Rogue Trader is Nearly 40k Perfection

[@GunmetalStug]

Despite this video being roughly %50 criticism, I want to stress (again) that this game is absolutely worth picking up - whether that’s now or a year down the line, that’s your call. I’m pinning this post and I’ll edit it as Rogue Trader’s post-release life cycle continues, keeping you all appraised on technical / bug fixes as well as my thoughts on the DLC. I likely won’t do another video on RT unless the DLC significantly changes my perception of the game. Happy Trading!

[@Alvaro89Rus]

Yeah, like I wrote in Steam review, I would support with money much worse game just because it is first huge RPG in Warhammer 40k, and RT in far from bad even if you are not in love with the setting as me. I have little experince with isometric CRPG before, but this one is first one I had patience(and pleasure) to finish, so it says something. It's just... dont play Owlcat game first six month after "release". Altrough I apply same rule for most game developers since early 2010th anyway.

[@nofuxgivens2797]

Speaking of bugs...Ulfar charging with a bunch of melee attack buffs and then he shoots his volt pistol...Is so stupid and annoying.its funny "my strikes are ruin!" Bro you just did 19 damage....but he can solo the 4 grotesques in the final drukarri spire fight after your party gets wiped

[@Alvaro89Rus]

@@nofuxgivens2797 I don't how you got 19 damage, his bolt pistols can hurt like truck. Still agree, pretty anticlimactic as end of charge... and what with holding only certain weapons in left and right hands?...

[@nofuxgivens2797]

@Alvaro89Rus it only does it when he's dual wielding with a pistol. When I got the plasma pistol it was actually better than the knife and chainsword(without melee buffs) but 1/3 the damage of the power axe

[@TucoBenedicto]

"Abelard, give my upvote to this man".

[@luangu]

"Yes Lord Captain, right away. Servitor B-HT-3407 VV. Remove your thumb and please hand it to the Lord Captain."

[@fleshdadbot6852]

*"i live to serve."*

[@PapaWerserian]

Right away, Lord Captain.

[@kortonstillpeak2388]

@@fleshdadbot6852 🤣🤣

[@alsaiduq4363]

Bro is just like argenta. Fell into a Warp wormhole and spent 8 months out of commission. Glad to see ya again mate

[@heavyhebrew]

"In the emptiness of our mind, we find the fulfillment of ourselves" t. Emperor of Mankind

[@Grogeous_Maximus]

Just started playing this game, and it's my first dip into Warhammer. I am impressed with it.

[@numka82]

You will have great time with acts 1 and 2

[@MrLekorrigan]

As long as you let Aberlard speak to the peasantry on your behalf you should be fine

[@IsaacCoverstone]

There are some really good 40K games, and some sucky ones. But this game did an amazing job with the setting and lore. If you enjoy the setting, probably should consider listening to some audiobooks from 40K, the Eisenhorn trilogy is epic.

[@XmarcX92]

Nah, just go play Dawn of War 1

[@folieadeux147]

Had a surprising amount of xenos already but would have really liked orks to appear somehow (maybe by meeting some in Act 3 or something) since they are fast becoming my favorite faction in the setting. Pretty much the only thing I thought was missing other than them was the option to invoke servitude imperpetuis on your enemies or just random folk more often. Not that it doesn’t happen, but I wish it were an option more often.

[@spehizle]

I got almost everything I wanted out of this game. Be a rebel against the imperium and establish your own secessionist freehold without falling to Chaos? Check. Be a psychic dodgetank badass with a force sword in one hand and a plasma pistol in the other while dressed like the ultimate naval pimp? Check. Eldar Ranger waifu? Check. Fight a congaline of the biggest and baddest threats in the galaxy, and win with tactics, guile, and audacity? Check. If the game had a little more music with some standout tracks and space combat with more than 1 ship and a friendly escort? Easy 10/10.

[@your-username-here2308]

"" Be a rebel against the imperium and establish your own secessionist freehold without falling to Chaos?"" Reject the thing that keept Humanity alive. Lol. But hey wAifU !

[@IAMFANTROLL]

So many of the problems facing humanity are a direct consequence of the imperium, lol​@@your-username-here2308

[@dangeki5902]

​@@your-username-here2308 y so serious

[@ProvostZarakov]

Sometimes the existing thing is broken and you need to do something new

[@Soul-HunterVIII]

Wanna know something crazy... I played nothing but Rogue Trader since the day it released up until mid August. I've racked up 2,368 hrs of gameplay... Lol. I've done basically everything in the game and can't wait for Void Shadows for a couple more playthroughs. I love Rogue Traders, they're my favorite part of the Imperium. It's the perfect way to make a 40k CRPG. It's been my top 40k game that's released yet, besides Battle Fleet Gothic Armada 2.... and the only reason I've taken a break is Space Marine 2 about to release and waiting for Void Shadows. I collect Black Legion/Night Lord's and Drukhari on the tabletop. But if Battle Fleet Gothic ever comes back, I'll be jumping that shut immediately.

[@eddya6983]

Your two 40 armys are Night Lords and Dark ELdar. Fucking sicko mode. you are like a unicorn. good on you.

[@guyinapandasuit2691]

Though I am only a meager 315 hours, I share all the same sentiments. It's such a great game. I was fortunate enough to wait until void shadows to start playing. It's been such an amazing experience.

[@gorganhorn6872]

THe only bad thing about Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader was when it ended.

[@Dan-uf2vh]

You mean at around chapter 3?

[@Azhalan]

This game certainly has its shortcomings but it really does capture the spirit of 40k perfectly. GW will almost certainly eliminate the most edgy contents of their IP before their coop with Amazon sees the light of day. Glad this game came out before that.

[@GunmetalStug]

I don't have a ton of faith in the Amazon adaptation either, but for what it's worth, the Fallout show was (at least to me) more closely aligned to the earlier, more critical and satirical depictions of the universe than Bethesda's generic, mass-market friendly depictions. I think you're right, at least, that GW will insist on either a neutered depiction of 40k, or make it the Space Marine Show... which wouldn't be nearly as effective, engaging, or as grounded as starting with the Imperial Guard.

