PC Critic Reviews

While lacking the polish and production value that saw the genre float into the mainstream this year, Rogue Trader is a refreshing CRPG experience that values everything that makes games like these so special. It's impossibly expansive, full of rich characters and stories, complex without being overencumbered, and so much more that doesn't fit into a snappy conclusion. Owlcat has really gone out of its way to bring the Warhammer 40K universe to life here, and in doing so, it's created one of the most memorable RPGs of the decade.

Despite a relatively large number of bugs and occasional outdated visuals, Rogue Trader remains a fantastic and massive RPG that is a clear must-play for all fans of the 41st millennium. It shouldn't be missed by enthusiasts of grim narratives and intricate turn-based combat either. Rogue Trader is filled with epic moments, decisions that shape the fate of entire star systems, and brutal rawness that makes delving into the world of Warhammer and the God-Emperor worthwhile.

The bugs get worse as the game goes on with frequent crashes and other problems spiking up in the third act and beyond. These are the same kind of issues that Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous had at launch, and fortunately in both cases the games subsequently became more stable and polished with future updates. So you may want to wait a little while before picking up Rogue Trader. However, even with the bugs, Rogue Trader is an excellent CRPG set in one of my favourite sci-fi settings, and I would be remiss not to give it a glowing recommendation.

As a reviewer, I cannot handwave this experience away even if Owlcat Games is a studio well-known for their strong post-launch support, yet rating the game on what I’ve actually played through would also be unfair to its final build. This is why this review comes out unscored with an update to follow once I had enough time and a chance to test some of the pricklier parts of the game that were problematic in the early version to compare the performance. Once done, this section will be dedicated the overall technical state of the game and the final thoughts.

Warhammer 40.000: Rogue Trader is another good RPG made by Owlcat Games, which captures the spirit of the original game.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader not only promises, but delivers the very thing it was designed to be – a meaty, authentic Warhammer 40k game that feels right at home in its RPG trappings.

Despite any flaws, in whatever gameplay area they might be found, Rogue Trader was undoubtedly created by people with passion and knowledge of the setting and lore, who sought to create an excellent Warhammer RPG and, for the most part, they succeeded.

Few fictional universes are as dense and impenetrable as that of Warhammer 40k. Owlcat Games (previously known for Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous have managed to create a gripping story of the darkness that lurks in man, accentuated by stellar writing and a combat system that masterfully increases in depth as the game goes on. Despite some bugs and technical issues, this easily counts among the very best delves into the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader treats the Games Workshop board game license with respect, granting the opportunity of fully immersing into a universe that fully meets the expectations of franchise’s fans. Owlcat Games has crafted a role-playing video game that guarantees a fair amount of freedom of choice with concrete consequences both in the development of the plot and in the balance of power within the Koronus Expanse. It's a shame for the technical state it is in, otherwise we’d have a masterpiece in our hands.

Rogue Trader is a late highlight for those looking for challenging combat and an exciting, if text-heavy, story.