real time strategy
Tyranids Eat Space Marines In Dawn of War 2 Trailer
Posted by Adam Barenblat at 3:30 PM on August 21, 2008
Not to be confused with the newly-edited cinematic clip, this trailer is all gameplay, and shows naught but the new Tyranid units doing unspeakable things to those poor, innocent Space Marines.

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Novangel
Posted August 21, 2008 5:54 PM
Oh man. And here I was thinking eating sandviches was bad. Reminds me of Zerg revealed. Damn Blizzard. (
denebola
Posted 4:11 PM 21/8/08
Blizzard, Warhammer would like their IP back...
denebola
WDYC
Posted 4:05 PM 21/8/08
Yes its playing. Try to refresh the page. Anyway, FUCK YEAH, now someone make an awesome metal soundtrack to hear while playing this game.
WDYC
tzaketh
Posted 4:02 PM 21/8/08
Video isn't playing.
tzaketh
TheXanadu
Posted 3:58 PM 21/8/08
Anyone else have trouble watching the video?
TheXanadu
uhwhutnow
Posted 3:58 PM 21/8/08
@rekenner: Hell yeah, I swear the missions to carry the objective container to certain rooms were impossible.
uhwhutnow
Placentasaurus
Posted 3:57 PM 21/8/08
Just a note, the "WE WILL FIGHT THE HEATHENS" song is "War" by System of a Down. It's probably the most hilariously awesome Metal song ever. It also works with the good Kingdom Under Fire games.
"YOU MUST ENTER A ROOM TO DESTROY IT!! DESTROY IT!!"
Placentasaurus
uhwhutnow
Posted 3:57 PM 21/8/08
video borked?
uhwhutnow
rekenner
Posted 3:56 PM 21/8/08
@Koztah: A reference to Space Hulk, eh?
Would you also make it insanely, impossibly hard?
rekenner
exkon
Posted 3:54 PM 21/8/08
For the emperor!!!
exkon
MightyKAC
Posted 3:54 PM 21/8/08
Om nom nom nom. Chicken tastes like Space Marines. Om nom nom nom.
MightyKAC
snakepliskin
Posted 3:52 PM 21/8/08
@Placentasaurus: Yeah warhammer is pretty brutal. I always loved the warhammer universe. When i was a kid i wanted the models so i could paint them but they were way too expensive, but now... theyre still way to fuckin expensive. This is like the next best thing i suppose.
snakepliskin
Placentasaurus
Posted 3:47 PM 21/8/08
Warhammer is just about the most Metal thing ever isn't it.
*Cue "WE WILL FIGHT THE HEATHENS" song*
Placentasaurus
Ben404
Posted 3:47 PM 21/8/08
They look sort of unbalanced but other than that, Very cool.
Ben404
Koztah
Posted 3:38 PM 21/8/08
All of the original DoW, I was just waiting for a mission against Tyranids. Perhaps a hulk clearing with a couple Terminators - just as a bonus kinda thing.
If it isn't in DoW 2, and the map editor is worth a damn, I am makin' one.
Koztah
icko
Posted 3:35 PM 21/8/08
Game over, man! Game over! the f**k are we gonna do now?
icko
CFStang
Posted 4:26 PM 21/8/08
@Squishy3:
Starship Troopers was written in 1959. Tyranids first appeared in Rogue Trader in '86.
CFStang
syafiqjabar
Posted 4:26 PM 21/8/08
@syafiqjabar:
...and that novel influenced certain factions in Warhammer 40k (Imperial Guard, mostly).
syafiqjabar
Nathan_Perry
Posted 4:26 PM 21/8/08
Have to agree on that one. Starship Troopers has been around for quite some time...now if only I could remember where the inspiration for THAT came from.
Heinlein is also the original thinker behind the space marines that have featured in our top RTS titles. Love it.
Nathan_Perry
Koztah
Posted 4:25 PM 21/8/08
@rekenner:
Well duh. Boardgame style.
Koztah
syafiqjabar
Posted 4:24 PM 21/8/08
@Squishy3:
...but Starship Troopers was published in 1959...
syafiqjabar
tzaketh
Posted 4:23 PM 21/8/08
@Squishy3:
No, no they didn't. Tyranids started in the '80s, Starship Troopers was published in 1959.
tzaketh
Squishy3
Posted 4:14 PM 21/8/08
@ZetaCrossfire: except uh tyranids existed before starship troopers
Squishy3
ZetaCrossfire
Posted 4:14 PM 21/8/08
aw shit, its starship troopers all over again...
