Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising

 PC
  • Publisher: THQ
  • Release Date: Mar 10, 2010
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 326 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 273 out of 326
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 326
  3. Negative: 19 out of 326
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  1. SteveM
    Mar 16, 2010
    10
    Chaos Rising is a great addition to DoW2. The single player campaign is very intense and really refelcts the Warhammer: 40, 000 lore. The RPG elements of it make u attached to ur units and the pursuit of better wargear really has u coming back for more. The option to be evil and become corrupt or noble and stay true to the Space Marines, also adds to the replayability of the SP campaign. Chaos Rising is a great addition to DoW2. The single player campaign is very intense and really refelcts the Warhammer: 40, 000 lore. The RPG elements of it make u attached to ur units and the pursuit of better wargear really has u coming back for more. The option to be evil and become corrupt or noble and stay true to the Space Marines, also adds to the replayability of the SP campaign. The SP campaign has also ditched some of the tedious missions from the original, it has some really unique missions that are the best i've seen since Warcraft 3!!(none of that uninspired "destroy enemy base to win the mission" type stuff, really unique mission designs). l Multiplayer has been imrpoved w/ the addition of Chaos faction, which in itself is a badass and exciting faction to play. All users recieve the new units that come with CR for all the other factions, and the addition of new unis for last stand and free for all MP mode makes this a must have game. Relic is renowned for continuing to support its games after releasing it, unlike other developers, and DoW2 and Company of Heroes are testaments to that fact! Graphics are absolutely gorgeous and u dont need a power house of a computer to enjoy them, its without a doubt the best looking RTS on the market. Sound is exciting and heart thumping & add to the atmosphere. W/ all that said, this is without a doubt the best expansion i've played in ages. If u loved DoW2 this is a must buy, if u love RTS games this is a must buy, and if didnt care for the original it'll definitly suck u in w/ all the additions.… Expand
  2. KilledShinigami
    Nov 15, 2019
    10
    Overall improvement to the original Dawn of War II this expansion offers a new polished experience with better tactics and the story. Every unit in your squad feel precious and unexpandable and you feel like you live through all the tough battles with them.
  3. OllieT
    Mar 14, 2010
    8
    As an RTS expansion this is a very good example. although one could be a lil critical as to say why couldnt there have been 2 new armies like the old dawn of war series instead of just chaos. there are plenty of nice additions such as weapons and upgrades. the new level cap feels like it could of been a little bigger than just 10 levels as you get to level 30 pretty fast. its obvious As an RTS expansion this is a very good example. although one could be a lil critical as to say why couldnt there have been 2 new armies like the old dawn of war series instead of just chaos. there are plenty of nice additions such as weapons and upgrades. the new level cap feels like it could of been a little bigger than just 10 levels as you get to level 30 pretty fast. its obvious though that there will more expansions continuing with the blood ravens so a max level 30 is sensible. the corruption mechanics in the game are kinda cool although there arnt that many in game events where ur actions have consequences i would of hoped for more. it feels a lil half arsed. one could also complain at the fact there is no real benefit to keeping ur squads "rightious" where there is a plenty of cool abilities for being evil. i feel that thq have been quite clever in doin this as it makes the path of corruption much more appealing. overall the game is fun and well paced. the missions are all unique unlike dawn of war 2. the story is pretty good and leaves it on a cliff hanger for the next expansion. it you liked the first dawn of war 2 then u will like this. shop around though as it might not be worth the total £30 to some.… Expand
  4. AndrewK
    Mar 26, 2010
    9
    This expansion pack to the already great Dawn of War II is (metaphorically) more icing on an expertly crafted cake. Dawn of War II had almost everything I like in video games: strategy, good pacing, character choice, and involving characters. The story in DOW II was good, and Chaos Rising doesn't disappoint in that regard. The new chaos race is a blast to play as and the upgrades to This expansion pack to the already great Dawn of War II is (metaphorically) more icing on an expertly crafted cake. Dawn of War II had almost everything I like in video games: strategy, good pacing, character choice, and involving characters. The story in DOW II was good, and Chaos Rising doesn't disappoint in that regard. The new chaos race is a blast to play as and the upgrades to the other races are very welcome. In the single player, 10 more levels and the corruption system add depth and more choices. So while the campaign is pretty freaking short, it's easily replayable. I guess the shortness of the campaign could be the only weakness in this package, but come on people, it's an expansion pack! A company with a more renowned name might have released something like this as a sequel. Accept it for what it is: an expansion pack. For half the price of a regular game, I say this is a good deal. If you liked Dawn of War II, you will love Chaos Rising.… Expand
  5. golemgac
    Mar 15, 2017
    8
    Shorter but better in each part supplement to DoW II. Chaos fraction was presented good and deadly, exactly how we wanted. Main story is interesting and really well directed, we got more subplots and backstories about some characters. The loot is WAY more satisfying, something for the RPG fans but also for strategists who were disappointed by the low level of difficulty of DoW II.
  6. FrankSauce
    Mar 26, 2010
    10
    Better than Dawn of War 2, shorter but definitely sweeter, and lots new content. Anybody who complains that the 8 - 10 hour campaign is too short (especially for $30!) are just spoiled and can't appreciate how packed and carefully crafted the whole experience feels. Especially if people generally agree that a 4 - 6 hour campaign for Modern Warfare 2 is worth $70.
  7. PeterL
    Mar 24, 2010
    10
    The first game was great, but not worth a 10. However, ever negative element of that game is gone now - singleplayer is more creative, free additions to multiplayer, a new race, and its more balanced than ever. I highly reccomend this game if your computer can run it.