[@robertchmielecki2580]

I agree, as a long fan of the setting (since 2nd ed really) I absolutely adore the melancholic, gloomy atmosphere of Rogue Trader. Overcomplicated and too granular mechanics are a pain, but otherwise this is exactly the cRPG WH40K game I have been dreaming of for decades.

[@robertchmielecki2580]

It even scratches my Battlefleet Gothic nostalgia itch, even though I didn't expect it to.

[@TheThingInMySink]

I don't even think they should touch the guard, anything centered on them would have to be structured almost like a war movie or something like Band of Brothers, and you know they don't think modern audiences will have an appetite for something like that. Plus it would have to be really dark, because you know, it's the guard, regular humans don't tend to deal with the horrors of 40k as well as the power armoured supersoldiers.

[@larsg.2492]

​@@GunmetalStug I just noticed that they even changed the introducing paragraphs at the start of the novels. I think they're trying to get rid of Big E.

[@RedCascadian]

With regards to Nocturne, I took Iconoclast understanding his speech being down to a tendency to consider outside perspectives and more flexible thinking. Also, I heard they had originally planned for Nocturne to be a companion, but got vetoed by GW. And the difference between Abelard and Jae show that Iconoclast isn't just 'nice.' Probably the most kind-hearted party member is Cassia, who is dogmatic but inexperienced. Jae is an Iconoclast not out of a problem with Imperial dogma *in principle* but rather... it doesn't benefit her. Think someone who supports social safety nets and college subsidies until she's got a mortgage and a couple rental properties and does a 180. Abelard is critical of the stagnation and rigidity of the Imperium, but still holds on to its elitism. etc.

[@magni5648]

Abelard is more of a stickler for rules rather than an elitist IMO. He tends to be very much meritocratic when he get away with it without breaking the rules. Nepotism and (small-c) corruption are things he abhorrs and essentially only tolerates when the rules of the system he's in demand it from him.

[@Kadotus]

It's not really a surprise that GW vetoed Nocturne as a companion, considering the lore implications. Harlequin Solitaires are incredibly powerful, almost mythic in their capabilities. From what I understand, a Solitaire is canonically capable of going toe-to-toe with a Custodian-a monumental feat in itself. While the Rogue Trader and their retinue are formidable, adding a Solitaire would potentially tip the balance too far. It makes sense they'd reserve such a character for narrative gravitas rather than companion status. As for Abelard, I wouldn’t necessarily call him elitist. His perspective is deeply rooted in the grim reality of 40K, where "niceness" can often be more harmful than helpful. He's practical, fiercely loyal, and deeply committed to the survival of the crew and the Rogue Trader's mission. It’s important to view his character - and the Imperium - from the context of their universe. From our perspective, the Imperium's methods might seem cruel, even tyrannical, but in the context of an Imperium fighting for its very existence against existential threats, that cruelty is an unfortunate (but absolute) necessity. Abelard embodies that pragmatism in a way that aligns with the setting’s tone.

[@jamescousins9216]

The only counterpoint I can offer to the Alignment issue is this: The force of mechanical benefits for being a good person and the relegating of Dogmatic to specific runs isn’t as strong as your tone seems to suggest. When Owlcat released data on what Alignments most players were doing, Dogmatic was far and away the leader over the other two. If anything, Heretic is the penalized, less developed playstyle. I don’t think Dogmatic players are being heavily penalized if they’re the majority.

[@Alvaro89Rus]

that say a lot about average humans...

[@myfaceismyshield5963]

Actually the preference to dogmatic is probably for the same reason Imperium armies are always more popular in 40k than Chaos armies. People like going over the top with the oppressive grimdark dictatorship colonialism, instead of the chaotic sorcerous rebellion of a heretic run. And I would assume very rarely people would do full iconoclast runs. I think Iconoclast is just for being opposite to the other two paths

[@Alvaro89Rus]

@@myfaceismyshield5963 I felt dogmatic choices as most boring, petty and stupid. Often more then even heretical ones. I can't understand what pleasure people get in role playing that

[@burnin8able]

@@myfaceismyshield5963 I did my run as full Iconoclast and got (according to the steam achievements) a super rare ending that very few players got, which I thought was very neat.

[@KalashVodka175]

@@Alvaro89Rus Dogmatic was the opposite of boring, but alright bro, you do you.

[@accaliawolf2903]

I laughed my ass off at the Northernlion clip at 42:52 HAHAHA. really eloquent & enjoyable video, glad to see another upload from you!

[@JohnnyStrelok]

Your favorite streamer's favorite streamer.

[@scridernguyen]

@@JohnnyStrelok I thought that's Jerma :^)

[@DTPandemonium]

All glory to the eggfather!

[@iurk0_streaming]

There is a magical moment in your Rogue Trader run: The moment you take breather, near the end, to carefully read your character sheet, and your companions' character sheets. You get to see what they grew into, to reminisce about the decisions you made, the battles you fought, and the bonds that were formed between your Rogue Trader and their retinue. Even if it has some flaws, I consider Rogue Trader to be an excellent game.

[@GunmetalStug]

This is something the Owlcat games do tremendously, and Rogue Trader was no different!

[@laurentguyot3362]

@@GunmetalStug for me the game is way better than the previous ones

[@ThuanNguyen-bo9ig]

Ulfar's arc is actually interesting. At face value, we can't see how the superior Space Marine, the Emperor's chosen, could share the thoughts/feelings and overall emotional complexity of the of mere mortals. But it really hit me into deep thoughts when he mentioned that the only fate of warriors like him is to inevitably die a violent death in battle. This is because he doesn't age like normal people and he is bound by the oath "Only In Death Does Duty End". So, how do you live everyday knowing exactly what your end would be like and it's a violent death!!!???

[@Mr.Rendo1]

In Space Marine 2 he might've met that fate

[@magni5648]

This is a huge point in the characterisation of the Raptors chapter, to the point where it actually had a rule impact in the Deathwatch TTRPG. In Deathwatch, Marines handled being exposed to corruption and insanity different from normal humans: They essentially had a sort of "fixed" way dependent on their geneseed and ingrained chapter traditions as to how they deterioated if overburdened. The Raptors' "curse" was basically this kind of PTSD, where they'd get more and more cynical and pessimistic and started seeing only how things could go wrong and get them killed, which increasingly caused them to have a negative impact on the Kill Team's cohesion. At the maximum they essentially started considering themselves a Dead Man Walking and would unconsciously look for ways to self-sacrifice.

