Space Hulk Ascension: Imperial Fist DLC

We reviewed Space Hulk Ascension a little while ago and while it improved upon the original Space Hulk game we still found a few issues with it (most notably the fog of war). However, we were more than happy to dive back into it with the Imperial Fist DLC which adds a new chapter to play and a new campaign.

The Imperial Fists focus on defence and have bonuses which reflect this. They are markedly different from the three chapters already available in the game and are a worthy addition. They can also use the Tarantula Turret which basically allows the commander of the group to stick a huge gun somewhere to cover you. It leads to numerous situations reminiscent of the film Aliens where the ammo is counting down as you rush to get your objective completed before being overrun with Genstealers.

You can also use the new chapter across any of the campaigns already in place, though as this is such a tough game you may want to use the chapter designed for each Space Hulk. The Imperial Fist campaign has some strong level design with lots of cross sections which will see you edging along covering all corridors as you go. We found it even more intense than the original levels, though the difficulty seems a bit more balanced as well. 

It’s still too dark (though there are more gamma options), the fog of war is still annoying and we did have an odd glitch where the Flamer would only turn around on the spot. But, it’s intense, it works and it adds something to the core game worth playing.

Overall, we had a blast with the first batch of DLC. It does a lot right and coupled with the fixes which have been applied to the core game made a more enjoyable all round experience for us going back in. We’ll be looking at the Salamander DLC shortly but this is a hefty chunk of content that shouldn’t be overlooked by those looking to reap revenge on the Genestealer menace.