass in just about every way a strategy title can...It most likely will be remembered as a historic entry in the RTS genre. [Nov 2004, p.164]

Gaming Target

A few minor camera flaws are easily overshadowed by the visceral combat experience that Dawn of War offers.

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Warcry

The entertainment of this game was only hindered by the fact that I felt there just weren't enough missions to play through. What Relic did deliver, though, is 13 missions which kept me eagerly coming back for more of a great thing. Kudos!

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

Hugely immersive, frenetic, intelligent carnage but it's not a big single-player experience. Warhammer finally has a great videogame... For those who aren't interested in tin soldiers - you'd be nuts to miss the finest sci-fi RTS to hit the PC since "Total Annihilation." [PC Gamer UK]

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PGNx Media

The game’s resource management, battles and particularly factions are wonderful and provide much depth to the game without ever overdoing it.

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Game Chronicles

If you are fan of Warhammer or just RTS games in general then you owe it to yourself to buy and play this game. It might be a long time before you play anything else.

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GamerFeed

This incredible title has everything a great real-time strategy game should have. The four factions are very distinct in look and play, the game is challenging, and the graphics and the storyline are fantastic.

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GameSpy

While Dawn of War doesn't break any new ground for the RTS genre, it is, nonetheless, a supremely polished and well-balanced example of it, a credit to both the development team, and a laurel wreath for the license it bears.

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GameBiz

Warhammer and other old-school RPG'ers will definitely be drooling all the way through this one, and even strategy gamers who have not been exposed to the Warhammer "universe" previously will get a lot out of this game, simply because of the great storyline.

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Adrenaline Vault

It is so well crafted that it transcends my usual blocks, and is arguably the most fun I think I’ve ever had playing this style of game. It’s beautiful, it’s easy to use, difficult to master, and extremely replayable.

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Computer Gaming World

A shot of pure-grade real-time strategy adrenaline straight into the veins. [Holiday 2004, p.78]

1UP

Relic Entertainment's latest effort does most of the usual RTS things right -- well-balanced, good-looking, deep multiplayer game, all that -- but what sets it apart is how good it looks and sounds while it's doing them.

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eToychest

Stands out by the sheer amount of detail put into each and every unit and action. The opening cut scene is simply stunning in the amount of force and power it portrays and watching the battles is a treat.

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AceGamez

With a wider range of races and perhaps more single-player outings to introduce them, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War could easily have been hailed the definitive RTS.

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Computer Games Online RO

In order to prevent standard strategies, multiple victory conditions can be set in a single scenario, so the battles are very fast paced, with each commander trying to get the upper hand for as long as possible.

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IGN

It isn't that Dawn of War does anything extraordinarily new or brilliant in terms of gameplay mechanics, but the battles are just so damn entertaining and the pace of the game fast enough that it's hard not to have a good time.

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Loaded Inc

I’ve always been more of an action oriented gamer, with little patience for the pacing and resource management of RTS games. However, Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War provides a gaming experience that I enthusiastically endorse.

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GameSpot

While we'd be tempted to say that the skirmish and online multiplayer modes are the main attractions in Dawn of War, that's actually not quite the case. Instead, it's the game's four different sides, each brimming with personality and intriguing tactical potential, that steal the show.

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3DAvenue

The balance of management and action is exceptional, the visuals are up there with the best RTS titles to date, and the action is plentiful - it is hard to ask for much more than that.

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Gaming Nexus

While the single-player offering is lacking, the well-polished skirmish modes make up for most of that deficiency.

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PC Gamer

It'll remind even the most jaded RTS fan how much fun total carnage can be. [Holiday 2004, p.84]

GameZone

Gamers who enjoy a more action oriented RTS title without a lot to worry about other than fighting and capturing strategic areas will definitely have a great time with it, regardless of having an in depth knowledge of the Warhammer universe prior to picking it up.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

There’s not much here that’s new, but at least it’s accomplished, and has been put together with style.

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PALGN

The best real-time strategy for a long time. If you have been searching for a real-time strategy game your search is over, whether you are a Warhammer 40,000 fan or not.

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ActionTrip

An immensely entertaining RTS experience. The combat is visceral, massive and fast-paced and the story is worthy of its great license.

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Game Revolution

Dawn of War's tremendous unit design and the resulting balance makes for some addictive, tactical gameplay. The limited campaign isn’t very long, and, more importantly, isn’t very interesting, but crushing online foes and battling the computer is a blast.

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PC Gameworld

Trying to maneuver a large force of marines and heavy vehicles through the ruin strewn streets of Tartarus can be extremely difficult due to poor path finding by your units.

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Gamer's Hell

While there will always be that nagging suspicion that more could have been done with the story (seriously, only 11 missions??), there are so many fun little things to explore that it really should be considered a success.

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FiringSquad

Although it has an uninspired campaign, it’s very true to the universe. The same can not be said for the combat system, which deviates from the board game a great deal but results in some remarkably bloody battles. RTS games all too often suffer from micromanagement mania, but Warhammer does away with this.