[@skunkjulio]

​@Mr.Rendo1 fun easter egg: during the tutorial first mission of SM2 one of the Marines that is killed in front of Titus by the 'Nids is named Ulfar. Titus calls out his name as he dies.

[@DippKlippGuy]

@@skunkjulio Ulfar means "Wolf Warrior"; there's probably a million Ulfars from Fenris

[@aitorfanderomeosantos8558]

​@@Mr.Rendo1 ulfar is a common name for space wolves as someone else said so chances are that's not our ulfar (also depending on which ending of rogue trader for him would be canon)

[@billappleby2902]

I would totally buy a Fabius Bile Funko pop

[@heavyhebrew]

Truly the forces of the ruinous powers are at play here. The act of buying a Funko pop in itself is heresy. For what is it? Simply a piece of force-injected plastic sold at a steep markup to people who are tricked into granting it more than subjective value, an idol, and one of Humanity's worst traitors? One who seeks to supplant the divine form of Mankind? Your statement had no praise for the Emperor of Mankind, but an adoration for treason. Face the wall.

[@jellojiei6061]

To be fair, the harlequin is a solitaire, and those things can be stronger than custodians, like he is so scary, that if he joined you as a companion, all the elder shit just gets resolved. The dark elder companion, and the kill team after him the moment they are seeing the solitaire the kill team should dip, and say, please don’t kill us, it also means the other harlequins would not fight you at all, as you have a fucking solitaire on your side someone way stronger than them and also in contact with their god. It would be like a sister of battle fighting saint Celestine as she ignored imperial laws.

[@RandomCultistWarrior]

yeah, sad but the hard truth.

[@dinobro4273]

Yep even Vect or Yvraine wouldn't mess with some random Solitaire if possible.

[@ronaldp7573]

This will be one of the last masterpiece 40k games before it is Disney-fied. Let us enjoy it brothers. We made fun of the star wars drones. But they will come for us one day.

[@freshskittles92]

god i hate that you're right

[@sowianskiwojownik5973]

W40k fans do an excellent job of gatekeeping the franchise and not allowing subversive tourists to make any stupid changes to it. Games Workshop on the other hand isn't doing that.

[@Peagaporto]

​@@sowianskiwojownik5973the whole female custodes issue proves that the standard tactics still work, they will eventually push us out. People are already migrating to different franchises.

[@spacecaesar7619]

6:16 that is in fact the only funko pop I would ever consider owning.

[@n.henzler50]

Bonus points if his lab coat has elements of other figures stitched into it.

[@awsomesaucekirby]

Absolute same.

[@necromanswers]

2 months later and I'm here to say the same thing

[@Hulgore]

I agree that the "nice path" (iconoclast) being already the easiest one in terms of morality should be the harder one in terms of consequences

[@dedman1096]

Well I mean it kinda is in the long run if you read the end game lore. The imperium turns against you and labels you a heretic. However nomos puts a barrier around the koronus system and essentially isolates you and your kingdom to protect it from danger. Now due to being abandoned by the imperium makes most of your allies nervous, like argenta who becomes distant and sad at what transpired.

[@AndragonLea]

Word. The Imperium acts as rabid as it does fr9m bitter experience. You deviate from that at your peril.

[@ΘΑΝΟΣΠΑΠΑΣΩΤΗΡΑΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ]

Just befriend calcazar nomos ending kinda sucks honestly trading with the imperium but paying taxes and having access to reinforcements if the nids come is a pretty good deal calcazar killed a lot of people sure but he did chain a star god and keep the expanse relatevely safe

[@quernesvoice7507]

It is. You and your empire are doomed.

[@paolopesare3566]

Rogue Trader in my opinion is the most complete representation of the 40k universe in a videogame. Most games focus on a single aspect rather than giving you the idea of how big is the galaxy.

[@brooklynballer2455]

Picked this up about 2 weeks ago, not a warhammer fan and I’ve bounced off every crpg I’ve ever tried (and I really try to like them because the freedom of character choice is so appealing to me) but this one…I have 70hrs clocked in already and still having a blast which is definitely not normal for me I usually get burnt out at the 20hr mark for most games, definitely motivated me to give the genre another try after I’m done with this.

[@GorbadIronclaw]

Man, same! I'm very into 40K but i seldom finish CRPGs the few times i've tried them. Rogue Trader was a marked exception, i plowed through the entire thing with passion. Thought maybe it was because of its brilliant handling of the lore but i feel it was more than that.

[@shayZero]

I bought this game a few months ago after seeing a review on it. Never touched anything 40k before, now im hooked.

[@cookies_n_milk6224]

Gunmetal: *disappears for months* *drops a vid* *leaves again*

[@jessecarozza6745]

Always on the run from Josef Smolin.

[@wollyram6248]

Sadly, Owlcat games are released half baked, not unique in the modern gaming industry. Rogue trader will probably be a jewel of cRPG once all the dlc and patches are done, somewhere in 2026 😑

[@Mr_Welch]

They could have made chapter 2 the entire adventure and I would have been happy it really lost steam after that when you have to go spend hours in space Hot topic

[@Alvaro89Rus]

since... Dragon Age 2 I think I don't expect game to be ready on official release date, and so I am never disopointed. Well, unless game suck at its core ofc.

[@keqet12]

​@@Mr_WelchThe game would be 100% perfect without the space elf sex dungeon

[@nofuxgivens2797]

With how much detail and options there are this game was pretty good on release. I think my biggest gripes are the inventory system and the dangerous warp jump events that get annoying. Which ironically, those random events to trigger party combat are the only real farming you can do if you wanted.

