Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Game
Game2018
Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
Developer Proxy Studios
Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War is a turn-based strategy 4X video game developed by Proxy Studios and published by Slitherine Software for Windows and Linux on July 12, 2018. It is based on Games Workshop's tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
421 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
71
Fresh
199 positive · 81 negative
95% range 66–76%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 199 | 81 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 7 | 0 | 98 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Mastodon * | 1 | 0 | 15 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
8,008 of 10,022 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
71% recommend · 177 yes, 71 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 248 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (15,430 of 18,879 positive).
Players praise the game's focused combat and strategic depth. [1][2][3] Many criticize the extensive DLC model as exploitative. [4][5][6] Some note the game is best enjoyed on sale or with friends. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
Its one of my favourite games and I cant recommend it. I love the Civ without diplomacy, focusing just on tactics and fighting, Id love to have more friends to play it with me. But again, I cant recommend it. I absolutely LOATHE the practice of making base game a cheap "demo" and then ripping gamers off with additional 20+ dlcs to finally make it into a proper game, but one that cost as much as several other games …
- [1]
The 4X genre has been languishing in mediocrity of late...pushing out unrefined titles with a mess of unconnected ideas piled on top of each other, incompetent AI, and unreadable presentations (looking at you Civ VII). Galdius is none of the above. It is a stripped down 4X that is laser focused on War and Combat. Where some 4X weirdos may criticize the lack of 4X staples/conventions I think Gladius' focused and …
- [2]
It is a brutal, deeply satisfying strategy game that perfectly captures the tone and atmosphere of the Warhammer 40K universe — I fell in love with it almost instantly. Every faction feels distinct and true to its lore, and your choice of army genuinely changes how the game is played. Maining Necrons in particular — watching your forces slowly awaken, snowball in power, and become an unstoppable mechanical tide — …
- [3]
Gladius taught me that I don't hate strategy games, I just hate micromanaging 40 different things in strategy games. It's minimal approach, with little to micromanage and a focus making your little dudes fight makes this a game I wish I picked up sooner. Pull off the 40k coat of paint, and it stands up as a really good straight forward strategy game at it's core, and that's what's great about it.
- [7]
This game is basically a turn-based version of a traditional RTS. There is no diplomatic, trade, technology or other alternatives in gameplay; just straight up combat. Build a city or cities, capture resource points, build an army and kill the enemy. Basic gameplay but its WH40k and turn-based, if you like both of those things then you may want to snag it when its on a big sale, otherwise I'd pass.
Summarised from 34 of the 344 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War talk about deep, satisfying turn-based combat; those who didn't talk about aggressive DLC policy with many paywalled factions. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Gladius – Relics of War received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. Leana Hafer of IGN called Gladius "a really well-done, turn-based 40K wargame." Tom Senior of PC Gamer summarized that the game is "[a] plodding and predictable 4X strategy game that's relaxing in its own way, but rarely challenging." Davide Pessach of Eurogamer gave seven out of ten to the Tyranids expansion.
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 421 · most liked firstyou sometimes forget just how much WW1 fucked up Britain until you, uh, look at any of their art, watch any of their shows, read any of their poems, or play a single game of Warhammer 40,000
neutral · AI labelView post →The PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for March includes: 🛡️ Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 🏈 EA Sports Madden NFL 26 🃏 Persona 5 Royal 🩸 Blasphemous 2 …and more. The full lineup play.st/4rqomTq
neutral · AI labelView post →Its one of my favourite games and I cant recommend it. I love the Civ without diplomacy, focusing just on tactics and fighting, Id love to have more friends to play it with me. But again, I cant recommend it. I absolutely LOATHE the practice of making base game a cheap "demo" and then ripping gamers off with additional 20+ dlcs to finally make it into a proper game, but one that cost as much as several other games combined. Why would I recommend this game to a friend, asking them to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Happy Cirno Sunday! The current vibe is thinking about Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun! ngl Boltgun was a tough game 😤 the game was filled to the brim with thrilling combat, and the levels were fun to explore, it was an awesome game! I hope you have a wonderful day, I send love and positivity your way 💛☺️
neutral · AI labelView post →introducing Warhammer Survivors, created by @aurochdigital.bsky.social using the official Vampire Survivors engine 🔥 get ready to see the Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar universes together in a standalone game that's part of our official Survivors lineage! Coming 2026 😈
neutral · AI labelView post →Forcing everyone to pay $150 for a game is absurd, to say the least. The game itself is amazing, just like Civ 6, but the whole “buy all our DLCs for $10,000” model feels like a scam and a complete lack of respect for the customer. I honestly don’t understand what universe the developers are living in. At this point, people can just keep playing the pirated version without feeling bad about it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The base is game free, a tempting sight, Yet hollow worlds bind us with little fight. DLC's are the key, or naught else you’ll find, A barren land, no hope, a waste of time. Be bold and save your gold, don’t waste your days, No yearn for endless wars that go sideways. Learn from me and heed the sign, Don’t let this fate become yours like mine. Edit: Spelling
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One thing I love about Warhammer 40,000 is that it always starts with playing a wonderful game, 'Who is Your Warlord and What Does He Do?'