  8. Thunderkat
    Nov 25, 2010
    10
    Absolutely excellent. Fun game play, more fun from the 40k Dawn of War franchise. If you liked the first one, you'll probably love this one. Great story, great acting, fun game play. imaginative universe fully realized and very enjoyable!
    And best of all, a challenging and climactic ending!
    Enjoy!
  9. JamesJ
    Mar 28, 2010
    7
    The multiplayer additions are brilliant, the new chaos race is incredibly cool, and the two new last stand heroes add new life to the mode. The singleplayer is short, very slow to start, and linear in the worst kind of way. I can't see how anyone could review the SP and come away with a positive rating, because it just doesn't deserve it. There are a couple of action packed The multiplayer additions are brilliant, the new chaos race is incredibly cool, and the two new last stand heroes add new life to the mode. The singleplayer is short, very slow to start, and linear in the worst kind of way. I can't see how anyone could review the SP and come away with a positive rating, because it just doesn't deserve it. There are a couple of action packed missions towards the very end, but where the first campaign relied heavily on tactical strategy and abilities, the chaos campaign relies on drag selecting all your units and flinging them into battle. There's a bit more subtlety, but without the space to flank or cover to hide behind, the experience is mind numbing. Take into account that dow2 players without the expansion received all the new maps and new units for the other four factions free, and there isnt much motivation to buy this game. If you have $30 around and want to play chaos (its an incredibly fun faction) then go ahead and get it, but for everyone else, I'd recommend waiting till they sell the expansion and the original together in a 30$ deal.… Expand
  10. ThomasP
    Mar 14, 2010
    4
    The multiplayer additions are great, but im seething over the addition of the tyranid to last stand.... that could have been done from the beginning. I'm also incredibly sore over the fact that no matter what you do, you are playing Codex Blood Ravens online. I DEMAND to know where my chaplain is. I can lay the same complaints against the other races; where is my brood-lord, where The multiplayer additions are great, but im seething over the addition of the tyranid to last stand.... that could have been done from the beginning. I'm also incredibly sore over the fact that no matter what you do, you are playing Codex Blood Ravens online. I DEMAND to know where my chaplain is. I can lay the same complaints against the other races; where is my brood-lord, where are the other eldar exarchs.... Obviously theres some legal reasons for this one, becuase lawyers are nice like that, but I really wish Slaanesh was there too. Overall, these complaints would give it a score of 8/10. So why am I being vitriolic with a 4/10? Campaign is awful. The story is miserable and the missions between beginning and end incredibly short. Even after having listend to everyone on the missions, I often found myself running around without a clue of what i was doing. And then theres my problem with the voice acting, which was bad in the last one, but in chaos rising its just plain awful. The onyl redeeming feature on the campaign is the corruption factor. I found the librarian incredibly useless. I had and still have no motivation for using him. bah, im done whining.… Expand
  11. Sprogger
    Feb 3, 2012
    3
    The multiplayer is dead and it uses windows live. The campaign is fun but beyond that there's really nothing past that in this game. thank god i bought it on sale!
  12. BrianD
    Mar 20, 2010
    0
    The game is broken and is not able to be completed by many users. There is a bug at the end of the game that causes a crash after a very annoying and long boss fight. If you jump on the Relic forums, you will see 5 pages of people posting about this with no solution from Relic. There is absolutely no point in playing a game that you cannot beat. I can deal with a bug here and there, but The game is broken and is not able to be completed by many users. There is a bug at the end of the game that causes a crash after a very annoying and long boss fight. If you jump on the Relic forums, you will see 5 pages of people posting about this with no solution from Relic. There is absolutely no point in playing a game that you cannot beat. I can deal with a bug here and there, but this game is broken to the point that it cannot be finished, which is a deal breaker for me.… Expand
  13. G4L_GAMMA_THREE
    Sep 11, 2010
    0
    This game holds none of the key elements of the table top game it is based after. The first dawn of war followed close with the elements and properly gave you the real felling of an rts as well as the table top game. All this game is an RPG placed under the wrong name and genre
  14. suneater
    Dec 11, 2012
    6
    The campaign for this expansion is superior gameplay-wise to the original DOW2's, albeit shorter. However it's still the same multiplayer (same awful matchmaking, no base management, etc.) so if you didn't enjoy DOW2 MP you won't like this any better. I love Chaos and all but I still prefer the original DOW because of its base management and faction diversity. Worth picking up if you likedThe campaign for this expansion is superior gameplay-wise to the original DOW2's, albeit shorter. However it's still the same multiplayer (same awful matchmaking, no base management, etc.) so if you didn't enjoy DOW2 MP you won't like this any better. I love Chaos and all but I still prefer the original DOW because of its base management and faction diversity. Worth picking up if you liked DOW2 but won't win any new fans to the franchise.… Expand
  15. Tabbou
    Sep 2, 2022
    7
    DLC stand alone de "dawn of war II" un peu mieux que le jeu de base, on garde le style light RPG et gestion d'escouades avec quelques armes et équipements qui ont été ajouté, de nouveaux personnages et une histoire qui est la suite directe de son prédécesseur.
    Plusieurs fin possibles qui peuvent vous pousser à rejouer le mode histoire avec une barre de "chaos" + ou - pleine.
  16. schneider707
    Jun 26, 2013
    10
    one of the best strategy games ever !
    i couldn't stop myself at all when i enter it i keep playing as long as i can !
    Relic did Extremely Great Job and i am Really hoping for new Warhammer game (DOW3)
  17. Chowjust
    Dec 5, 2022
    8
    If you've gotten this far, you probably enjoyed the first one and this is more of the same with Game Of Thrones levels of betrayal
  18. Doombringer12
    Jun 30, 2015
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Play only if you are a Warhammer 40k fan