[@berilsevvalbekret772]

Add nocturne of oblivion as a companion and make him romancable. Thats all I want

[@YodhrinsForge]

The general description of how you see 40K and why the game resonated so much with you feel like they were plucked right out of my own noggin, and overall your criticisms are pretty fair. I will dissent though when it comes to the Convictions, which I think actually did a pretty good job and kind of needed to be big, bold, and broad exactly because you do have the option to pick and choose which responses you give in the moment. My first playthrough was in 40K terms a devoted and pious man who accepts the norms of the culture he was raised within and the power of his birthright. I ended up about 70% of the way into the Dogmatic rewards, but the idea I was "missing out" on the top-tier ones never really bothered me, they're useful bonuses but honestly by the beginning of Act 3 I could clear most fights in one or two rounds just by letting Argentia do her thang with some buffs(more than the music, the shuddering thuds of a bolter on AoE full auto accompanied by her mad cackles of joy are the game's OST as far as I'm concerned, hah) so I never felt I *needed* them or was missing out. I played my character as he was in my head and never really felt compelled to choose a certain option; it always felt more along the lines of "these choices are emblematic of This or That way of thinking" and how far towards that way of thinking your character was leaning, rather than "these are The three ways you can behave, pick one". What impressed me most about the game was how faithfully they represented the titular experience. All through those first chapters you *feel* like a Rogue Trader, like you're someone of note, like you have *real power*. So often RPGs *tell you* you're a hero but the actual experience of playing makes you feel like a janitor or rat catcher, but with RT Owlcat made me believe that my character was really in the driving seat rather than being led around by the nose to do other people's chores.

[@Rheinguard]

Bro had me at longform, high-effort shitposts. Subbed.

[@Knowie117]

Putting Iconoclast into the category of chaotic good does sort of explain why I love that conviction so much. Sure, it can be seen as the goody-two shoes path by some people, but it's been my favorite aspect of this game. To be able to help others and see the impact you have by showing mercy, supplying aid, providing protection to those who need it, and defending them from those who would harm them, just puts a big smile on my face whenever I play through the game again. The sections of the game where you can look the imperial laws and inquisition in the face and say "fuck you, you are an idiot. I am going to help these people, and if you get in my way, you will regret it." Are just extremely cathartic to me.

[@freshskittles92]

yeah i loved the iconoclast run, tbh

[@themigratingcoconut562]

Great review and I agree with nearly everything you said about the state of Warhammer; where it is going vs where it was. You put it really well and I hope it catches on with the wider community.

[@Mattfreeman89]

2 minutes in and I can tell you're good at what you do. I enjoy the sly self deprecating humor and wit. Going to watch this and maybe edit comment later!

[@SandmanofTerra]

Absolutely loved this! Been having an amazing time with RT. Why does it look so much better on your PC compared to mine?

[@GunmetalStug]

I have a pretty powerful PC that I use for streaming and rendering (4070ti and a 13th Gen Intel CPU), so I'm able to play most games on max settings at 1440p. I'm surprised that KZbin compression didn't completely mangle my footage though. Regardless, glad you enjoyed the video!!

[@RedKincaid]

Great takes on the game, even better takes on the issues with the direction of the franchise. Definitely earned a sub

[@HelixFlame33]

I enjoyed this critique a lot. Definitely the best 40k game for me and one of the best RPGS ever made, despite it's numerous flaws. I always say "the atmosphere is so thick, you need to cut it with a chainsword". I hope future updates, DLC (Void Shadows is pretty good so far) or even a full blown sequel will fix some of the issues. Also I'd really like a difficulty option that just increases the amount of enemies. Killing everything in 1-2 turns just isn't fun in the long run.

[@flervest3407]

Abelard is my GOAT! That brother could solo a Blood Thirster if his Captian asked him to

[@Dext3rM0rg4n]

3:34 Obiwan Sherlock Clousseau my beloved

[@ГеннадийБоковиков-о2е]

"I make long form high effort shitposts" - instantly subbed, not even a split-second of hesitation was allowed

[@donkeydudeful]

Idira is my favorite companion, if only beaten SLIGHTLY by Abelard. I can't take the Dogmatic stuff seriously, so I just ignore it for more reasonable Iconoclast decisions. It feels better, and it gives me situations of loyalty and respect that I probably would've never gotten if I thought everyone and their mother needed to lick my boots at every doorstop I stepped up to. I still need to get to third act because I just get lost in the map and exploration part of the game. I enjoyed the video.

[@laidbackuser]

never thought i'd turn on youtube notificaation for a channel but bro's contents just too good

[@Mafiadinosaur]

6:16 put a fabius bile book in the kids section at a local bookstore, hope I got some kid to read it lmao.

[@IsaacCoverstone]

A true servant of the Ruinous Powers.

[@TLDelapore]

Battlegrandpa is one of my favorite western CRPG characters of all time.

[@MrMars944]

I’ll come back to this after I’ve played rogue trader, but you’ve sold me man

[@diamondhamster4320]

Finally, some one gets it. RT explores how deep, vast and engaging W40K can be without relaying on space-marine dude-bros.

[@suraulevemec9140]

Great video, earned a sub. Ngl i'd love a specific video just talking about your view of the 40k.

[@kageroux1193]

This game was responsible for getting me into 40k. I was aware of it and a tiny bit familiar with its lore, but on the whole I ignored it. But I love Owlcat games, so I preordered this right away. Fell in love with the setting. Decided I would buy minis to paint and the books and down the rabbit hole I went. lol. A lot of people hate Act 3, but I loved it (the drukhari are now my main faction as far as an army goes). Love this game to bits. BUT yes, I noticed right away that acts 4 and 5 are REALLY weak. They released too soon and should have given the game 6 months to a year more time to cook. I really do hope they fix some of these problems in dlcs and patches.

[@gawkthimm6030]

"drukhari are now my main faction" - quote *concerned looks*

[@kageroux1193]

@@gawkthimm6030 lolol

[@josephercanbrack8393]

You took the words out of my mouth, praise and criticism both. I want to do another playthrough, but I think I'll wait until Owlcat finishes patching and updating, hopefully mitigating some of these problems. And since I just did WOTR and they're still updating, so they'll probably be done in 6 years.

