Warhammer 40K: Darktide is essentially a rampage simulator. Well, that’s the case if you choose to play as the Ogryn. With four classes to choose from, it may seem a difficult decision to make. However, let this article put those fears to rest. Why would you want to suffer through the grueling levels as a frail humanoid being, when you could instead be this hulking brute of muscle and brutality. When you play as an Ogryn, you are playing worlds apart from the other classes. This is what is feels like to play Ogryn Skullbreaker in Warhammer 40K: Darktide.
Ogryn Skullbreaker – not the eudaimonia I expected
The Ogryn. Or shall I say, the best thing to happen to gaming? A little exaggeration, sure, but the Ogryn, to put it simply, is the most fun I’ve had out of a multiplayer game in a long while.
To give you the basic run down of the creature in question, the Ogryn is one of four classes that you can play as in Warhammer 40K: Darktide. Not only does it hulk above the others, but is different in so many ways. Sure, the other three classes cover different niches and have different abilities, but there are some similarities between them.
Most importantly, however, the Ogryn is buckets of fun to play. It is difficult to put into words the feeling of power that arises when commanding the hardy beast. Such a feeling of strength and resilience that after a few games with the Ogryn you’ll forget the need for caution that the other classes require.
But not only is the Ogryn vastly different from the other classes, they are almost vital to any strike team. And that is no exaggeration. But what makes them so special?
Related: Warhammer 40K: Darktide Ogryn build and weapons
Playing with the beautiful beast
The Ogryn, on its own, is exceptionally fun to play. In Warhammer 40K: Darktide, you’ll be facing off against hundreds of enemies and dozens of more powerful enemies. With the Ogryn, however, there won’t be a problem.
An Ogryn’s niche is to be the ‘tank’, the tough one that is on the front lines. The sorry punter who goes in head-first and causes a big scene whilst the others pick off the hordes. In practice, you are so much more. Not just a tank, but a bulldozer. A vessel of pure, unrelenting power.
Let’s talk weapons. An Ogryn’s most used weapon will be its melee one. Although the provided weapons are strong and are great for crowd-clearing, the Ogryn’s toughness and health allow it to run straight into dangerous enemies swinging its club. Almost comically, you can get away with taking the heat from an entire horde as long as you keep swinging that club.
Nurgle’s forces will get battered aside, lobbed across the room, punted and wacked with zero remorse. And the best thing is, you won’t get punished for your overextension. This is the place of an Ogryn. You will be doing the most as you handle whole hordes single-handedly, as you blast powerful enemies to smithereens, as you take constant punishment, only to keep going.
It is comically easy, actually. And to top it off, the ability for the Ogryn is to charge forwards and knock aside every enemy in your way. A party-killing horde can be floored in seconds from the power of one Ogryn.
There is little that can stand in the way of one Ogryn in Warhammer 40K: Darktide. It is freeing, being able to just stomp around, crushing everything. Liberating, and hilarious.
Different from the others on every level
So, the Ogryn itself is a blast to play, but their very existence is hilarious, too. The other three classes can all equip the same weapons for the most part, with some class-specific exceptions. It is realistic, considering they all know how to shoot and are the same size.
This is not the case for the Ogryn.
Every weapon is exclusive to the Ogryn as they get tailored to their large hands and fat fingers. Even their clothing is XXXXXL.
Not only does it make sense and is humorous, but it makes the Ogryn even more unique than their fellow counterparts. Exclusive weapons gives the Ogryn an edge that other classes simply will never be able to compensate for.
On the field, Ogryns are much larger, as well. After extensive play-through with the Ogryn, I was unprepared for the POV and vulnerability of the other classes. I kept wanting to rush in as the Psykinetic, only to get slaughtered. And to see enemies much larger than me was an unusual sight.
When playing the game, there is a rather stressful aspect to playing any of the other classes. You must be careful and strategic. Sometimes, no matter your efforts, you’ll get overrun. All of that stress is alleviated when playing the Ogryn.
Now, I know this can also be boiled down to the fact that Ogryns require less skill to be effective, and the other classes require considerably more skill, and that is true. However, Ogryns are by far the most fun to play as. The complete separation from the other classes only enhances the almost comical aspect of their existence.
Not just fun, but vital
The great thing with Darktide is that, unlike Vermintide, a strike team can have any combination of four classes, so each game played will most likely have very different strike teams, creating new dynamics and tactics. Every strike team, however, will be doomed to fail if there isn’t at least one Ogryn in play.
If I could, I would play with strike teams entirely composed of Ogryns. Their arrogance to danger and shear strength topples any opponent and crashes down on any boss. Without an Ogryn, a strike team would have to fend off the unrelenting hordes by themselves, without a punch bag in the way.
It isn’t impossible, and doesn’t ensure defeat, but games go much more smoothly with a competent Ogryn or two.
Keep an eye on Gamer Journalist for more gaming and Warhammer 40K: Darktide content, such as every feat for the Ogryn.
Published: Dec 15, 2022 10:38 am