Warhammer: Chaosbane is an isometric Action RPG developed by Eko Software and published Bigben Interactive.
The game is set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe, but set 200 years before the reign of Karl Franz. Shortly after the Great War Against Chaos, the Empire of Man has enjoyed several years of peace under the reign of Emperor Magnus the Pious. However, peace never lasts, and the Forces of Chaos have once again struck against the Empire of Man. In this time of war, heroes must rise to combat the coming darkness, lest the Empire falls to the dread servants of the Dark Gods.
Players areable to take control of four heroes: Konrad Vollen (An Imperial Captain), Elontir (High Elf Archmage), Bragi Axebiter (A Dwarfen Slayer) and Elessa (Wood Elf Waywatcher). The game would later add Keela Gunnarsdottir (A Dwarf Engineer) to the lineup. Players will explore several cities of the Old World, from the then capitol-city of Nuln to the cursed city of Praag.
The game was released on May 31st, 2019 for PC and Xbox One, and on June 4th for Playstation 4.
This game provides examples of the following:
- Achilles in His Tent: Teclis is one of the most legendary wizards currently alive, and an absolute magical powerhouse even alone. However, he spends much of the early game holed up in a tower in Nuln, sending the player out to go get their hands dirty cleaning up threats he takes seriously but doesn't bother to engage with personally. In this case, it's justified as Emperor Magnus has been stricken by a curse, and he needs to remain nearby, periodically using his magic to stabilize him, a task for which no one else better qualified is available.
- Adaptational Wimp: In the tabletop fluff, the four Greater Daemons of the Ruinous Powers are unstoppable, army-shattering, city-sundering engines of destruction. Their approaching presences can destroy civilizations before they ever arrive in the material world. In the game, they're bosses that can be cut down by a single angry dwarf.
- Dual Wielding: Bragi Axebiter dual wields axes.
- The Fall Guy: With the reveal that Heinrich Voss was in cahoots with the Harbinger the whole time, his attempt to blame the Player Character for what happened to Magnus was meant to set them up as this, so that the aforementioned sorceress could continue her work unhindered.
- Fighter, Mage, Thief: The Captain and the Slayer are the close-combat specialists respectively specializing in defense and offense, the Waywatcher is a stealthy ranged character and the Archmage, obviously, is the magic-user.
- The Musketeer: The Imperial Captain wields to firearms
, alongside his melee weapon. - One-Man Army: No matter which hero the player picks, the game will end with literally thousands of cultists and Lesser Daemons dead in their wake. Even the dreaded Greater Daemons of Chaos (Great Unclean One, Bloodthirster, Keeper of Secrets and Lord of Change), all Physical Gods in their own right, are no match for the plucky slaughter machines.
- Our Demons Are Different: Pretty much every daemon in Warhammer lore appears here. Beasts of Nurgle? Check. Bloodcrushers? Right on. Seekers of Slaneesh? You’d better believe it. Flamers? Of course!
- Prequel: The game is set shortly after the Great War Against Chaos, 200 years before the current events of Warhammer Fantasy. During this time, the fourth Everchosen known as Asavar Kul (Archaon's predecessor) launched a massive chaos invasion on the realms of Kislev and the Empire. The invasion was repelled by the united forces of the Imperials and Kislevites, under the command of a noble named Magnus von Bildhofen of Nuln. After defeating the chaos forces and slaying Asavar Kul, Magnus was anointed Emperor and set about purging the remaining chaos warbands and reunifying the Empire.
- Take That!: When Diablo Immortal was announced for only mobile platforms, the devs of Chaosbane were quick to mock them for it.
