Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II reviewed on PC.

Introduction

Warhammer 40K: Mechanicus II is a turn-based tactical RPG, and as expected, it includes many of the mechanics fans of the genre would expect, such as unit rosters and combat turn order. However, some elements really help this title stand out, particularly the emphasis on powerful leader units supported by smaller squads, as well as the two factions playing very differently due to their core design philosophies.

After a small prologue that introduces the game’s surface-level mechanics and Factions. Players are presented with what is probably the biggest choice in the game, selecting which faction to control for the campaign. You can choose between Adeptus Mechanicus’ Hekateus IV Explorator Cohort or Sankhotep’s Necrons, and both factions offer dramatically different playstyles.

Adeptus Mechanicus

The Adeptus Mechanicus faction revolves around Cognition Points, which are generated through unit traits. These Cognition Points can then be used to empower units or activate certain abilities.

Necrons

The Necrons utilize Reanimation Protocols. The first time a Necron unit is destroyed, it enters a turn-based timer. Once the timer expires, or is accelerated through a Commander ability, the unit is revived and returns to combat.

The Necrons also use a Dominion Level system instead of Cognition Points. Dominion Levels increase through kills or specific abilities, and certain skills can only be activated if the required Dominion Level has been reached.

I personally spent most of my review time playing through the Necron campaign.

The War Map & Mission Structure

After choosing the Necrons, players are introduced to the War Map, which essentially acts as the game’s main hub. The War Map tracks campaign progression, the battle to reclaim the planet from enemy forces, and allows players to select missions.

Before starting a mission, players choose from a roster of Commanders, each of whom can be upgraded and expanded upon throughout the campaign. After selecting a Commander, players can also equip up to three Stratagems if desired. Stratagems provide bonuses, but at the cost of increasing enemy strength throughout the mission.

Once inside a mission, the experience becomes somewhat autopilot between combat encounters. Your Commander moves through the mission while cutscenes and dialogue flesh out both the immediate objectives and the overarching story.

Combat encounters, known as Skirmishes, form the core gameplay loop. Before combat begins, players enter a placement phase where units are positioned strategically around the battlefield.

Enemy variety inside these Skirmishes seems fairly broad. Sometimes you’ll encounter smaller enemy squads that are relatively easy to eliminate, while other encounters feature enemy Commanders. In those situations, the objective becomes either eliminating all enemy forces or directly killing the opposing Commander.

This makes protecting your own Commander the highest priority during combat. If your Commander dies, the mission immediately fails. Because of this, sacrificing smaller units to keep your Commander alive can sometimes become necessary.

Another interesting layer is that unit health persists between Skirmishes throughout a mission. This forces players to carefully manage damage and avoid unnecessary risks.

Between Skirmishes, players will also encounter random events that require decisions to be made. These choices can result in either positive or negative outcomes for the remainder of the mission.

Progression & Upgrades

Once a mission is completed, players are returned to the War Map where they can prepare for future operations.

As the campaign progresses, players earn Dynastic Awakening Points. These points are used to unlock upgrades for Commanders and expand progression options.

There is also a separate area dedicated to upgrading smaller units assigned to each Commander.

Additionally, the game features a Codex system that tracks encountered units alongside detailed information about their abilities.

Final Thoughts

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II itches that itch. If you ever dumped hours into a SOCOM game, then you and me both are probably about to drop hundreds of hours into this title.

The game changes just enough within the usual turn-based RPG formula that it doesn’t feel like a copy-and-paste version of every other title trying to capture this corner of the market since the genre’s original boom, and for that alone, I would highly recommend it.

I genuinely can’t wait to dig deeper and deeper into the game. The late-game abilities already visible within the upgrade trees have me planning out full-game strategies ahead of time.

The story also feels like it’s shaping up to be another classic Warhammer 40K narrative, and I’ve been really enjoying what has unfolded so far.

Therefore, I give Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II a solid

8/10