Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II Review: An Epic Clash of Flesh and Steel

If it weren't for video games based on Warhammer 40K, I don't think there's any chance I would have become as invested in this universe as I have these days. When I first played Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior on the PS2 back in the day, I became utterly obsessed with this unique universe that often blends science fiction and fantasy in some fascinating ways.

Warhammer is just as big in the space of video games as it is in the board game scene, and is poised to take over movie and TV screens in the near future. The future is bright for Warhammer, but at the moment, the franchise is producing some absolutely brilliant video games. The latest of which is Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II, the long-awaited sequel to a 2018 tactical action RPG from Bulwark Studios.

Mechanicus II takes place in the 40K setting, which errs more on the edge of science fiction than The Old World and Age of Sigmar. As in the first game, this spectacular sequel continues to chronicle the ongoing struggle between the robotic Necrons and the Adeptus Mechanicus.

If you enjoyed the first game, the sequel is going to be one you'll want to jump into immediately. Better yet, if you're a Warhammer fan, Mechanicus II expands and explores one of the more fascinating sides of the conflict in this enormous sci-fi universe.

Robots vs Wrestlers

The world of Warhammer has been the inspiration for so many amazing video games. Especially over the last decade or so, Warhammer video games have proven to be a fantastic gateway for someone looking to jump into the sprawling sci-fi universe that was created by Games Workshop over 40 years ago. Through the decades of revisions, new rulebooks and spin-offs, a number of incredible factions and settings have emerged.

After its short, yet incredibly helpful tutorial, Mechanicus II lets you choose between two factions. The Necrons are purely robotic aliens, while the Adaptus Mechanicus choose to combine their synthetic bodies with organic parts, including their brains. Though the two have similar characteristics on the surface, what makes them different is what Warhammer does so well.

Warhammer often explores the intersections between religion, philosophy, and morality in the middle of its bloody, gory campaigns, and Mechanicus II has that in spades. The aggressive relationship between the two is ultimately built for you to engage in battles, but the philosophical conflict is the breeding ground for their encounters.

Each faction has its own unique, compelling view of the world. It's easy to play both factions and find yourself thinking that both have merit to their perspective, which is exactly what you want in this kind of game. It's how similar they are that makes them so compelling, as you get the feeling that if you just sat them both down and had a long talk about it, maybe you could get them to get along.

The game's story largely unfolds through a series of cutscenes, and while it does sometimes make use of seemingly more budget-friendly 2D-style cutscenes, there are also some beautiful CG cutscenes. Growing up during the height of Blizzard and their use of high-quality CG cutscenes for Starcraft, it definitely gave me a bit of that familiar feeling. So many games in this genre skimp on the story, but Mechanicus II uses the strength of the already established Warhammer with the power of video game storytelling wonderfully.

An Addictive Tactical Experience

Once you've completed the tutorial and chosen your faction, the game really just drops you into this long-standing conflict. You have chosen a side, and the game makes that choice feel important. Whether you choose the Necrons or the Adaptus Mechanicus, the game reflects that in every possible way, as the aesthetic of your hub between missions is unique for each faction. It's a nice subtle detail that goes a long way.

Each mission drops you into a sort of mini-map, which has its own combination of skirmishes and events. The events rely on you making a choice that could give you some sort of advantage or debuff. These all have an outcome in your imminent battles, sometimes limiting your deployment or allowing you to have a temporary boost in some aspect of each turn.

It creates a fun loop, but it's something that we've seen quite a fair bit of in the genre. I don't think anyone was waiting for Warhammer to reinvent the wheel, and it's not bad in any way, but it's still worth noting that this is all fairly standard. It almost has the feeling of a roguelite without the respawning at the beginning, where each map has challenges and stopgaps before you reach the final skirmish.

The look of the world outside the skirmishes is actually lovely, as well. It goes through great effort to make it feel like you're playing a Warhammer board game. I'll admit, I've only played the board game with multiple people a few times, but the style of Mechanicus II does a fantastic job at approximating that through its top-down perspective and the way characters move along a grid like it's a toy. It's really cool to see it all in action.

Once battles begin, Mechanicus II drops you into dark, dreary maps that are built for large-scale skirmishes. These aren't random, and you can see them coming on the progress bar as you progress through the chosen mission, so you have a bit of time to prepare yourself. There's a fun extra bit of strategy where you know a skirmish is coming, but you know an event may give you a bit of an upper hand. Sometimes it's worth it, and sometimes it's not. Making those choices comes with its own risk, but each decision feels compelling to analyze.

Each battle unfolds in turns, but turns are not divided by each faction. Turns are assigned to each unit, which makes combat feel a lot more dangerous. Instead of each faction taking a turn, possibly overwhelming the other and leading to something that's either too easy or too punishing, the units all get individual turns. You can see which unit is coming up on the right, so you have a lot of time to max out your strategy.

A Welcome Return to the World of Grimdark Scifi

Performance on PC is absolutely stellar. Mechanicus targets and maintains a steady, smooth 60 FPS at 4K. I had absolutely zero drops, and the frame rate on PC is also uncapped. If you have an above-average rig, you'll get a lot more out of the game, as I routinely sat at over 100 FPS with no problems. The optimization is wonderful, and it's the next in a long line of Warhammer games that prioritize performance.

As is often expected in Warhammer games, Mechanicus II taps into the moody, atmospheric world beautifully. Music and sound effects are suitably loud, chunky, and aggressive. It also has some pretty enjoyable voice acting, which isn't always a guarantee in this genre. It's all in line with a very particular style, focusing on grim, unrelenting soliloquies about war, death, and the inevitability of doom. If Warhammer's penchant for disaster appeals to you, Mechanicus will make you feel right at home.

It is absolutely packed with content, missions, and skirmishes to experience. It's one of those games where you're never without something to do, as each trip to the hub offers loads of stuff to engage with. This is common with Warhammer games, as they are often overloaded with so much to enjoy at your own pace. Mechanicus II is no different in that regard.

Mechanicus II is the first of many Warhammer games coming out in 2026. This is going to be a big year for Warhammer fans, with Boltgun 2 and Dark Heresy in the coming months. If you're a Warhammer fan and looking for ways to kill time between your next campaign, Mechanicus II is a great place to start. You really don't want to miss out on what this game has to offer, and who knows, it may just get you involved in this gigantic franchise in more ways than one.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II is a slick, compelling tactical action RPG that focuses on hectic, chaotic combat and building out a world with genuine conflict. Each faction has its own unique feel to it, and you'll certainly want to experience both of them. There's not a ton that Mechanicus II is doing to stand out in a crowded genre, but the compelling world of Warhammer and smooth combat more than make up for that. Warhammer fans absolutely must check it out immediately, but newcomers to the franchise are also going to have a great time.