neutral · AI labelView post →English / Français If you add 200$ to your "free" game you can : _ Make the game playable _ Do all the paywalled Steam-Achievements _ Have your epic-online-spyware on your computer (this one is free btw) ------------------------- Si vous ajouter 200€ à votre "jeu gratuit" vous pourrez : _ Rendre le jeu jouable _ Accéder à tous les Succès Steam (dlc obligatoires) _ Avoir votre logiciel-espion Epic-Online installé sur votre ordinateur (celui là est gratuit héhé)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →there’s a sci fi game/expanded universe called Warhammer 40,000 where people called “blanks” have no soul and everyone else reacts to them with an instinctive disgust before they even know what they are. It’s probably the same feeling seeing people on here talk about their Claude prompts
neutral · AI labelView post →This game just disappoints me so hard. It's managed to breathe fresh air into the often diplomacy or "tall-gameplay" focused games of its kind. It is set in the Warhammer universe to boot... Unfortunately, it fails so fundamentally as a single-player 4X experience, and crumbles under its own decisions down the line. Gladius has iterated on what other "Civ-like" 4X games are already good at - the early game. It is filled with combat instead of relying on just city-building. The exploration…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Titles leaving Game Pass in 2 weeks: -Yakuza 3 & 4 Remastered -Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun -Maneater -GRIS -Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty -Space Engineers -Paw Patrol World
neutral · AI labelView post →Here's the thing: This game is fun. If it wasn't for the absolutly scummy DLC packages, I would recommend this to everyone who likes turn based strategy. Each of the four starter races feels indavidual and not just a rehash of the other. You very much find yourself muttering "Just one more turn" There's no story mode, and some parts of the game certinaly feel like they were done on a budget, so the game's not perfect. If you're going to get it just don't pay full price.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (2023) is presently 60% off on Steam!
neutral · AI labelView post →We're excited to share the new artwork for Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2🔥 Nyra takes takes centre stage alongside Malum on a battlefield of Chaos factions. Thank you @wire.xbox.com for revealing the new artwork, which was created by Johan Grenier who also made the original Boltgun art too!
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer 40,000 Imperial Knight video game. Requires Steel Battalion controller
neutral · AI labelView post →Xbox Game Pass continues strong. • May 29 | Metaphor ReFantazio • June 10 | Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition • June 13 | The Alters • June 17 | FBC: Firebreak • June 17 | Lost in Random: The Eternal Dice • June 19 | Rematch
neutral · AI labelView post →Coming to Game Pass news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/0... Today -Avowed 2/20 -EA Sports F1 24 -Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (Standard) 2/25 -Watch Dogs: Legion (Standard)
neutral · AI labelView post →The best Warhammer 40,000. The best Codex. The best game. #Warhammer40000
neutral · AI labelView post →I love how insanely board games stretch fictional time. We played this five hour game of Warhammer 40,000 (Kill Team). Epic, thrilling, full of suspense. My brother in christ, in reality it would be like 30 seconds.
