Warhammer Classics brings dozens of lost games to Steam, including my blursed childhood favorite

There are dozens of Warhammer games, but not all of them are worth your time. For every mind-blowing strategy sim like Warhammer 40k Dawn of War, there’s a flop like Storm of Vengeance. But I remember playing one game as a kid that stuck with me to this day; a game I haven’t played since I was about ten years old, but made a huge impact on my young, impressionable mind: Warhammer 40,000 Fire Warrior. Now it’s coming to Steam alongside dozens of other games as a part of Warhammer Classics, and I can’t wait to see if it lives up to my rose-tinted nostalgia. Yes, I’m purposefully avoiding reading the internet’s takes.

Fire Warrior is one of seven games making their debuts on Steam as a part of the collection, joined by Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate, Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War, Warhammer: Dark Omen, Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior, and Warhammer: Mark of Chaos – Gold Edition.

However, there are a host of re-releases alongside the debutants, including the first two Dawn of War games, Battlefleet Gothic, and 17 more. Some, like Dawn of War, I’ve played to death. Others, like Rites of War, I didn’t know existed. Warhammer Classics is giving modern fans a chance to experience the games that shaped many of our childhoods, and to plug some gaps in our back catalogs.

SNEG, the developer and publisher behind Warhammer Classics, promises that these old games – some date as far back as the 1990s – have been updated so they’re compatible with modern systems, something I’ve yearned for when I remember picking up a Pulse Rifle in my younger days.

“Warhammer Classics is more than a collection of re-releases,” SNEG director Klapovskiy says in the press release. “It’s a clear statement of intent: that Warhammer’s foundational games matter, and that they are worth preserving, celebrated, and reintroduced to a global PC audience.”

With games delisted left, right, and center these days, preservation is more important than ever. And with Warhammer gaining popularity thanks to pandemic-boosted hobby time and fostering a welcome environment, what better time than to reintroduce a host of classic games to a modern audience who may have missed them the first time around. Some new players may not have even been born when these games first released, which is a terrifying thought.

The full list of games returning to Steam includes: Space Hulk, Space Hulk: Ascension, Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon, Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach, Talisman: Horus Heresy, Talisman: Origins, Man O’ War: Corsair – Warhammer Naval Battles, Warhammer Quest, Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times, Legacy of Dorn: Herald of Oblivion, Warhammer Underworlds – Shadespire Edition, Dawn of War, Dawn of War 2, Chainsaw Warrior, Chainsaw Warrior: Lords of Night, Dark Future: Blood Red States, Space Hulk: Tactics, Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition, and Blood Bowl 2: Legendary Edition.

The Warhammer Classics collection is available now on Steam, with a launch discount on all titles until Monday, April 20. You can find them here.

I’ve had a look at some Fire Warrior reviews online and, reader, I’m a little worried to dip back into my beloved shooter. Even if it hasn’t survived the test of time, I’m sure I’ll find another gem in this impressive list of resurrected titles.