Preview by: Brian Rowe

I must admit that I have had very limited experience with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II. I paid my dues on the tabletop with dice and molded pieces of plastic, and Chaos was my army of choice. I’ve listened to friends and coworkers praise Dawn of War II, incessantly droning on about Orks, Eldar, Tyranids, and Space Marines, but you can’t have Warhammer without Chaos. Chaos Rising aims to correct that oversight. Relic had me over for a hands-on demo of the first expansion, and in the process, made a convert out of me.

Relic was careful not to spoil the experience and remained tight-lipped regarding the events leading up to the invasion of Chaos. Nevertheless, the presence was unmistakable. Over the course of two missions, I journeyed to a planet in the violent grasp of the Warp. Spikes and chains wove through the landscape like parasites as the planet slowly crumbled and drifted into the cosmic storm looming in the sky.

The single-player level cap is rising from 20 to 30, and whether you choose to import your old squad or begin anew, your first steps will be in the armor of a Blood Raven Space Marine. Veterans will recognize some old faces, including the return of Davian Thule in Dreadnaught armor, alongside the prized newcomer, Jonah the Librarian. He is a magical powerhouse, capable of manipulating mystical forces to demolish entire squads of infantry, distort the flow of time, and purify the wounds of his comrades.

Even the most pure-hearted warriors can feel the tendrils of glory and power reaching out from the Warp. How long your crew of loyal Blood Ravens can resist the transformation to Chaos is largely up to you. Choices in battles affect your level of corruption, and the temptation to sink willingly into the darkness is overwhelming. It begins innocently, as most addictions do. Surely you can assume one more point of corruption to don the new set of armor you stripped from the battlefield. It’s all for the glory of the Emperor after all. You realize that the power of Blood Lust – to regain health and energy with each kill – is within your grasp. So begins the fall to damnation. I only caught a glimpse of the powers that wait, and already I have succumbed to the reigns of Chaos.