The Warhammer 40K universe is a fascinating one, filled with a vast amount of lore and spreading across a wide array of multimedia. The various factions and armies that can be taken control of in the tabletop game are many, but the majority of the Warhammer 40K video games choose to focus much more purely on the Space Marine faction.
However, there are Warhammer 40K Universe games in which players have the option to play as other factions besides the Space Marines. There is even the chance given to fight the Space Marines on a number of these occasions in various ways.
7 Warhammer 40K: Rites Of War
An oddity for 1998, as all the Warhammer 40K games up to that point had featured the Space Marines as the prime playable characters and protagonists of the franchise, Rites of War was a turn-based strategy game focused on the Eldar Race. A highly-advanced, humanoid species whose empire once stretched across the stars, Rites of War focuses on the Eldar attempting to take back an ancient seat of power from Imperials.
When a Tyranid Hive Fleet invades the region, the Eldar and Imperials are forced to put aside their battle in the face of greater evil and fight together against the terrifying Tyranid forces. Great narratively, but at a stage when the Warhammer 40K games hadn’t quite found their niche with turn-based strategy, Rites of War is a fun but flawed experience for Warhammer 40K fans.
6 Warhammer 40K: Battle Sister
The Battle Sister faction is, in some respects, pretty similar to the Space Marines. Legendary warriors of the future, players don’t get a lot of opportunities to control members of this faction. An FPS VR game released in 2022, Battle Sister told a fascinating story and tried once again to bring shooter games in the Warhammer 40K universe to the forefront.
Including a campaign of five to six hours, the first VR game set in the Warhammer 40K Universe nails the storytelling and grittiness of that universe while allowing players to further explore a relatively untouched faction by most previous games. There is also a horde mode in the game that allows co-op with a second player.
5 Dakka Squadron
There are a variety of Warhammer 40K games set in outer space, aerial-based shooters that allow players the opportunity to engage in a completely different form of warfare. However, Dakka Squadron is one of the few times that players take on a different role than that of the Imperium while engaging in this sort of combat.
Orks in the Warhammer 40K universe are not generally considered “the good guys” due to their warlike, brutish nature. However, getting to play as an ork can be a lot of fun, and Dakka Squadron provides the opportunity for players to take on the role of an Ork Flyboy, fighting in the skies at a fast pace with a rocking soundtrack and a style completely different to the majority of Warhammer 40K content.
4 Warhammer 40K: Fire Warrior
Another race of beings that doesn’t get a lot of playtime in Warhammer 40K games are the T’au Empire. Probably the most tolerant race out of any in the Warhammer 40K universe, the T’au are comprised of various different races who believe in striving for the greater good and technological excellence.
Fire Warrior is an FPS game released in 2003 that allows the player to take on the role of a T’au Warrior attempting to rescue his leader from the Imperium and the Forces of Chaos. Including a fun multiplayer mode and a quick campaign that stretches over 24 hours of desperate battle, Fire Warrior was a fun and memorable experience in the Warhammer 40K world.
3 Warhammer 40K: Shootas, Blood & Teef
Another fast-paced game with an unusual style and a crazy name, it is no surprise to find that Shootas, Blood & Teef again allows the player to take on the role of an ork. This time, the game is a run-and-gun platform game in 2D. Released in 2022, this throwback, retro style was paired with a tongue-in-cheek tone as the name suggests.
The story features orks invading the planet Luteus, and players take on one of four classes of ork as they shoot their way through enemies and fill their “WAAAGH” meter to increase their rate of fire. A ridiculous but hilariously fun game, Shootas, Blood & Teef is a memorable attempt to showcase the fun side of orks, with an incredibly fun co-op campaign option.
2 Necromunda: Hired Gun
The Necromunda franchise is almost a separate entity from the Warhammer 40k games, but it is set in the same universe and players love both series. In Necromunda: Hired Gun, players take on the role of a mercenary who works for various factions as they seek to uncover plots surrounding a powerful gang in the underworld of Necromunda.
Hired Gun is an FPS game with a fun story that was very well-received when it was released in 2021. Proving the biggest success yet for the Necromunda side of the Warhammer 40K franchise in gaming, Hired Gun allows players to explore a fascinating world built within the larger Warhammer 40K Universe.
1 Warhammer 40k: Dawn Of War – Dark Crusade
Dawn of War is the best-known sub-franchise of any Warhammer 40K games. While the main Dawn of War games all generally focus on the Space Marines, Dark Crusade allowed players the opportunity in a real-time strategy game to take their pick of seven factions in the Warhammer 40K Universe to control as they tried to take over the planet Kronos.
One of the best RTS games that the franchise has come up with, Dark Crusade was a fantastic opportunity to explore races like the T’au, Eldar, and Chaos more in-depth than games usually allow players to do.