Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm
Third expansion adding aerial units and two new factions.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm is the third expansion to the real-time strategy game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, developed by Iron Lore Entertainment. It introduces two new playable factions—the Imperial Sisters of Battle and the Dark Eldar—and is a stand-alone title that does not require the original disc to run. The expansion adds aerial units and a Risk-style meta-campaign across multiple planets and moons.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Iron Lore Entertainment; Relic Entertainment (patches)
- Designer
- Ian Frazier
- Programmer
- Keith Patella
- Artist
- Brian Parnell
- Composer
- Inon Zur
- Series
- Warhammer 40,000
- Released
- March 4, 2008 (NA); March 6, 2008 (AUS); March 7, 2008 (EU)
- Genre
- Real-time strategy
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Strategy gameplay resembles earlier Dawn of War titles, with the addition of an aerial unit for each faction effective against vehicles or structures. The meta-campaign, similar to Dark Crusade, features 31 territories across four planets and three moons, but unlike its predecessor, there are no persistent bases—structures built in a conquered territory do not carry over, except for purchased reinforcements or a forward base ability unique to the Sisters of Battle. Each faction begins with a unique passive ability; conquering a faction's stronghold province and eliminating them grants that ability to the conqueror. Attacking army strength is determined by army size rather than the province's strength. Multiplayer supports LAN or GameSpy network play, and a medal system rewards milestones such as a 5-to-1 kill ratio, though no interface exists to view the full collection. An official patch was expected to address this and other issues, including restrictions preventing some players from joining online games.
Plot
The Kaurava conflict begins when a Warp Storm appears near Kaurava IV. The system, previously held by the Imperium and defended by the Imperial Guard, contained Ork-infested jungles on Kaurava II and dormant Necron tombs beneath Kaurava III. The warp storm awakens the Necrons and draws Ork warboss Gorgutz, who absorbs local primitive Orks. Six other factions arrive: Eldar under Farseer Caerys respond to the Necron awakening; the Imperial Guard faces suspicion of heresy from the Blood Ravens and Sisters of Battle, sparking conflict among the three Imperial factions; a Chaos warband of the Alpha Legion uses the warpstorm; the Tau seek to annex the system; and the Dark Eldar exploit the chaos to capture prisoners. Multiple endings exist. In the Chaos ending, an ignorant Imperial Guardsman with latent psyker genes, influenced by the Chaos Gods, unknowingly summons the Alpha Legion, turning Kaurava into a staging ground. The Imperial Guard ending sees Vance Stubbs clearing the defenders of heresy, with survivors treated well and the system recolonized except for Kaurava III. The Blood Ravens show mercy and establish Kaurava as a fortress-system. The Eldar defeat all enemies, conceal evidence, and prevent colonization of Kaurava III. The Tau make Kaurava a system of great importance in their empire.
Development
Iron Lore Entertainment developed Soulstorm as the third expansion to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. On January 13, 2008, Relic released a 1.12 GB demo on several gaming websites, allowing players to play a tutorial, one skirmish, and one scenario map as the Dark Eldar; the demo's loading screens displayed the new flying units. The scenario depicted a Dark Eldar assault on a Space Marine stronghold, mirroring a campaign battle. The game launched in North America on March 4, 2008, with a later release elsewhere. After official patch support ended, the community produced unofficial patches.
Reception
Soulstorm received mixed or average reviews according to Metacritic. Eurogamer rated it 6 out of 10, noting the game remained thrilling but was starting to look ragged and offered too little. GameRevolution praised the map count, single-player content, multiplayer, and performance while citing aging graphics and uninteresting new factions. GameSpot and IGN commended the new factions, setting, aerial units, and atmosphere but criticized the lack of innovation and similarity to Dark Crusade. GamesRadar appreciated balance changes and solid multiplayer but found the campaign weak and the engine dated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm available on?
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm was released for Microsoft Windows.
Who designed Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm?
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm was designed by Ian Frazier.
Who composed the music for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm?
The music for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm was composed by Inon Zur.
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