[@theamazingbatboy]

4:40 man you are speaking my language. My first experience with 40k was a University open day at 14-yrs, learning about TTrpgs and seeing my first landscaped battlefields. Space Marines seemed pretty cool but impenetrable (I was soon to hear about an amazing board game called Space Hulk). Later, I learned about the genesis of it all Rogue Trader. **This** is adventure I said to myself. You've got this full-on, weird, anarchic universe with kind of unpleasant 'heroes' fighting for a dead tyrant but wait-there's these interesting kooks on the fringes: privateers fighting Chaos, learning languages, arranging compromises that allow the greater galaxy to survive another day/month/year. It promoted memories of Ulysses 31 and that breathless excitement of exploration. For me the tier system goes: **Rogue Traders** -not good guys, but potentially (Harrison would roll his eyes or fall asleep but that makes him the guy for the job damn it) ; **Inquisitors** -the Supernatural investigators, noir-style muckrakers living in the perpetual Grey of the Imperium, peeling away the layers and uncovering the stacked rot and conspiracies; **Imperial Guard** -the front line: those Grand holy monks, paladins, super heroes; they won't save you now, they never could. Without you, the massed bulwark of humanity standing true against the Dark, they'd blow away like ashes in the wind.

[@roguerifter9724]

I love this game. I own some other Owlcat games but I haven't played them. The Rogue Trader tabletop RPGs and Battlefleet Gothic are my favorite of the tabletop games and the basis for my favorite PC games. And it so nice to have a modern scifi PC RPG where your character commands a fighting ship and you actually get to play the ship combat. Plus I've always adored Frigates in their various forms (With very few exceptions in almost any setting or story with Frigates my favorite ship class will be one) so I was very happy when I found out our main ship in the game would be a Frigate instead of the Cruiser I was expecting. I made a Forge World Crime Lord loyalist Iconoclast (Most of my conviction points were Iconoclast with the rest Dogmatic) and I think the ending I got was absurd in a bad way unfortunately. Basically because my Rogue Trader had a reputation for treating his subjects fairly the Imperium declared war on him. Which ended up leading to a small civil war because many of the navy ships assigned to attack him defected because they knew the orders were BS. There is no freaking way that treating his subjects fairly would violate his legal rights as a Rogue Trader. I romanced Cassia and she's one of my favorite video game love interests in the last decade. I played as an Officer for weapons I usually carried an Autopistol and Melee Weapon as one set and a Shotgun in the other though I wish there were a wider variety of Autopistols, Autoguns, and Shotguns. I also occasionally used a Laspistol instead of an Autopistol, and a Drakhuri Splinter Pistol for a while in Act III. (I like melee weapons that can inflict damage over time effects so I ha d taken Drakhuri Weapon Proficiency after finding a Venom Blade I liked in Act II. That Proficiency was very useful in the early parts of Act III. Edit: The Imperium declaring war on you in the Iconoclast Ending isn't based on you killing a traitorous Inquisitor. Hell they probably give you a medal for that. Its because of your efforts to crate fairness within your holdings after the game's events. A normal person would get in trouble for that in the Imperium. But a Rogue Trader is by definition not bound by those rules.

[@lucagerulat307]

I interpreted the imperiums declaration of war as a precautions against a possible rival in the expanse. With the iconoclast ending you are the strongest faction in the koronus expance and by treating your subjects well you even have very high loyalty. You basically become a small self-sufficient and better version of the imperium . And the imperium doesn't like it if an alternative to its draconian rule is thriving.

[@roguerifter9724]

@@lucagerulat307 Except you're a branch of the Imperium not a non-Imperium power. And all evidence I remember from the lore indicates it should take something much more extreme then treating your subjects fairly to draw the Imperium's ire, or hell even make the Imperium notice. This is a system where entire worlds can be forgotten due to misfiled paperwork after all. And again you are a Rogue Trader there is no way treating your subjects fairly is beyond your rights. Nothing short of my Rogue Trader openly professing loyalty to Chaos or declaring war on the Imperium Neither of which my Rogue Trader would due unless the Imperium declares war on him first.

[@julian0451]

another killer vid, GM. you never disappoint

[@GunmetalStug]

Thanks Julian!!!

[@calebbridges4748]

I love already in this critique that you avoid giving a flat number or a "you should/should not but this." I appreciate the format of just explaining the good points and what you need to be drawn into the media.

[@ShivaX51]

The alignment system really bugged me on the execution level. Trying to play Smart Heretical is impossible. I can't be... literally the person I'm replacing. I have to declare my allegiance to the Dark Powers in front of a Sister of Battle and an Inquisitor. Both of whom then just shrug and don't seem to care after maybe giving me a dirty look or cocking an eyebrow.

[@MattR8605]

Yea that's always been kinda jarring. Both of them would be tripping over each other to be the one that blew your head off

[@godhand2018]

Yeah it's really weird especially considering what Argenta did the last time she saw someone commit heresy...

[@Lemurion287]

Right now, there are only two RPG companies that I trust enough to go for Early Access. Owlcat and Larian. With Owlcat, I know it will be buggy on launch, but it will also be deep and get tons of post-launch support. As someone who's been a casual WH40K fan for thirty-odd years at this point, I have to say that I thought RT captured the tone I wanted to see in the setting. Owlcat remembered that it's both Grimdark and absurd; and they neither sanitized it nor ignored the absurdity. I'm currently enjoying the DLC, and really hope that future DLCs give us more to do in Acts 4 and 5. Structurally, it reminded me of what I thought was the greatest weakness in Wrath. In both games you build up your forces, then have them all ripped away from you, before having to come back and rebuild everything in a much weaker and more linear chapter. It's still a great game though, and I have around 300 hours in it counting the beta.

[@phueal]

Love the video (and the game); my 40k is your 40k too. It’s worth noting that one reason this game may feel a bit more like our 40k is that it’s based on a really good TTRPG from 2009, before the recent gradual change in direction. That’s one reason it feels more old school.

[@RMMinc]

But Calligos is indeed an iconoclast secret companion. It's just that if you stop Chorda with iconoclast dialogue it overrides him.

[@11thAmeno]

Thanks for such a thoughtful review of this flawed gem - I couldn’t agree more! Rogue Trader has become my go-to WH40K game, and it’s by far the best Owlcat game I’ve played (and I’ve been with them since HoMM5). The writing, characters, and setting are all superb, and if they’d polished those last two chapters for another year, we’d be looking at a true masterpiece of the genre!

[@brunomunemassa8266]

The way you expressed "your" 40k is such a light for what i was trying to understand about my own opinion. I was introduced to 40k by the If the Emperor had a Text to Speech Device series and i can put the finger on why it's what i always return to when i try to consume content for this universe. Thanks for the video !

