The Space Hulk: Deathwing trailer is all about guns, knives, and really big clubs

The title of the new Space Hulk: Deathwing trailer, "Arsenal," suggests that it will provide information about all the various weaponry that will appear in the game, how you'll use them, and what effects they'll have on the enemy. But it's really more of a demonstration video, which is to say that it's two-and-a-half minutes of Genestealers getting shot, stabbed, blown up, set on fire, and otherwise turned into big meaty chunks.

It's all moving pretty quickly in the video, but I was able to put together a summary of the weapons in the game and their functionality:

  • Storm Bolter: For shooting things.
  • Redemption: Also for shooting things.
  • Force Sword: For chopping things into smaller things.
  • Thunder Hammer: For smashing things.
  • Storm Shield: For keeping things from smashing you. And also for smashing things.
  • Assault Cannon: For shooting a whole bunch of things in a hurry.
  • Plasma Cannon: For jamming at inopportune times, apparently.
  • Heavy Flamer: For setting things on fire.

Shooting (chopping/smashing/burning) things is all good fun, but what really works for me here are the level designs. It's basically a fantasy-RPG dungeon crammed inside a giant spaceship, which despite how silly it probably sounds if you say it out loud is basically my ultimate videogame setting. I'm not a rabid Warhammer 40K fan by any stretch, but I definitely want to try this game.

Space Hulk: Deathwing is available for preorder now on Steam, with a 15 percent discount and the Lost Mace of Corswain for those who buy in on faith. It's scheduled for release in November.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.