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Game Over Online

Yet it cannot really match the epic scale of "Homeworld" since the entire campaign revolves around the defense of one planet. Strategy fans will find a great game within the box but may end up putting away the disc after a few months, especially if skirmishes aren’t their taste.

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PC Format

There's none of the groundbreaking innovations of the "Total War" series or the gloriously strange "Perimeter," just a conventional game made very enjoyable (more so than it perhaps deserves to be) by a brilliant franchise and spectacular animation... Stunning to behold. [Oct 2004, p.88]

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Computer and Video Games

Fast, furious and gorgeous to behold... Ultimately, it's the visuals rather than the strategy that will endear Warhammer to the interactive generation, and it isn't stretching things to proclaim Dawn Of War one of the best-looking strategy games we've ever played.

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G4 TV

It’s a pinch of innovation in a comforting stew of well-worn RTS conventions. And there’s a whole lot of blood. What more do you want?

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GMR Magazine

DOW isn't a perfect translation of the Warhammer game, nor is it a vastly innovative RTS, but it is a good-looking and fun RTS that should entertain any fan of the genre. [Dec 2004, p.130]

Total Video Games

Strikes a near-perfect balance and is likely to appeal both to fans of the genre and those fixated with the source material – perhaps the first time we’ve been able to say that about a videogame adaptation of Warhammer.

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Computer Games Magazine

A fantastic game full of personality, brains, and drop-dead looks with the backing of a popular license. [Dec 2004, p.80]

RealGamer

A few more campaigns would have been nice to but hopefully this will be remedied in an expansion.

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Gamers Europe

The attention to detail is amazing and combat animation has been given top priority.

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Yahoo! Games

The attention to detail is rewarding, the incidental battlefield ambience is awesome, and -- geeky bonus -- the game does a magnificent job of translating the gritty feel of the painted-figure tabletop games.

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Eurogamer

It's charm which cements Dawn of War in the affections. In fact, it charms so casually that the contrary parts of the gaming world will just lazily dismiss it as a bimbo. It really isn't. Charm lures us in, but there's enough happening upstairs to keep it firmly in our affections.

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Sydney Morning Herald

Battles are spectacular, thanks to the detailed animation of units, and provide instant feedback on your progress.

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My Gamer

Its tight controls, unique economic system, and challenging enemy AI make Dawn of War an RTS experience that will redefine the genre. Plus, there is still so much additional 40,000 back-story that this game didn’t even touch on that the potential for unique and interesting add-ons is simply mind-boggling.

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Gaming Illustrated

Visually striking and full of atmosphere, it's a fun but altogether shallow experience that you have probably played a hundred times before. But the lack of originality may be compensated by the license for fans.

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GameCritics

Everything that Dawn of War does it does exceptionally well. The only real problem is that everything it does has already been done a hundred times before.

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Thunderbolt

This isn't anything new for players to experience. It's the same old formula in a new package, with a new name and new ways to animate the whole process.

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Gaming Age

Playing over a LAN without the headaches associated with internet play can be a blast, either in head to head, teamplay, or grouping against those vicious computer opponents.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 65 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Kári Í. gave it a10:
Really good game. Loved it but there is only one problem. This is just like warcraft 3. No changes. Except this happens in the future, I can see the game now in my mind on pc gamer. Warcraft 40k. Great game ,still.

Eva H. gave it a10:
One of the best games ever, only lacks more than one playable party in single player campaign. But hey, just get the expansion packs and you can play them all!

Cody J. gave it a9:
The action that you get into in the game is just great, and then theres the outstanding graphics, and good stratagy as you play, it is simpily one of the best games!

Gabe S. gave it an8:
This game is fantastic, excellent battle sequences, excellent graphics, and a good selection of races. my favorite part of this game is the amount of individual upgrades you can use for your soldiers such as increasing squad size, and adding heavy weapons. the only downside i found in this game is that it requires an extremely powerful computer to run it at its maximum capabilities. most computers of its time could barely run it, and now years later, its still releasing expansions, and still taxing computers.

William T. gave it a9:
If you're a fan of the Games Workshop tabletop game (as I am), you'll love the attention to detail and characterisation. If you're not really into that, you'll love the bloodthirsty action and varied gameplay. And if you're in between, you will love it anyway. Relic, you've got yourself a winner here.

Frank gave it a10:
Truely spectacualr, the entire serise is a legendary coolection of epic battles and campaign storey lines. The enire warhammer sereise is popular, but the warhammer 40k editions have outdone even the highest standards. Each game an excellent purchase and a truely gripping, exciting and action packed experience. Internet multiplayer just adds to the awesom entirety that is Warhammer Dawn of War.

Chris C. gave it a10:
This game is simply amazing from the battles to the commanders. Not to mention it keeps you coming back for more. The online play is just as fun as single player. A must get for any stratagy fan.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

Game Info

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