neutral · AI labelView post →THE GAME: Warhammer 40,000 is a squad-level minatures game, which means it is about moving little men across a table which represents part of a planet and pretending that the little men are shooting and punching each other. Jules Verne did this too, so it's intellectual
neutral · AI labelView post →It is a pretty good game and the gameplay is engaging, but the DLC policy would make paradox blush. Not only are the other factions sold for 16 euros a piece, that is not the complete unit roster! There are several 'additional unit packs' where you have to pay to get an assortment of units for all the factions, which I consider to be extremely expensive and just not worth it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Rather than a full game review, this is a warning related to the DLC strategy of Gladius which feels like a new low in gamer milking. I'm fine with paying to play post-launch factions, but here you can't even play against 7 of the 11 factions of Gladius in single player if you don't buy the related DLC. You'll face only Space Marines, Orks, Necrons and the Imperial Guard. You won't see any Tyranids, Chaos Marines, Tau, Eldars, Mechanicus, Sororitas or Dark Eldars. If you want…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →More about our next game, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy - store.steampowered.com/news/app/371...
neutral · AI labelView post →Here's a quick list of recently released and upcoming games developed/published by them: > - Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 > - Exploding Kittens VR > - A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead > - MudRunner VR > - Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered > - RoadCraft > - World War Z VR > - The Knightling > - Docked > - John Carpenter's Toxic Commando > - Bus Bound > - Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival > - Road Kings > - Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered > - Jurassic Park Survival > - Rails of Fury: Train…
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is $19.79 on Steam buff.ly/j37Ajyf $27.99 US PSN buff.ly/JBNcMVa PS5/XSX $29.99 Amazon amzn.to/3OKFmDl #ad Deck playable also on Game Pass Premium
neutral · AI labelView post →There's a solid tactical game here, fun even if it becomes a bit tedious towards late game. My thumbs down however, is because the vast majority of content is in the DLC and the base game feels barebones. I don't want to encourage such a predatory DLC model.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR edition, it's a good game but hampered by it's DLC policy and pricing, and it makes me angry. I've seen people recommend this game while mentioning the same arguments as I have, and frankly I've enjoyed my time with the game. That’s why I'm on the fence not recommending it. If you're prepared to pay for it, or of there's a good discount, you can get it and have fun with it, the game itself is good. I've completed 1.5 playthroughs as of now, without any DLCs. I'm not very proficient in…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate/PC: • Today | Avowed • Feb 20 | EA Sports F1 24 • Feb 20 | Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader • Feb 25 | Watch Dogs: Legion Watch Dogs: Legion and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader also coming to Standard. news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →I got this game for free like 4 years ago. I never played it until like 3 weeks ago for some reason. Holy Fudruckers (The burger joint) this game is based AF. 10/10 would WAAAAAAGH! again.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Base game is OK, but you need buy a bunch of overpriced DLC to actually make the game enjoyable or to have the true 40k experience.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love this game so much that I was going to buy a steamdeck just to play it when I start traveling soon. Now that it is always online, I'm seriously considering my purchase as I don't have many other games I'm interested in that would warrant a deck. I'll change my mind if this goes back to offline, but I doubt it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 is officially in development, Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive have announced. www.videogameschronicle.com/news/warhamm...
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 got a new update today that added in FSR 3, making the game look nicer on the #SteamDeck without harming performance: steamdeckhq.com/warhammer-40...
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is $10.99 on US PSN buff.ly/3P87oIP $9.89 XBL buff.ly/3YgmGiL (Steam) $12.09 Gamebillet buff.ly/4gScdBP also on Game Pass Standard
neutral · AI labelView post →I've played Total War: Warhammer 40,000, and I think it might be the "definitive" game for the 40k setting it's aiming to be www.eurogamer.net/total-war-wa...
neutral · AI labelView post →Games Coming to Game Pass Core on October 1 -Cities: Skylines – Remastered -Disney Dreamlight Valley -Warhammer 40,000: Darktide news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →Spring Sale has already begun on EGS and PlayStation! Grab Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and additional content for the game with discounts up to 45%!
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer game naming scheme: Warhammer 40,000: (Scary word)(Word that would be used in relation to the inquisition)
neutral · AI labelView post →'Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition' launches June 10th on Xbox Series and PC. Also Game Pass Day One. youtu.be/UvStsBY9fTI?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass: Death Stranding Director’s Cut, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, and more! news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →DLC philosophy is a discussion for later- this is solely about the quality of the game itself. On that merit, all the starting factions are very strong in their own rights. Basic, maybe, but complex doesn't mean good- Tau are a shining example of that. You aren't screwed out of the game for playing one faction over another, because all of them have their advantages. ...alright let's talk the DLC. More than likely the Developers are not at fault for the DLC philosophy. This is a pattern in…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Henry Cavill's Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe Finally Gets a Meaningful Update as Games Workshop Makes Significant Amazon Announcements.
neutral · AI labelView post →Total War: Warhammer 40,000 wins best PC game at Gamescom.
