All of the negative reviews here are wrong. They're not all incorrect - indeed many of them are technically correct about things in the game that could (and will) become better. Many negative reviews are correct in their ironic admission that this is in fact a good game. But the negative reviews that are overwhelming Darktide in its early post-release are unjust, misleading, *wrong*. I am here to say about these reviews what Fatshark cannot and will never say: they are ungrateful and unrealistic.

Many, many of us have been 40K fans for years. Many of us for decades. What Darktide represents is the culmination of so many of our dreams through the dark years of GW's mismanaged, hoarded IP. We hoped for so long for a game that could truly bring the darkness and grit of the day-to-day 40K universe, with all its over-the-top bloodshed, into reality. We feared such a game could never see the light of day with GW's old track record of white-knuckling the reins. We now have that game. To be truly immersed in that world - taken into the underhives with the languishing citizens of the Imperium - has been a gift that I am not convinced we deserve.

The fans want everything. The robust crafting system. The seamless performance of a game with no crashes. Well constructed tech trees and balanced builds with deep leveling. A comprehensive story line. Endless progression. Endless content. In a world with so many upstart betas and unfinished releases (all of which we will buy and play without leaving such strong, negative reviews) we expected something different from Darktide? Whose fanbase has hounded for a faster release for ages? Well I didn't come here for a robust crafting system, and neither did you. We came here to slay heretics for the Emperor in the gutters of a hive city. Fatshark has accomplished that task with a level of immersion and vigorous action that we could only have hoped for. What's more: they've done it without Space Marines. We wanted an honest 40K shooter that didn't center on the glamour of Space Marines, and that wouldn't sell out in the style of a massive gaming company. But we brought the same expectations of the big-name gaming companies with us. These expectations are often unreasonable even for the giants of the industry. Fatshark certainly does not deserve them.

Fatshark has a strong track record of improving gameplay. Vermintide has a strongly supported lifetime of releases and new content. These negative reviewers likely complained all the while down that road, and they likely still play Vermintide today (I see them booting up on Steam). All of the complaints in these negative reviews will be addressed. The fixes, updates, and the glorious volumes of new content are coming our way. So what should we do about it? We should leave highly positive reviews, encourage people to play Darktide, and support Fatshark to help them on their journey of providing grimdark gameplay that so many never believed could ever possibly grace the IP of Games Workshop.

Ignore the negative reviews, rev up your eviscerator, and mangle some darn heretics like they bloody well deserve.

B