Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior: Difference between revisions

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In 2003, a computer game was released based on Games Workshop's ever-popular ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' tabletop game. This had happened before several times (the ''Space Hulk'' series, ''Aspect Warrior'' for the Mega Drive / Genesis), but this one was a first-person shooter. Granted, the ''Space Hulk'' games ''technically'' were too, but suffered from a rather cumbersome click-to-move interface closer to that of old adventure games than modern shooters. Needless to say, all of these were subsequently overshadowed by the massively popular ''[[Dawn of War]]'' series of real-time strategy games. ''[[Fire Warrior]]'' remained the only shooter set in the universe until the release of ''[[~~Warhammer 40000 Space Marine (Video Game)|~~Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine]]'' in 2011.

In 2003, a computer game was released based on Games Workshop's ever-popular ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' tabletop game. This had happened before several times (the ''Space Hulk'' series, ''Aspect Warrior'' for the Mega Drive / Genesis), but this one was a first-person shooter. Granted, the ''Space Hulk'' games ''technically'' were too, but suffered from a rather cumbersome click-to-move interface closer to that of old adventure games than modern shooters. Needless to say, all of these were subsequently overshadowed by the massively popular ''[[Dawn of War]]'' series of real-time strategy games. ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior]]'' remained the only shooter set in the universe until the release of ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine]]'' in 2011.

''Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior'' focused on a young Tau Fire Warrior named Kais. The Tau, for the uninformed, are a relatively young species introduced to the setting in 2001, with a highly [[Animesque]] design. Originally, while naive, the Tau hardly had any Crapsacky elements to them and were a rather out-of-character attempt to inject some optimism into the relentlessly [[Grimdark]] 40K universe. This didn't please the fanbase, who saw them as Designated Hero, and the Tau were made more morally ambivalent - new storyline included forced annexation of nearby worlds, [[Unreliable Narrator|rumoured]] sterilisation of populations with a history of rebellion, and a "join us or die" mentality (this character shift [[Justified Trope|justified]] by an Imperial invasion, which caused them to wise up about how hostile the wider galaxy really was).

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Anyway. ''Fire Warrior'' focused on the first mission of young Kais, which over the course of 24 hours went horribly wrong. A relatively simple mission to rescue an Ethereal turned into an all-out war between the Tau and the Imperium of Man, until the arrival of the forces of Chaos forced the two sides to come to an uneasy truce, in which Kais briefly teamed up with an Space Marine Captain of the Ultramarines named Ardias, who was trying to sort the whole mess out.

All in all, it was a pretty mediocre game, [[So Okay It's Average|meeting with average reviews.]] Unlike the later [[Dawn of War]] series, developed by RTS veterans Relic, ''[[Fire Warrior]]'' was made by the relatively unknown and inexperienced Kuju Entertainment (Who would go on to make the ''[[Battalion Wars]]'' games). It isn't a bad game by any means - it's quite fun in places - just totally forgettable. The book based on the game however is pretty well liked, going more in detail about the Tau culture, mindset and giving the main character a backstory.

All in all, it was a pretty mediocre game, [[So Okay It's Average|meeting with average reviews.]] Unlike the later [[Dawn of War]] series, developed by RTS veterans Relic, ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior]]'' was made by the relatively unknown and inexperienced Kuju Entertainment (Who would go on to make the ''[[Battalion Wars]]'' games). It isn't a bad game by any means - it's quite fun in places - just totally forgettable. The book based on the game however is pretty well liked, going more in detail about the Tau culture, mindset and giving the main character a backstory.

=== This game contains examples of: ===

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* [[Action Survivor]]

* [[Acceptable Breaks From Reality]]: One of the main criticisms of the game, at least from hardcore 40k fans, is how Kais doing so well in his campaign is ridiculously improbable by the setting's standards.