ZetaCrossfire
.glib
Posted 4:13 PM 21/8/08
Video refuses to play for me too.
.glib
Polite Society
Posted 4:58 PM 21/8/08
mmmm... tasty marines. I Notice they aren't even showing off that many units yet. I hope there are some genestealers even though they aren't technically 'nids.
Polite Society
Ibramgaunt
Posted 4:54 PM 21/8/08
@tzaketh:
Really?! thats awesome but terrifying at the same time...
Ibramgaunt
tzaketh
Posted 4:44 PM 21/8/08
@Nathan_Perry:
Inspiration for Starship Troopers? As far as I could gather, it seems to have been entirely Heinlein's basic predictions of how wars would be fought in the future. He was a big proponent of nuclear weapons and of investing large sums of money in defense research.
When you really look at it, Starship Troopers is about how war never really changes. Technology comes and goes, but the Martial Spirit of the human race will always be the same.
It's on the USMC Commandant's Reading List. Means as a Marine Corps Officer you're required to read it. <<
tzaketh
Filthy_O_Bedlam
Posted 6:30 PM 21/8/08
@Polite Society: I hope there are some genestealers even though they aren't technically 'nids
What? They most certainly are. along with the Lictor they are the vangaurd genuii of the Tyranids. Genestealers are far more autonomous than most other 'Nids, and have a brood telepathy with each other. Then there are Genstealer Patriarchs, powerful psykers who can bring humans under his thrall. Genestealers were thought to be a seperate species based on the moon of Tyran, until the rest of the Hive Fleet started showing up and contained Genestealer. Inquisitor Kryptman was the first to categorize both the Genestealers and the Larger Tyranid species.
Cheers
Filthy_O_Bedlam
Odin
Posted 7:18 PM 21/8/08
@Polite Society:
Genestealers are most assuredly 'nids, I'd be worried if they weren't as they form a large part of my tabletop force.
Odin
Mokka
Posted 7:15 PM 21/8/08
The Tyranides really look like clones of H.R. Giger's Aliens.
Mokka
Garro
Posted 7:13 PM 21/8/08
I hope the end game Tyranid unit is something from forgeworld. The Malinthrope, Trygon, or Hierodule would be good. The Carinfexs are huge though... maybe they're it. Heres to possible biomorphs!
Garro
taftsearlobe33
Posted 7:40 PM 21/8/08
@Ben404: they do that for every movie where they introduce a new race/faction they show clips of them winning and kicking ass so it makes them look much cooler. Just look at all the SC2 trailers
taftsearlobe33
Thorgryn
Posted 8:56 PM 21/8/08
I can't get it to play after multiple tries and 2 browsers, so I went and got it on youtube:
+ Watch video
Thorgryn
Reikoku
Posted 9:27 PM 21/8/08
Hell yes, it's Carnifex time!
Reikoku
Ario Reads Kotaku, Seems Pleased
Posted 10:13 PM 21/8/08
Gotta hand it to them. It takes soem balls to do an ALL GAMEPLAY trailer.
Ario Reads Kotaku, Seems Pleased
vactoxic
Posted 11:10 PM 21/8/08
System of a Down? no way...cue Bolt Thrower.
The DoW series has been the best 40k game translation I have seen thus far. 40K Squad Command is decent and Space Hulk:Vengeance of the Blood Angels was OK. Fire Warrior was less than meh, Chaos Gate was pretty good for the time.
vactoxic
Cervantes3773
Posted 11:43 PM 21/8/08
@vactoxic: Hell yeah, Chaos Gate!
"For the Emperor!"
I'm very excited for this game to come out! It'll provide me with a quick 40k fix when I couldn't otherwise fit one in...
As for everyone saying that the hobby is too expensive, take a few minutes to think of how much you've spent on videogames. I can pretty much guarantee that you could buy at least one full army for that same amount of money.
It's a matter of priorities. If you don't want to play 40k because you'd rather spend the green on videogames, that's fine, but don't confuse that with "it's too expensive". $60 for a videogame is pretty damn expensive, too.
Also, and this varies from person to person, but there are only a few videogames that I'll replay after beating, but a mass of miniatures provides nearly endless entertainment. Hell, with the Apocalypse rules, you can use ANY model you own...
/rabid 40k fanboy
//yeah, I know all about squats, fimir, zoats, and the drunk Christmas marines.
Cervantes3773
Human Bomb
Posted 1:05 AM 22/8/08
AMON AMARTH is pretty much where it's at for playing as Chaos or even Necron.
