2024 has become the year that I’ve fully devoted myself to The God Emperor of Mankind. It started with a friend getting me into a tabletop game. Then, it eventually bled over to the books and video games. With that being said, the Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Grim Protocols update only tightens that grip. Darktide has been out for a little over two years now, and it’s nice to see the team over at Fatshark continuously update the game with quality content. Similar to the Secrets Of The Machine God DLC, Grim Protocols introduces various new content that both newcomers and veterans of the game can enjoy.
The bulk of Grim Protocols DLC has the Rejects travel to the slums of Carnival simply because it’s inhabited by heretics who worship chaos in the new Dark Communion mission. Instead of sending in a recon squad to simply get a lay of the land, the Imperium does the logical thing of sending in a small team to kill everyone there in the name of the God Emperor himself. One thing I greatly appreciated about Dark Communion was how easy it was to follow the story. Most of the time, in horde-based games, the story can take a back seat, and Darktide falls into that category occasionally, but that wasn’t the case this time, which made it much more enjoyable.
On top of that, Dark Communion leans a lot more into the horror genre this time around. As previously stated, Imperium makes it extremely clear that they’re unsure of what’s ahead, which creates fun interactions for the player. Without spoiling too much of the plot, there are plenty of moments where you hear voices and face unique enemies that you wouldn’t have expected. This is a welcomed twist because it kept me on my toes the whole time. On top of trying to slay heretics, I was trying to uncover whatever mystery I was just thrown into. The ending left me wanting more because of what was teased at the end.
In addition to introducing a new story mission, the Grim Protocols DLC adds a few new weapons for players, most of which are swords. That said, Fatshark also introduced the Heavy Stubber, a gun that only the Ogryn could use. For those unfamiliar with Heavy Stubber, it’s essentially a giant machine gun that goes on vehicles in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It was surprising that it took this long for the Ogryns to receive this weapon because it pairs great with them. This gun is primarily meant to quickly mow down enemies and is perfect for making those who play as Ogryns feel unstoppable.
Long-time fans may be excited to hear that Fatshark even added a new end-game mode called Havoc, which consists of eight missions and four unique mutators. Of course, this mode is meant for players who are already level 30 and looking for a tougher challenge. After completing one of the eight missions, players can earn high-end gear such as the Moebian 53rd black set, titles, and more. Admittedly, I had a tough time completing a single mission, but that was mainly because I played with a lobby full of bots, not because I was bad at the game.
Overall, my experience with Grim Protocols was largely positive. It adds enough content for both old and new players alike to enjoy. The Dark Communion mission is a fantastic one to play, especially if you’re a fan of the Astra Militarum because it captures a lot of the horror and mystery they face daily in the Warhammer lore. At the same time, we are setting up a story for future DLC. And Havoc is a nice cherry on top for those looking for a tougher challenge.
