Recent reviews by 1stLt. Simfer

The game has been released in a so awful state that it's impossible to recommend it.
I know that the Age of Playtesting has ended some times ago and now all of us are Paytesters. What was formerly known as a release version in Day one now it's just a beta.
While Fatshark is not new to this kind of practice, both VT1 and VT2 were very playable at the beginning and the problems weren't a so insormountable obstacle to have fun with them.

Darktide has learnt no lessons from the previous Tide games and it's a more deplorable state.

It seems to promote a hybrid melee/ranged gameplay but it mediocre either in the single aspects and in the combination of them.
Melee gameplay is gimped by chip damage and the constant stream of shooting enemies, staggering your toon.
Ranged gameplay is disrupted by the usual FS shenanigans of enemies appearing at your back from thin air and clunky weapon swapping mechanics.
Stamina, which is used for parrying and sprinting, is constantly drained in a too fast rate. Sprinting has no utility for escaping the enemy, while slidiing is so short which is redundant. A bad copy of the excellent (even if more arcadeish) gunplay of BL3.
Let me tell you, that I still find the core gameplay engaging but it's quite frustrating to feel you are being cheated by the game instead on presented with a real difficulty.

Everything is ruled by RNG: missions you can play and items you can buy. A serious crafting system is still not in the game and the premises aren't good because they want to limit the possibility of creating your own weapons.

Achievements are divided into: interesting, easy, cheesy and toxic to complete.

I'm not entering in the MTX argument because many words have already been spent on it.

ATM there's no reason to buy it at full price. And be aware the Developers aren't listening any real feedback and are often patronizing and condescending.

Premise: I won't consider the changes to the combat or the talent tree because they are an update to the main game and not part of the DLC.

The DLC has the following content:

• The Beastmen enemy faction
  
• 1 new map to introduce the beastmen
  
• Weaves, which are an alternative mode of play
  
• 5 new weapons
  
• Cataclysm difficulty

Beastmen are a good faction on the paper. The problem is they are so OP their presence means a nearly sure wipe for the party. They hit like trucks, are fast and silent. They have archers who stagger you and spear infantry with a stupidly long reach.

The map could be good but with the beastmen is a chore to complete and it's just 1 map for a €17.00 DLC.

The Weaves are timed missions, in parts of the main game maps, modified by an effect. They are a completely different game from the main missions, you need a premade and I got bored after 2 or 3 maps. The pattern is nearly the same: collect essence and then go to an arena to fight some bosses and adds.

The 5 weapons are a nice addition. The only positive point in this mess of DLC.

I cannot say anything about Cataclysm difficulty because I need to complete again the Villains' maps again in Legend. Considering they changed the combat in a way my high ping cause me a lot of problems, reintroduced a lot of bugs and with the presence of the beastmen, it's a very difficult task.

Conclusion: Don't buy this, not even on sale.