* {{spoiler|[[Villain ~~With~~ Good Publicity|Anti-Hero with Good Publicity]]: Despite Kais' dad being a completely and utter son of a bitch in reality, as Lusha reveals, having once shot a subordinate for a relatively minor offense and generally being a [[Bad Boss]], the Tau public at large have a very idealized view of him as a heroic figure due to the Water Caste media editing out any depiction of him as such for, presumably, propaganda reasons.}} There's a reason they call Tau [[Fan Nickname|Blue Space Communists]]...

* {{spoiler|[[Villain with Good Publicity|Anti-Hero with Good Publicity]]: Despite Kais' dad being a completely and utter son of a bitch in reality, as Lusha reveals, having once shot a subordinate for a relatively minor offense and generally being a [[Bad Boss]], the Tau public at large have a very idealized view of him as a heroic figure due to the Water Caste media editing out any depiction of him as such for, presumably, propaganda reasons.}} There's a reason they call Tau [[Fan Nickname|Blue Space Communists]]...

* [[Gunship Rescue|Battlesuit Rescue]]: {{spoiler|When Kais is facing the greater daemon in its final form of a bloodthirster of Khorne, he has been blinded with [[Unstoppable Rage]], run out of ammunition, infected with disease, just [[An Arm and A Leg|Lost An Arm]], and crossed the [[Despair Event Horizon]], when El'Lusha and his Crisis team drop in, unloading missiles and fusion guns into the thing, smiting it in a flurry of heavy gunfire.}}

* [[Gunship Rescue|Battlesuit Rescue]]: {{spoiler|When Kais is facing the greater daemon in its final form of a bloodthirster of Khorne, he has been blinded with [[Unstoppable Rage]], run out of ammunition, infected with disease, just [[An Arm and a Leg|Lost An Arm]], and crossed the [[Despair Event Horizon]], when El'Lusha and his Crisis team drop in, unloading missiles and fusion guns into the thing, smiting it in a flurry of heavy gunfire.}}

* [[Beginner's Luck]]: AND HOW!

* [[Broken Pedestal]]: Kais' father is held up in Tau media as being a great hero of the Tau Empire, and stalwart champion of the Greater Good. Kais himself lacks the self-discipline expected of a Fire Warrior, a fact which he feels quite shameful over, and believes that he is a disappointment to everyone who expected him to be as great as his father, [["Well Done, Son" Guy|especially his father himself]]. {{spoiler|Shas'El'Lusha reveals to Kais near the end, when Kais finally succumbs to the [[Heroic BSOD]] that has been building all during the conflict, that Kais' father was actually considered quite a [[Jerkass]] by those who fought alongside him. He was a great commander, but also impatient, vengeful, and a [[Bad Boss]], all of which are traits left out of the depictions of him in the media. Kais is ''relieved'' to discover this.}}

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** Argubly before that.

{{quote| '''Kais''': {{spoiler|BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!}}}}

* [[Hero ~~With~~ Bad Publicity]]: Among pretty much every Tau who serves with him, Kais is feared and reviled for being ''too good'' at killing. Justified, because all Tau fear the return to the 'Mon'tau' and believe Kais is falling back to that sort of savagery. He himself even refers to that side of himself as the [[Super-Powered Evil Side|'Mon'tau Devil']]. {{spoiler|Ironically, considering that 'side of himself' is [[God Is Evil|Khorne]], they're right on the mark about the bloodshed and savagery.}}

* [[Hero with Bad Publicity]]: Among pretty much every Tau who serves with him, Kais is feared and reviled for being ''too good'' at killing. Justified, because all Tau fear the return to the 'Mon'tau' and believe Kais is falling back to that sort of savagery. He himself even refers to that side of himself as the [[Super-Powered Evil Side|'Mon'tau Devil']]. {{spoiler|Ironically, considering that 'side of himself' is [[God Is Evil|Khorne]], they're right on the mark about the bloodshed and savagery.}}

* [[Heroic Willpower]]: In the book a voice in Kais' head keeps telling him to get and and fight on, {{spoiler|that voice happens to be Khorne}}

* [[Humans Through Alien Eyes]]