Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader Switch 2 Review: Patch Work | The Gamerheads Podcast

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Also on: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

Price: $49.99

One of my favorite games is Fallout 2. The amount of choice it gave me as a player always really appealed to me. Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader recaptures that same magic. The amount of meaningful decisions, the depth of its RPG systems, and the tactical combat all come together in a way that is incredibly satisfying to play. It is one of the best CRPGs I have played.

Unfortunately, Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader is a tale of two games on the Nintendo Switch 2. When the game first launched, it was rough. There were moments when the game would freeze while it was auto saving, along with noticeable framerate issues when moving around the screen and during cut scenes. There was also no mouse support, which felt strange considering how well suited this game is for mouse controls. The game was playable, but barely. I stuck with it largely out of patience, because underneath those rough spots is an amazing game, and I really wanted to play it.

Gone are the crashes and the framerate problems.

Thankfully, a patch was released after launch that fixed the majority of the issues I experienced, and the game now plays much better. Gone are the crashes and the framerate problems. Mouse support was also added, which is great. However, I would have liked to see the game automatically switch to mouse controls when the Joy-Cons are detached. As it is currently implemented, I need to go into the settings to enable mouse controls. If I reconnect the Joy-Cons to my Switch, I then have to go back into the settings and change it back. It is a bit tedious, but at least mouse controls are now an option.

For those who have not played the game, Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader originally released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles in 2023. It has its roots in the TTRPG, highlighting different character archetypes, stats, and ship combat pulled from the original tabletop experience.

I didn't know much about the lore of Warhammer before playing Rogue Trader, and there is a lot of lore packed into this game.

Like any good RPG, the game starts with character creation. There is quite a bit to customize here, and like other CRPGs I have played, I select a character portrait for my character. I wanted my in game character to resemble that portrait, and with the number of available options, I was able to pull it off.

I didn't know much about the lore of Warhammer before playing Rogue Trader, and there is a lot of lore packed into this game. I get to pick my origin and my starting archetype, which is essentially my class. Each archetype also affects my base skills, such as weapon skill, strength, toughness, perception, and fellowship. As I progress through the game I find loot, and there is a lot of it, that can further modify these stats.

One thing I will say about the game is that there is a lot going on, and at times the bonus effects can be confusing to fully understand. There is definitely a learning curve to Rogue Trader. While the game’s introduction does a fairly decent job teaching the basics, the deeper I got into the game, the more complicated the systems became.

The game is very good at placing me in situations where I feel like I am making important decisions that will have meaningful consequences.

The game offers a lot of choice, and like I said in the opening, this is one of the main reasons I love Rogue Trader. For example, during one of the early missions, I run into a noble named Felek Orsellio, who claims that his mentor has gone mad and is holding Cassia hostage. At first, I agreed to work with him, but as I explored the outpost further, I started to uncover things that made me question Felek’s intentions.

After retrieving the item Felek sent me to collect, I decided to turn against him and killed all of his men. It felt like the right choice at the moment. The game is very good at placing me in situations where I feel like I am making important decisions that will have meaningful consequences.

The combat is fun, and fans of tactical RPGs will feel right at home with Rogue Trader. Each battle starts with me positioning my team. Cover is an important part of combat, so placing my characters in spots that protect them while still allowing them to support each other is key to success.

Friendly fire is also in play, and it goes both ways. There were several moments where I positioned myself so that an enemy was caught between my team and another foe, resulting in that enemy taking heavy damage from stray shots.

The amount of detail also impressed me. Whenever I equipped a new piece of gear, my character’s appearance would change based on what I was wearing. I was not expecting that level of detail, but it adds to the overall immersion of the game.

I really enjoyed the voice acting when it was present, and it felt like a void when it was not.

Leveling my characters’ archetypes opens up plenty of options, both in combat and during skill checks. I started building some characters to act as tanks, while others took on medic roles. I even built my main character as more of a military general who would hang back, fire from a distance, and provide buffs to the rest of the team. All of this added to the overall roleplaying aspect of the game, which I love.

The voice acting in the game is spectacular, but unfortunately, after the intro mission, it is mostly limited to cutscenes. There are a lot of lines of dialogue, and it would have been very costly to have everything fully voiced. That said, I really enjoyed the voice acting when it was present, and it felt like a void when it was not.

The game does have long loading screens, which becomes noticeable when moving from level to level. I have the patience for it, so it did not really bother me. Another thing I would have liked to see is the DLC content added to the game. From what I have read online, it sounds like that is the plan, although I am not sure whether those DLCs will be added at an additional cost or offered as free downloads.

Final Grade: B+

Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader really is a tale of two games. When the game first launched, it was rough to play. Framerate issues, freezing, and crashing all plagued the initial release on the Switch 2. Since its release, however, there has been a patch that has resolved many of these issues. My review score is based on the patched experience.

If you already own the game on the Switch 2, it is worth giving it another go, as many of the issues have been addressed. If you are thinking about picking it up for the first time, the game is in a much better state now than it was at launch. I just wish the game had been given an extra two to three weeks to fix these issues before its initial release.

Review code provided by UberStrategist PR