[@KillerOrca]

Obi-Wan Sherlock Closoue is actually still canon! He just hasn't been mentioned since then but he was never actively retconned

[@d_ruggs]

I want more of these. Personally, as a space marine stan, I'd love to see one where we get to lead a chapter, maybe a custom chapter thats rebuilding, taking over planets that are either xenos, chaos, or imperium.

[@terrysaunders7107]

Good summary video. Owlcat has a large library of reference material to work from. Hopefully this is a work in progress. Rogue trader Haarlock sends his regards, be seeing you.

[@syphmyles5388]

Literally just beat it today. I did my play through on a perfect combination (on accident) of dogmatic and iconoclast. I didnt even realize that there were buffs for choosing one lol. I wanted to play a fully dogmatic play through really bad. But i cant bring myself to making what seems like "mean" or "evil" choices. I almost was perfectly split at the end. The only thing that drove me up the damn wall in this game was the load screens, towards the end i wanted to knock out the rumours that i hadnt explored but after going through like 20 loadscreens i gave up and just finished the game. Even on my rig that im playing on, those loadscreens could take like 20-30 seconds. Which doesnt sound bad until you have to do it over and over. The love interests endings broke my heart, not being able to secure an heir for later kinda blows. Especially if theres a Rogue Trader II one day. And that i wish there was a way to get a better supply of Navigator points for making safe routes. The loadscreens were already unbearable but then to have to add in extra loadscreens because i didnt have a secure path and fight off demons or servitors in a rando fight (which eventually became boring and not even a threat.) became mind numbing to me. I definitely loved some of the fights in the game (the doomscream fight was annoying as hell) There were genuine moments of "Oh shit" when a new opponent would come out. All in all the game has a solid 9/10. Its still fantastic and i loved the lore and most of the story. Thank you for your awesome video i definetely enjoyed it and plan on checking out those other RPGs you mentioned in the video!

[@MyKeyMoonShine]

I absolutely adore this game and youve articulated so well why it's so good and also why it's so flawed. I think possibly the alignment system should have been cut because they obviously didn't have the resources to make it as complex as it needs to be for it to be satisfying. It's very mass effect but with 3 options instead of 2. However I'm not a game developer and it is obvious the budget for this was more limited than WOTR. I still love this game, I'm really hoping they do something with dark heresy at some point.

[@kohtalainenalias]

Quite a review. The depth of this is unparalled.

[@johannkwanlaw]

The alignment system's greatest flaw IMO is it just falls away like everything else by the later acts. Almost no actions despite them seeming like they should affect your alignment will grant alignment points, it's as though they wrote the thing but didn't have time to assign point values to decisions. Which can, if you've been towing the line between two alignments, lead to a situation where in the fourth act you're like "wait why haven't I reached level 3 on either of my alignments yet?" and realizing nothing you do is shifting it anymore.

[@RandomCultistWarrior]

Yeah feels like they were cooking something special but halfway to the end they just rushed things to deliver the game fast, i hope that in the new dlcs they will cover this "holes" from late game, man i had to use "toybox" a mod just to get the necessary iconoclast points or i wouldn't have enough to get to a inconoclast "ending", well, that said, Yrliet deserved better :(

[@zombieminecraft4213]

There is a pretty clear reason you don't get punished by main imperium dogmaticists because like the game likes to repeat, even in chapter 4, the Maw, the only gate to the Koronus expanse, is in turmoil and nothing can pass through.

[@kaiserschnitzel89]

I mean, when the Anakin Skywalker turn to the dark side was 100 times more nuanced and subtle than the heretical path in this game, that's something.

[@noway8259]

I'd want a funko pop of Fabious Bile. Fabulous Bill himself having mastered the flesh to the point of being mass cloned ? Hell yeah!

[@rsiv5156]

This is the first turn based game in a long time that has fully captured my attention. I’ve been loving every minute.

[@sd_league]

Another amazing Gunmetal essay/review. :) Lovely

[@GunmetalStug]

Thanks Protoss! Glad you enjoyed!

[@xtremeranger30]

I just wish the game had more xeno companions than just Marazhai and Yrliet The FFG Rogue Trader TTRPG had playable Ork Freebooterz, Kroot mercs and Tau Fire Warriors for playable classes as part of a Rogue Trader's retinue. Owlcat could've used more FFG supplaments to adapt.

[@phueal]

I’m certain more of those will come in DLCs

[@jonathanwatson4484]

a young me always wanted to be a space pirate, sailing the stars and look for alien booty... and this game speaks to that part of me, of course there the part where you might die a horrible death and name forgotten but emperor damm if I am going to die anyway I am going to make it epic.

[@EdgarTheOgre]

I played it for second time these two weeks. And for the second time, Idira showed up at the end even though I personally excecuted her in act 1.

[@yari4046]

also i liked this video a lot more than i expected, nowadays most essay style videos on yt feel like the person is just repeating non-controversial common points about the topic without ever trying to give a genuine somewhat unique perspective on the topic

[@DoctorEmboss]

"No one wants a Funko Pop of Fabious Bile." Me: 👀💰

[@bigcrazewolf]

I played Fallout 1&2 back when they released, among other great CRPG's. I don't know much about WH and haven't played many WH games, but Rogue Trader is pretty F'n awesome.

[@mnk9073]

It's criminal how the quality takes an absolute nose dive right after the end of Act II, when you're super hyped up by the amazing stuff you've seen so far only to get left hanging in thin air. Typical Owlcat "let's release this mess two years before we're actually ready"-mess.

[@stevendeamon]

That's a bit harsh... Not wrong, but too harsh imho.

[@GunmetalStug]

Yeah I think 'nosedive' is a little bit too much. It goes from being a 'masterpiece' to simply 'a good CRPG', which *is* quite a drop... but it never stops being a good game IMO.

[@Soul-HunterVIII]

Hell no, Act 3 is definitely one of my favorites. The Drukhari are way under represented, and we finally got to experience Commorragh. I enjoyed it a ton. After my second playthrough, I stopped exploring everywhere during Act 2, I did all my side quests an all but you don't have to explore everything, it makes Act 4 better IMO.

