Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a game I’ve been eagerly anticipating for a considerable time. It’s not precisely the first 40k video game I envisioned – that would be the Primarch fighting game my friends and I concocted when we were 11 – but ever since outgrowing my youthful “wow, cool Space Marine” phase, I’ve yearned for a 40k game that truly delves into the intricate details of the setting.
The Imperium, the form that human society assumes in the bleak darkness of the distant future, is undoubtedly the most captivating aspect of 40k – yet it is often obscured. Adaptations of 40k tend to either fully embrace the action or adhere to the warfare and high-level strategy of the tabletop game. Additionally, I suspect that Games Workshop’s need to market to children clashes with the truly terrifying nature of the Imperium. After all, it’s far simpler to convince Little Timmy’s Mum to splurge on toy soldiers when they are portrayed as heroic defenders of humanity, rather than the brainwashed fascist enforcers they actually are. Consequently, the darkly satirical elements of 40k tend to be buried in the novels and other ancillary media, making it all too easy to take the surface appearance at face value.
Owlcat Games’ Rogue Trader is based on the 2009 pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, which comes as no surprise; the studio made its mark with adaptations of the Pathfinder RPG. If you’ve played Kingmaker or Wrath of the Righteous, the broad outlines of Rogue Trader will be instantly recognizable: a party-based CRPG that closely adheres to the pen-and-paper original, combining an expansive narrative with in-depth turn-based tactical combat. After creating your character, you’ll go through an introductory section before being thrust into a position of power – one that conveniently allows for both agonizing decision-making and adventurous gallivanting. The significant difference this time lies in the scale. After all, 40k is all about maximalism. Everything is larger, more menacing, and defined by an insatiable urge for more.
Rogue Trader – reveal trailer
Meanwhile, the position of rogue trader is a distinctive one within the Imperium, with freedoms beyond the reach of the vast masses of its strict, theocratic society. As the name implies, they are merchant princes empowered to do almost anything in the name of generating profit for the Imperium and expanding its boundaries, somewhat like Del Boy Trotter in charge of the East India Trading Company. Your character in Rogue Trader, therefore, is not some novice adventurer; rather, the origin you select makes you a high-ranking military officer, a crime lord, or a noble, someone already accomplished and significant. Not only that, you are a potential heir to the Von Valencius rogue trader dynasty. (Spoilers: you quickly find yourself entrusted with the job.)
As a result, your character is not simply wandering around in a fantasy version of France or something similar; instead, you have an entire galactic sector to explore, with your decisions shaping the fate of planets inhabited by millions. Your ship is manned by tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people, entire clans of serfs who are born, live, work, and die on the ship without seeing more than a couple of decks, let alone leaving the ship. You’ll engage in space battles, manage colonies, and direct massive planetary assaults. But at its core, this is still very much a party-based tactical game. The majority of the time is spent traversing dungeon-like environments and engaging in intense combat.
And, oh my, the combat in Rogue Trader is a thrilling and challenging experience. At its best, it is a complex and brutal brainteaser that requires you to outmaneuver and defeat your opponents before being overwhelmed by their firepower – though it may take some time to master.
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