Dawn of War II expansion revealed

By Robert Purchese Published 21 September, 2009

Chaos Marines! Level 30! Standalone!

THQ has announced a standalone Dawn of War II expansion called Chaos Rising.

Due spring 2010, the add-on introduces the Chaos Space Marines, as the Blood Ravens tackle this demented, old and personal foe head-on.

Relic's doing the honours, according to THQ's website, and allowing Blood Raven squads to be imported from the original game for the new 20-mission campaign.

The level cap, therefore, has been boosted 30, and there will be lots more loot to collect. Blood Ravens can even equip Chaos-tainted wargear, although doing so apparently has "dreadful consequences".

Similarly, multiplayer is getting a lift, as Relic offers the Chaos Space Marines as a playable faction. New units are also arriving for the existing Ork, Eldar, Tyranid and Space Marines sides, and there will be extra maps to explore.

Head over to our Dawn of War II review to read what the game is all about.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • jonfon #1 2 years ago

    So in the single player game of the expansion you continue to play the same side you've already been playing, but get to shoot Chaos instead of Tyrs, Orks and Eldar? Hrumph. Was hoping for something a little more varied really, like a storyline for a non-Marine faction (any of them at this stage).

  • the_dudefather #2 2 years ago

    Yeah I was hoping for a non space marine campaign, but from the sound of it you equip tainted wargear that has 'dire consequences'

    Hopefully that means some kind of mid game winter assault style split were you do missions as chaos (or space marines if you don't use the gear), but that's just mad speculation on my part

    but anyway, woo more factions to play as! looking forward to it

  • Rirekon #3 2 years ago

    jonfon +1
    Was really hoping for some other races to be available in campaign mode - not so sure this is a "must have" for me now if it's just more of the same.

  • Mooglepies #4 2 years ago

    If the price is right looks like a sure thing for me, particularly if they do some ACTUAL BLOODY BALANCE.

  • Schiraman #5 2 years ago

    Shame you can't just play as Chaos really, the story and characters in DoW2 were crap, so I don't really see the appeal of continuing with them. Wonder if there's any hope of some more MP modes or anything? That might increase my interest.

  • Chaser #6 2 years ago

    Might be quite interesting how this pans out.... some of the Warhammer 40k lore hints that the Blood Ravens are descended from loyalist elements of one of the Chaos marine chapters (Thousand Suns). Suspect they will be the "enemy" and you have an option of changing sides 1/2 way though the campaign.

  • Gene #7 2 years ago

    How many expanions will it take them to get some campaign for other factions? I loved the risk-like style of the first DoW.

  • anomagnus #8 2 years ago

    i cant wait for this!

    i love DOW 2, and loved the story. I've no interest in playing as anything other than a marine, so its great for me

  • sneetch #9 2 years ago

    Blood Ravens can even equip Chaos-tainted wargear, although doing so apparently has "dreadful consequences".

    No-one expects the Imperial Inquisition! I think the entire chapter being wiped out would count as a dreadful consequence.

    Looking forward to purging the heretics in this although if they make me turn traitor half-way through I'd be a bit upset: I serve the Emperor only.

    @Chaser

    It's the Black Legion according to THQ's website.
    Edited by 1 at 21/09/09 @ 15:35

  • SAMagic #10 2 years ago

    I would KILL for an ork campaign - coz it'd be reel fun playin' as da bestest and baddest in da 'ole yoonivurz! Imagine playing through with a cast of daft orkz (Warboss, commando and mekboy at least), upgrading and levelling them like we did with the Blood Ravens... that would be awesome.

    This could still be good, but I'm cautious. It looks like Relic are playing it safe after all. While the DOW2 campaign had some fantastic moments, it was lacking in parts. The gameplay in the last half eventually descended into pure 'DPS', while it was certainly but there wasn't enough actual strategy beyond clicking all of your special powers.

    More tactical options, a multi-branching story with the BR or the player character facing corruption and some new squads may be enough to sell me.

    Edit: "Dire consequences" had better not be just stat related, or the character temporarily goes berserk or something (The sort of randomly-occuring disadvantage you can reverse by re-loadingyour game). Let's have _real_ consequences for the players actions and maybe a careful balance between loyalty to the Imperium and powerful artefacts!
    Edited by 1 at 21/09/09 @ 16:03

  • Gnort #11 2 years ago

    Honestly, I'll be buying this for the multiplayer (I enjoyed the campaign in DoW2, but it was a mere diversion compared to the meat of the game, which was online multiplayer), so I don't really mind what they do with the campaign.

    I'm always glad to have a new side, although I never really played as Chaos in DoW1, didn''t enjoy them as much as the conventional Space Marines. I hope Relic is going to get the balance right, though, as Space Marines currently only lack a decent melee unit, and if you put Khorne Berserkers into the mix Chaos Space Marines may give you the best of all worlds.

  • organica #12 2 years ago

    No doubt I'll devour this whole, but I would have much preferred an Eldar campaign. Or failing that, Ork or Tyranid. Even if you can switch faction, Chaos Space Marines don't excite me as much. They're still damn Space Marines, only with more knobbly bits and axes.

  • Seoh #13 2 years ago

    Head over to the official website, by the sounds of it you can take your band of marines that saved the sector from tyranids and either fight the chaos horde or become them

  • hiddenranbir #14 2 years ago

    Just one new faction?!

    Ugh, I want my Tau. It is for the GREATER GOOD that the Tau get in the game.


    Knowing Dawn of War 1 expansion pricing, the expansion price will probably be horribly expensive.

  • gmjapan #15 2 years ago

    I really, really hope they add something worthwhile to DOW2 since there was alot of things I liked in it. However I only play for the single player and found it hopelessly bland. Something drastic would need to change for me to consider extending the experience. I have no interest in deploying in a map corner and fighting to the opposite corner boss over and over on the same few maps.

    And surely they have to find some scenario/excuse to make a Tyranid swarm come at you - make the ground look like a living carpet. Reinforce some ally units and zoom out a bit. It never felt right fighting 5 Tyranid mobs everytime...
    Edited by 1 at 22/09/09 @ 17:44