[@mnk9073]

@@Soul-HunterVIII Act 3 shouldn't be act 3 but rather 4 or even 5. The whole Drukhari storyline leading up to Commoragh is absolutely underdeveloped, no set up for what's-his-face to sell me out, no set up for those other chicks who are Maranzhai's boss/rivals, no set up for best girl getting all backstabby. I'ts just "Here's a bunch of people you never heard of who have a total hate-boner for you but still let you strutt around in their city for some reason." Oh and don't get me started with that winged assassin who pops out of nothing and vanishes into obscurity again. All in all it is a great transition to garbage...

[@RandomCultistWarrior]

@@mnk9073 true words, and indeed my best girl Yrliet deserved so much better, her story was so interesting in the start, how we worked together to overcome our differences and strike a true friendship, maybe something more in the future but they just rushed everything and threw a bunch of random shit from the middle to endgame, made me feel like my choices didn't matter so much like in the early acts, something like, no matter what you choose it all leads to basically the same, other very interesting characters like Argenta, idira, marazhai were very poorly explored, once introduced they were soon left out of the story, calligos and incendia too, you can reedem them but thats the end, 0 development, they just stay still in the deck wanting to kill some heretics, i hope in the future this game will recieve more content and polishing, in fact today we got the first dlc and i already bought it hahaha, sorry for the long text (ps:i killed the wing guy and he dropped a very very good weapon)

[@alsaiduq4363]

37:57 You can recruit Calligos to your party too and basically make him a good guy again. I did in my playthought.

[@Alvaro89Rus]

How cand you do both? I know you can recruit him if you are heretic, but doesn't he get cripled if you make him come to senses?

[@exudeku]

What playthrough? Icon or one of them Corpse Worshippers

[@Bobamelius]

Now that you mention it, I think I do want a Fabius Bile Funko Pop.

[@Okanehira]

0:43 What game is this it looks familiar, Shadowrun?

[@powerfist1340]

I ABSOLUTELY want a funko pop of Fabius Bile. In fact, it is the only prospective funko pop I have EVER wanted.

[@mattmaddogwheaton4724]

I wouldn't even call Warhammer 40k's Imperium of Man a satire of Thatcherite Britain but more so a tragedy, but one filled with the faintest glimmer of hope and the indomitability of the human spirit. That's basically why the grimdark setting works so well because these moments of hope against all odds, even at its most fleeting, shine the absolute brightest. Also extra kudos for mentioning the GOAT, Ciaphas Cain.

[@mattmaddogwheaton4724]

Did I mention that Rogue Trader was more my RPG of the year 2023 over Baldur's Gate 3?

[@danielp8433]

i started 40k in 2nd edition , dont even play or do the hobby anymore. but i love the setting , i fell in love with the whole eldar storyline and ofc the starter box back in the day was pretty cool. - but my 1st gw game was hero quest , one of the best board games ever created.

[@raisnaix]

Was looking more for a review but upfronting with what this vid would be is worth a like and comment. thanks!

[@jmmywyf4lyf]

I've wanted a Warhammer 40K CRPG for so long, and was so excited when Owlcat was the one making it, only to find out it was going to be only turn-based mode. I was so bothered by it that I didn't buy the game for a year or two after release. I did eventually pick it up when the assassin DLC released, went discount, and have not been able to put it down since. I still have my criticisms, especially about turn-based combat, and Owlcats inability to create even encounter difficulty, but I am thoroughly enjoying the game. I've over 200hrs now, and keep coming back. I still prefer their Kingmaker games, but RogueTrader is still an awesome crpg😮 Until now, Dow2 was my favorite 40k game. I have nearly 2000 hrs in that campaign, and Last Stand

[@leopard2690]

We need to mix bg3 and rogue trader. The Production value and gameplay freedom of bg3 and the writing of RT. Tho I don't like the "betrayal" act of RT. The writing kinda dropped for that part

[@gharn2594]

Overall Rogue Trader is a really great game, would recommend for fans and non fans alike. But it does go a bit downhill at the end. Some of the character quests end well, which is the highlight of act 4. Others not so much, I was bit confused about why Heinrix's questline didn't seems to give any choice of a satisfying ending, makes more sense knowing you need to romance him. Agenta's quest just ending off screen is also quite dissapointing. My biggest issue was that I had broken the game by the start of act 4. The levelling up had been very satisfying up to that point. A unique and interesting system that I enjoyed sinking my teeth into. But then it happened, everything started dying before any enemy even had a single turn. I mean, I loved my builds and appreciated being rewarded for thoughtful choices, but the combat becoming completely trivial did take away from the experience. I'm not sure I was wrong to even play this way, because enemies can be extremely deadly and if I had let that greater daemon have a turn would they have wiped half my team? Best part of the game is the world building. Owlcat did an amazing job with the 40k universe and Rogue Trader TTRPG source material. I did also really enjoy the afore mentioned combat prior to breaking it. The early and mid game encounters are challenging and fun and it's a cool system (sometimes really freaking hard too).

[@niosacyswiatlo5434]

I wasn't into this universe till I played Rogue Trader. Great game!

[@moseshamlett3887]

This is like the first time we've ever really got to live in this world like this. That I know of.

[@jadensanchez3189]

Ps5 crashing kinda sucks but I enjoy this way more then I expected I started learning warhammer 40k thanks to the orks weshammer and majorkill videos following suit and blessing my feed nonstop and I’ve enjoyed my time with BG3 so I was like why not try this to warhammer is fucking aweosme and dark tide was okay just not scratching that itch to freaking explore and talk smack! I’d love to see an Morrowind style warhammer game to I think that would slap. This video was awesome keep it up.

[@LordTheCyril]

Sadly my dogmatic character did not manage to reach max dogmatic. It was not an issue until the last chapter where I could not get all the fun things because some options I needed were simply locked for me.

[@sloakz]

What a wonderful review. Kudos

[@GunmetalStug]

Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it!

[@bulletproofwhale5869]

I feel like 40K would be an amazing setting for an ARPG with a deep story a la Path of Exile. ARPG combat with weightey attacks and brutal attacks, each faction of the Imperium getting different stories similar to an MMO, but on a smaller scale. If done right, it could even make Space Marines feel small in the face of the Chaos Gods due to the camera angle. And I think it would be cool if you unlocked different class stories as you did other ones. Want to unlock Adeptus Mechanicus? Play Inquisitor or Psyker. Want to be on the path of unlock Astartes or Adeptus Sororitas? Play a Zealot or a foot soldier.