    This game has such poor pathing, poor controls, poor AI and even worse game mechanics

    Poor cover system - It takes 2-3 tries to get the positioning you need on the cover, very frustrating

    Gimmicky missions like the final mission, includes preserving the blood raven army, however, the AI does not know how to revive the tanks, or to restore squads.

    Ativus as a ranged DPS, is pathed in such a way that he keeps taking a step forward when in range

    Targeting is bad too, with the inaccurate target, clicking on the enemy for an atk, sometimes does not trigger the skill or atk, but instead they move towards the enemy.

    Destroying enemy production buildings, doesn't do anything, as the enemy continue to summon units, wasting time for you to march in to destroy them.

    Really cannot recommend this game, unless you enjoy Warhammer 40k story line and lore    … Expand
  19. Dco326
    Aug 24, 2022
    9
    Bilo je zabavno ali mi je malo losije od same dvojke :D ali nema sta svj dobra igra, bilo par bugova koji su smarali
  20. nw2010
    Jan 18, 2021
    7
    Well worth playing if you enjoyed Dawn of War II.

    It introduces a few new mechanics that aren't well explained, but once you Google them they're easy enough to pick up and give a slightly different take on the game.

    Graphics are very good considering the age (although cut scene graphical quality is poor).

    Very much enjoyed playing through this.
  21. denisc205
    Jun 28, 2022
    10
    Всё потому что это Warhammer Warhammer WarhammerДа здравствует Великий пират
  22. LT_Gruber
    Dec 13, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great standalone add-on for Dawn of War II.

    After finishing the original Warhammer 40 000 – Dawn of War II game, it felt that something was missing. I fought Orcs, Eldar and Tyranids, but where is the main enemy of the Space Marine, the Chaos Empire? I really liked Dawn of War II, but the lack of the Chaos Empire was somewhat disappointing. Well, that problem solved itself with this excellent new campaign.

    After you wiped out the Tyranid infestation in the first game and thought that was it, think again. The Chaos Empire is coming for your ass and lured you in with a fake distress signal. The smoke of your gun has just been cleared, but now, some more killing needs to be done.

    The story and plot of the game is the same as every other game which feature the Chaos Empire. Their only goal is to spread the word of Chaos and corrupt as many souls as they can throughout the galaxy. It is your job to burn the heretics and stop the corruption that is spreading.

    This is also the new mechanic featured in the game. The Chaos corruption is spreading rapidly to all the planets in the solar systems and you need to choose your missions wisely and keep an eye on the corruption level of a certain planet to prevent total Chaos (pun intended).

    I really like the slow build up of the corruption, that is affecting the mind of your heroes. Slowly they get mad and fight for their sanity. The way you complete the game gives you a good, somewhat good, bad or somewhat bad ending. In each scenario, the speech and behavior of your heroes changes accordingly. This way of playing keeps you focused and makes you feel desperate but determined to press on and murder those foul heretics before it is to late.

    The game play style, graphics and controls are the same as the original game and offer no new features. The new grim soundtracks on the Chaos Gothic-themed maps are nice and fits the setting well.

    I found the campaign a little short, but for a lower priced standalone add-on, this was to be expected.

    Overall, I had fun with this campaign and Dawn of War II feels more complete with the Chaos Empire included.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best PC Game of 2010
73
#73 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. Multiplayer.it
    83
    Chaos Rising is the perfect expansion: everything you can expect from an add-on is there. A good single player with a story that follows Dawn of War II and several new things in the multiplayer starting from the new faction, the Chaos. The only negative aspect of the game is that the newcomers may feel it too complex, and only those who have played Dawn of War II will have the complete experience.
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  2. PC Gamer
    91
    Not everything is perfect, but you'd earn incompetence points by missing a refined and reduced-price version of Dawn of War II. [May 2010, p.72]
  3. Eurogamer
    90
    Chaos Rising is about as generous an expansion as you could possibly want. The single-player mode could stand to be a lot bigger, but it's gone to incredible lengths to address the main complaints about Dawn of War II.
    Read full review
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