Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a cooperative first-person action game by Fatshark for up to four players. Five heroes defend themselves during the End Times in the Warhammer fantasy universe against the combined forces of Skaven and Chaos. The missions combine close-quarters combat, ranged weapons and group coordination with a loot system and different hero careers.

The focus is on repeatable missions and teamwork, not on an open single-player world.

The PC version came out on Mar 8, 2018, and the Xbox One version on Jul 11, 2018. The PlayStation 4 release followed in December 2018; Fatshark dated the general launch to Dec 18, while some regional PlayStation Stores list Dec 17.

On Xbox Series X|S, the game is optimised for the newer console generation. This should not be confused with a newly released standalone game. Larger free and paid expansions have permanently added to the offering since 2018.

The base game is available on Windows PC via Steam, on PlayStation 4 and on Xbox One. The Xbox Store lists use on Xbox Series X|S, including optimisation. The PlayStation Store, however, lists a PS4 product that can be played on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility. This does not mean there is a separate native PS5 version.

Co-op on consoles requires the respective online services. The Steam store also lists single-player games with AI companions and online co-op.

The five playable heroes have different career paths with their own abilities, talents and weapons. Teams coordinate their approach, switch between melee and ranged combat, and react to changing enemy lineups. After missions, players upgrade their gear and develop personal combinations of weapons and talents.

The difficulty rises across several levels. The Heroic Deeds system adds further challenges with altered mission conditions. A team consists of up to four heroes.

The major paid expansions include Winds of Magic, Back to Ubersreik and Shadows over Bögenhafen. Fatshark also offers further playable career paths such as Grail Knight, Outcast Engineer, Sister of the Thorn, Warrior Priest and Necromancer. In addition, free content expanded the missions and modes, including Chaos Wastes. Content and availability may vary by platform and edition.

The Steam product page lists Windows 10 (64-bit), at least 6 GB RAM and 60 GB of free storage. As a starting point, it names a Core i5-2300 or AMD FX-4350 and a GeForce GTX 460 or Radeon HD 5870. The recommended setup calls for 8 GB RAM and more powerful processors and graphics cards. A broadband connection is required for online play.

With Chaos Wastes, Vermintide 2 received a permanently available, free expedition mode. A group chooses routes through several areas and gains new weapons, perks and other aids during each run. Many of these improvements only apply to the current expedition. Fatshark describes the mode explicitly as a roguelite variant within the game.

The free Versus mode pits two groups against each other in different roles: one team controls the four heroes, while the other controls special enemy characters. The roles switch over several rounds. Unlike the cooperative campaign, directly controlled opponents also affect what happens here. The mode is listed on Steam as free content; this does not mean every console version automatically includes it.