Space Hulk Review (Games Workshop)
Ah Space Hulk…You wonderful overpriced bastard! Space Hulk is one of the few “self-contained” games put out by Games Workshop. Coming up on its 20th anniversary, Space Hulk has a dedicated core fanbase online which keeps the game going strong with house rules, custom missions, as well as original rule compilations. A series of computer and home console games came out based on this game since its first release back in 1989 and has reached almost “cult” status in the miniature gaming world.
Space Hulk is set in GW’s 40k backdrop where derelict spaceships and space stations are drifting in the void of space. Contained within these hulks the alien threat known as the Genestealers lurk, spreading their geneseed throughout the galaxy. One player plays as the Space Marine Terminators sent to explore these wrecks and eliminate the other player who plays as the Genestealers.
Contained within the box is everything that is needed to play which is rare (actually non- existent) for a current GW release. Overall the components are adequate for what they need to do. The graphics are pretty good for the technology available for mass production at the time. They would be sub-par by today’s standards but for me the slightly simplistic look adds a level of charm and character to the game that no re-release would ever capture (no I don’t know about any re-release rumors so don’t ask me).
I’m going to bypass the typical rules rundown because GW has produced two expansions for the first edition of the game and the second edition of the game had a rule overhaul. When combined with the player created mods and rules and other information you find online this is a game you really can pick apart and tailor it to your gaming groups needs.
For now though I’m going to talk about the magic which is contained in the first edition box. First edition Space Hulk is a game that in reality had a short shelf life. The first edition rules came with six missions which were based on either “Move from Point X to Point Y” and “Destroy Point X and/or Y” and “Survive X number of turns”. So overall they are pretty cut and dry and basic. Each mission is set up in a way to create a puzzle for the Space Marine player. The first few times attempting a mission the odds are usually stacked in the Genestealer’s favor. After some time though the Marine player will learn where and how to position their troops to maximize their potency. Once those tricks are learned on a mission the going usually gets much better for the Marines.
This is where the game has problems. The replay value really is not there when looking at the components right out of the base box. Once the tricks are learned for a particular mission the game starts to lose the replay value for that mission because the game play becomes very mechanical where the same things happen just about every time for the Marine player. There just isn’t enough variety in the base game to constantly keep the game fresh. There is enough there to keep going for a long time though - with the online community there is more than enough rule additions via new unit types, weapon types, races even…
There is enough to keep people coming back for more, but the game, as printed, contained within the box - falls just short of perfection. As it stands, this game and its ability to be tailored to fit the game group’s needs could easily reach the level of group favorite.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
‘Til Next Time - Happy Gaming
LvT
I disagree with the rating - I’d give SH a solid 4-4.5.
This game is highly reliant on good, solid tactics from both players - and is anything but forgiving when you make a mistake or bad decision. Like another of my GW classic favorites, Blood Bowl, the player is forced into some serious contemplation on nearly every move they make - something that is absent in GW’s more modern releases.
The game doesn’t have many missions, but this isn’t too much of an issue for me - after all, Blood Bowl only offers a single pitch. You can play the same mission may times, using different tactics, switching player roles, etc. and this is enough to keep the game exciting Ad infinitum.
Oh yeah - while trying to buy a copy on Ebay can be extremely expensive, there are alternatives.
You can pick up the rules, expansions included, by downloading them via Bit Torrent - and this company offers nice wood tiles with which you can make your own board sections:
http://www.litkoaero.com/page/LAI/CTGY/CS
For miniatures, you can pick up official GW terminators and Genestealers if you wish, but any futuristic troopers and nasty looking aliens will work.
The rating is based off a pure out of the box quality.
With Blood Bowl yes you are using the same pitch and setting up the same game every time, but it is the variety in team selections and then the individual composition of the team that keeps that game fresh and exciting. And even with Blood Bowl people have tried to expand upon it via Dungeon Bowl and misc stuff like that.
With Space Hulk yes the game is tactical and yes it requires good strategic thinking, but since the missions are pre-set, the same mission become stale with time because there aren’t troops to swap out (addressed in later expansions but remember I’m just talking core game now). Once the puzzle of the mission is “solved” meaning the optimal gameplan is determined at that point and it is just a matter of playing it out again.
The abundance of fan made articles as well as actual expansions further support that argument because if you look at it: Deathwing addes rules for random mission generation and rules for different Space Marnie weapons; Genestealer adds in Psychic Powers as well as Hybrids to add more choices for for the Genestealer player not to mention Librarians being added for the Space Marines.
All these additions add to a very good foundation…That foundation being Space Hulk out of the box. These additions also allow players to go back to old missions and replay them and the mission being solved is no longer true because you’re never sure exactly what you’re enemy is going to throw at you anymore. With all the expansions and customizable options out there there has to be room for the rating to grow because of what can be added in the future.
Think of it like one of those rice-bangers that people trick out. At the core is a good solid car that will get you to and fro. You can take that good base though and start adding the “chrome” to it and it just continously gets better. Hopefully that makes sense. For example if a little bit of troop variety was added in, the missions have new life because of options for those missions and the rating would jump up to as you mention a 4-4.5.
[...] take a moment to share a few comments that I have on the game. This is to supplement the original First Edition Space Hulk review that I did a while back and since a good portion of the game stayed the same I won’t be [...]