[@GunmetalStug]

There is a 40k ARPG - Inquisitor Martyr, but I haven't heard many good things about it and don't feel particularly interested in checking it out.

[@blinco6099]

I for one, would actually like a funkopop of fabius bile if only for the sheer absurdity of it

[@fatestick]

Just gonna say it: I really want a FunkoPop of Fabius Bile.

[@dylanburnett7928]

Yeah, I was expecting the midpoint slowdown after putting 300 hours into WoTR but the fact that I hadn't committed to an alignment started locking me out of dialogue options. Killed a lot of the interest I had in finishing my playthrough.

[@Khalith]

My wife was watching me play this game and she was really confused why there was a space elf calling me a “monkey.” That was a fun conversation.

[@phalamy9180]

My favorite build in this game is pure Masochism Break every bone in your body, set yourself on fire, shatter the Veil and proceed to solo the entire fight with the power of your own agony. Yes its perfectly reasonable to make my damage and max health scale with trauma

[@grrr111222111]

Hmm, I think the best way to mostly shuffle things around would be to cut out Yrliet getting you captured. Have it be a frame job. Have a couple of quests in Act 4 with you interfering in the war between Winterscale and Chorda where you discover that Calcazar was the one who had you captured and started the war specifically to make sure all three dynasties would be too busy to interfere with him. Bam, minor dialogue changes (Yrliet has enough of an arc without the betrayal I don't think it needs replacing) and 1-3 quests and you have a perfect reason to go chasing off of Calcazar immediately because now it's not just generic shady inquisitor shit it's very personal.

[@runswithbears3517]

Space pirates without Drukhari. Fuck. That.

[@OrpheusOverdrive]

Gave a thumbs up as soon as I heard the use of the word "denouement". I'm kidding...sort of. Good video overall though. Thanks! P.S.: Ooooo, I just heard the use of the word "specious". Very swank! I'm seriously impressed and not being sarcastic. Well, maybe a little facetious but not in some anti-intellectual way I swear! Anyways, still good video. Keep it up!

[@vasilisv8218]

All critisisms were valid, good job, i enjoyed the video to its entirety. 1 point i keep stressing out about owlcat , is how offensively undercooked are their games when they come out. The game was in a pathetic just-barely-able-to-run state once it came out during x-mass , Whatever sales CEO demanded it's release in order to get it in time for the winter sales spree, nearly killed it for, it took a bit of convincing from a couple of friends to make me keep playing it. During the next months Owlcat must have grinded non stop its employees to a thin paste so that they make this game to look and feel actually good. And that's my main beef with owlcat from now on : they took full comission for a half baked product, i dont care if it turned out to be more than fine (or even top 5 WH pc games imo) , corporate greed almost drove me away from being able to enjoy the game to its fullest potential , so that i can enjoy reviews like this one

[@GunmetalStug]

I've seen a couple reactions like yours, and I believe them 100%, but it's wild since my game (from launch!) was pretty much bug-free until Commorragh. As I mentioned in the video however, I'm way more tolerant of bugs than most people, especially moreso when the game clearly has a vision and passion behind it. If a boring, paint-by-numbers AAA open-world action-adventure game came out with as many bugs, I would be FAR less generous.

[@yari4046]

it would be fun if the convictions served as a form of difficultly select for conversation, like dogmatic characters have it the easiest with most characters because the emperor is law and who is to question you for following it to the letter, heretic should be harder since you have to hide your heresy but at the same time you can rely on some boons from chaos to help you with that task lastly i think iconoclast should be the hardest since if you want to honestly better things you will need to break the rules of the imperium while at the same time not being taken over by chaos, you will basically have to wage a war on 2 fronts, one against the established imperial order and the other against the more overt threats to humanity and friendly xenos

[@xTheOneToSaveUsAllx]

Well said. I especially agree on the subject of weird plotting of later acts and the character arcs locked behind romance. It is a huge pet peeve of mine ever since Mass Effect

[@xTheOneToSaveUsAllx]

I really should stop making replies before I finish the video lol. I just got to the part of "How does being a good person give you the ability to unravel an insane alien clown prophecy?" and this just happened to be one of my favourite Iconoclast moments. See, Nocturne of Oblivion's lines aren't even that hard to decipher, even without the dialogue option translating from Shakespeare to plain English I could have prized out the meaning of these words - but the Imperial dogma staunchly disincentivizes this sort of engagement with xenos, actually listening to them and trying to understand. This fits well with why this conviction was named Iconoclast. Choosing critical thinking and engaging with this character in- well, maybe less good faith and more just not the rehearsed "kill the xenos" option fits. But that's just my interpretation, and I recognize what stumped you in this assignation. On another note, what 40k media would you recommend? Rogue Trader was my introduction to the setting (barring convention and me trying to convince a cosplayer that I'm a mutant), and I find myself curious as I listen to you talk about how damn harrowing trying to be a good person in the setting is and how much shit everyone goes through. I'd love to see more of your 40k.

[@GunmetalStug]

You make a good point, but I think that if that were truly the case (critical thinking as a facet of Iconoclasm), you'd see this interpretation of the conviction more often than just interacting with Nocturne. Iconoclasm can so often be boiled down to "being a good person" in simple words and actions that it doesn't really 'earn' more thoughtful and complex interpretations if that makes sense. As for more 40k stuff, the "Holy Trinity" I always recommend are mentioned in this video - The Gaunt's Ghosts books, the Eisenhorn Trilogy, and the Ciaphas Cain novels. I'd also recommend the 1999 Space Wolf novels, even if they're not super 'current'. If you want more Space Marines stuff, my favorites are the Night Lords Omnibus, the Blood Angels Omnibus, Know no Fear, and Helsreach. It's uncommon and far more recent than a lot of these, but I also really enjoyed the Grey Knights Omnibus, since it did a fantastic job at humanizing that faction. I don't have a lot of xenos stuff to recommend unfortunately, but the book The Infinite and The Divine will be a great read after playing through Rogue Trader. Hope this helps!

[@TimoNaaro]

I bought this game just before release. Wanted to give some time to add voice dialogues and squash bugs. Today is the day though I make my char.