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War Almost a good game. It's such an immense disappointment that 90% of the game is locked behind additional paywalls.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is great, but you can't use unit DLCs in multiplayer if the host doesn't own it. Very greedy or very stupid, either way very dissapointing.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While God of War Ragnarok is an amazing game, I believe Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader should have won the Best Game on #SteamDeck award at the 2024 Steam Awards: steamdeckhq.com/warhammer-40...
neutral · AI labelView post →The game is fun at its base. The 4 initial factions have interesting mechanics that make them look at the map in different ways. If this game is on sale or free (such as during warhammer skulls, when I got it), count this as a recommendation, it's a pretty fun way of spending 3-6 hours. In particular I like the way they handle building units, the outposts that tempt you to spread yourself too thin, and the hard pressure from neutral monsters in the first few turns. However to me these kind of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is basically a turn-based version of a traditional RTS. There is no diplomatic, trade, technology or other alternatives in gameplay; just straight up combat. Build a city or cities, capture resource points, build an army and kill the enemy. Basic gameplay but its WH40k and turn-based, if you like both of those things then you may want to snag it when its on a big sale, otherwise I'd pass.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A huge thank you to everyone who has played and reviewed Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 so far. Reviews help us a lot and we appreciate every single one! We are very proud to be rated at 93% on Steam by our amazing players. Please leave us a game review if you get the chance. ❤️ For the Emperor!
neutral · AI labelView post →Alright to start, I've previously had tons of fun with this game. It's nice and straightforward and scratches that 'slow planetary conquering' itch. Love my Necrons, even have fun playing the Guard and setting up for unending fortified warfare. It's been said elsewhere: The DLC situation is beyond scummy. One new unit per race is in no way worth it; it doesn't introduce anything new, it doesn't change the game at all, it's not worth it. Came to play the game for the first time in about a year…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ep. 465 - It’s Not Called Peacehammer Only the Insert Credit panel could cover the fan response to Bioware’s closure, explain all of Warhammer 40,000 in six minutes, and design a Nathan Fielder video game. insertcredit.com/show/465
neutral · AI labelView post →What happens when a game character comes to life and turns into a real physical figurine? It may just find its way into the Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy Collector’s Edition and even shape the appearance of your future companion! The article in the comment section below!
neutral · AI labelView post →So I’d written about the first Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine before, which I’d assumed was the first ever Games Workshop Space Marine, but turns out that accolade goes to ‘Doctor Who: The Game of Time & Space’ from 1980.
neutral · AI labelView post →its an overall fun 4X Hex-Grid based strategy game and the Warhammer aspect of it is cool, but there's a severe lack of overall quality in the game. My main problem though is just how many DLCs there are and the price of them. Free updates never happen, only paid DLCs that are not worth the lack of quality as I already mentioned. It's the same problem that plagues every Warhammer strategy game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pre-Warhammer 40,000 game selfie. Taking my Eldar out today for the first time.
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV – Official Game Overview Trailer.
neutral · AI labelView post →> It’s been the biggest mystery of the year: What video game publisher will have the guts to go up against Grand Theft Auto this November? An empty fall release date schedule left some major questions as players waited to see where anticipated games like Marvel’s Wolverine and Control Resonant would land. After today’s PlayStation State of Play, we finally have our answer to that question: No one. November remains wide open for GTA 6 as it appears that every major holiday video game will…
neutral · AI labelView post →WIsh I could say the game is good but the balance is actual dogsh*t, there is absolutely no reason certain units should be so busted whilst others are utter garbage. IF you buy this game and play it, prepare to mod EVERYTHING. Cuz these devs did not give two sh*ts about balance and fun.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played about 7h. And here are my thoughts (I am an avid player of strategy games, especially 4x, been playing since the Civ3 days). - Graphics is ok, the color palette is too muted for my taste. Everything is a shade of shi**, khm, brown. - When buying the base game you are getting a really cut down version, as someone who has experience with both Paradox and Total war Modus Operandi I wasn't surprised. However it is really bare bones, at least in the aforementioned titles you get a bit…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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