Necromunda: Hired Gun is a highly acclaimed, if a little buggy, shooter based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and while it isn't for everyone, one thing it definitely succeeds at is creating an atmosphere that fits the grimdark world of Warhammer 40,000. Even so, some of the easter eggs found within the gritty depths of this bloody hive world may be lost on some gamers who are new to the Warhammer 40,000 aesthetic.
The incredible work done on the visuals of Necromunda: Hired Gun means that many of the details of Warhammer 40,000 make an appearance. Some of these are easier to detect than others, but all of these easter eggs speak to the incredible knowledge of the developers while working on this grimdark shooter.
10 Refractor Fields
This may not seem particularly obvious to gamers enjoying their first dive into the world of Warhammer 40,000, but the personal shields used by the main character in Necromunda: Hired Gun are canonically accurate to the universe of the 41st Millenium.
While they aren't nearly as effective at being the general shield the game advertises, energy weapons are easily absorbed by the shield found in the game. They are commonplace among Imperial Guard officers, tech-priests, and other similarly important figures. The developers use this lore as a subtle nod to the tabletop game.
9 Cypher Bounty Poster
Many of the easter eggs in Necromunda: Hired Gun appear when a curious fan looks at the various wanted posters, industrial notices, and other paper fliers floating around Necromunda. Despite the elusive nature of many of the wanted criminals, one appears that tops them all in that department: Cypher.
Cypher is an interesting anomaly that only a keen eye can pick out. He is pursued by a particular Space Marines Chapter: the Dark Angels. Wherever he appears, the Space Marines follow in pursuit. Therefore, although even the most skilled Warhammer 40,000 fan can pick out this poster, the fact that it exists is not a good sign.
8 Archeotech
Several missions in Necromunda: Hired Gun revolve around the recovery of, or death of, the owners of something called "archeotech." While new players may find this term confusing, given the science-fiction quality of the setting, veteran players will be familiar with the term as typical of the backwards Imperium of Man.
Archeotech is a broad term meaning any technology from before the Imperium became what it is in the 41st millennium. This stuff is expensive at this time, so it makes sense that the main character would seek it or use it.
7 Nihilus Pattern Lasgun Recall
Several posters seen around Necromunda are meant to add a humorous edge to this gritty sci-fi universe. One of these in particular features the lasgun, a staple, and quite brutal, weapon of the Imperial Guard. The poster is notifying Necromunda that a weapon that has been in use for 5,000 years was not up to normal quality, and is being recalled.
The scale in Warhammer 40,000 is a bit ridiculous sometimes, and this is a testament to the long-lasting nature of this universe.
6 The Law on Necromunda
Necromunda is a hive-world, meaning one of its chief exports to the Imperium is soldiers. But, these soldiers are sometimes given the honor of recruitment by the Space Marines, or other more prestigious organizations. In the opening cutscene of Necromunda: Hired Gun, such a presence is alluded to.
The law on Necromunda is loose, if present at all, and enforced by police called the Enforcers. When they say that someone worse may come down to the lower levels, they may mean the Space Marine chapter currently on Necromunda. Either way, not a group anyone wants to mess with.
5 Abhuman Signs
Many of the threats of the 41st millennium lie outside the Imperium's space. Aliens such as the Tyranids, demons, and other such abominations always lurk on the horizon, but the Imperium has also always been wary of the humans within their borders. This is because Abhumans are a possibility in toxic or irradiated areas, or even by design.
Some Abhumans are created by the Imperium for war, but either way, these grotesque mutant humans are universally despised. The signs everywhere on Necromunda that read "No ab humans Allowed" are an allusion to this.
4 Praising The Sun in the Hypogean Citadel
Curious fans sometimes stumble upon the strangest crossovers. In the Hypogean Citadel, keen-eyed fans of the series will notice the appearance of a golden sun with a skull in the center. Although the exact origin of this symbol is difficult to pin down, it has some resemblance to the iron halo around the symbol of the Novamarines, a successor chapter of the Ultramarines.
The fact that the Ultramarines are the most prominent chapter on Necromunda lends this theory some legitimacy. Either way, looking at this symbol for a while will create the iconic Dark Souls bonfire in the center of the room. While Warhammer fans are scratching their heads as to the origin of this symbol, they are spawning a subtle easter egg in an unlikely corner of the level, and this shows remarkable attention to detail.
3 Factory Manufacturing Sentinels
Many of the coolest set-pieces in Necromunda: Hired Gun revolve around the construction of war machines for use by the Imperial Guard. Although it is never directly stated, one of the missions in this grimdark shooter involves raiding a factory filled with Sentinels, a walker unit used often in the tabletop version of Warhammer 40,000.
These reconnaissance vehicles have to be made somewhere, and keen experts of the lore will instantly spot them upon starting this mission.
2 Plasma Reactors
While most of a hive city in this universe is powered sparingly, there are some things that require electricity, even in the 41st millennium. Therefore, plasma reactors are created to supply power using nuclear fusion. These reactors are often used on Imperial warships and other large machines.
In Necromunda: Hired Gun, the largest machines and trains are powered by plasma reactors. This is often an expensive form of power, though, so many of the residents of Necromunda have to survive without it. Several warning signs and bits of dialogue allude to the use of this technology on Necromunda during the train level, and fans who are paying attention to the lore of this series will spot it almost instantly.
1 The House of Helmawr
At the very beginning of Necromunda: Hired Gun, the main character and his companions enter the Underhive using an elevator with a clever easter egg next to it. Those Warhammer 40,000 fans who recognize the houses of Necromunda will be amazed to find a direct allusion to one on the sign behind the lift.
The House of Helmawr is the acting authority on Necromunda, at least above the Underhive. The creators of Necromunda: Hired Gun show here that they did their research into the politics of Necromunda, and it helps to create the dark atmosphere that the game is famous for.