WHEN I AM DEAD - LAY ME IN A MOUND!
RAISE A STONE FOR ALL TO SEE!
With that in mind, Are we going to be seing the Adepta Sororitas in here along with the other nine groups?? Maybe some Daemon Hunters? How many races are we talking for this? As much as Soulstorm was bad-ass, Dark Crusade gets kudos for having so many playable races, and a unique campaign.
Human Bomb
Human Bomb
Posted 1:20 AM 22/8/08
@Human Bomb: Wait I was right.... 9 current groups forgot about Dark Eldar!!
Human Bomb
Human Bomb
Posted 1:18 AM 22/8/08
@Human Bomb: I meant are we getting ALL nine groups.
Tau
Eldar
Sisters
Marines
Chaos
Necron
Orks
Imps
'nids
Human Bomb
Tull
Posted 2:16 AM 22/8/08
I'm surprised no one here has even mentioned an old school 40K PC game called Final Liberation.
I better be able to customize the Tyranid units just like in the tabletop. Lots of spiky bits!
Tull
Runiko
Posted 2:10 AM 22/8/08
I gotta be honest with you guys. I find these latest DOWII videos to be HOT TO DEATH.
I own small Tyranid, Necron, and Marine armies, and improving on the DOW games to this extent makes me want to get them out and start painting again.
Runiko
Odin
Posted 3:14 AM 22/8/08
Well looks like all the basic Tyranid units are represented:
- Hive Tyrant
- Warriors
- Raveners
- Lictors
- Hormagaunts
- Termagaunts
- Carnifex
- Zoanthrope
A few noteable exceptions though:
- Spore Mines
- Biovore
- Gargoyles
- Genestealers (!)
- Broodlord (!)
The Biovore, gargoyles and spore mines aren't a huge issue, I imagine they'll probably be added in an expansion or something. They're not terribly important anyway. What IS surprising though is that I didn't see any evidence of Genestealers or the big daddy genestealer (the broodlord). Considering that stealers are a staple of most tyranid armies and one of the units most associated with the army I'm surprised I didn't see them. Of course there's a chance they just weren't in the trailer but will be in the game which is what I'm hoping on.
Trailer looked pretty cool at any rate but I'm hoping there'll be decent equipment customization options, while scything talons give that good tyranid look I wouldn't have them on everything. Especially two pairs on a hive tyrant, who the hell does that without giving it wings!
Finally what the hell, did that Lictor just grapple a marine with its feeder tendrils? They would be so much more badass (as if they weren't already badass enough) if they could do that in the tabletop.
Odin
GustoGaiden
Posted 4:52 AM 22/8/08
God Damn it The Internet, settle down. Ok, lets set a few things straight so you guys can stop shouting about who ripped off who.
In the 1959 book Starship Troopers, the "bugs" are not at all like the bugs in the movie. You would have a much better argument for the Space Marines coming from Starship Troopers than the bugs with the Powered Armor, jump packs, drop pods and whatnot.
For the whole "Blizzard copied Warhammer" deal, so WHAT? I'm glad they did! Look at the other RTS games that were coming out at the time. Blizzard looked at what was going on in the Table-top scene, made some adjustments, came out with a fantastic universe different enough to call their own, backed it up with a strong and engaging story, and made a game that COMPLETELY changed the landscape of RTS games. If you made an RTS today with symmetrical factions, you would be laughed out of the room.
As someone who loves the 40K lore, but only plays the video games, I can't wait to see how the Tyranids play and feel.
GustoGaiden
remolded
Posted 7:00 AM 22/8/08
@Odin: Those are not the feeder tendrils. Those are flesh hooks that the lictor is using. Neen a part of the Lictors arsenal since day one :-) Quite a range though. Anyway, awesome trailer...can't wait to play. Will have to settle for Tyranid DoW 1 mod in the meantime :-)
remolded
Cultivar
Posted 6:32 AM 22/8/08
Videos on Kotaku are becoming a joke. EVERY video post someone in the comments has to link to a youtube version that WORKS for everyone, like Kotaku should just have used in the first place instead of these bloated, broken, unknown services they do use.
I once saw a Gizmodo editor explain why they don't use youtube and are happy to screw up half their viewers browsers instead. It's basically money. Gawker doesn't like giving youtube hits and ad revenue that they or an affiliate they have some deal with could be receiving. So we're all subjected to tiny, bloated, seldom working browser crashers from some site you never heard of instead.
Cultivar
thecactusman17
Posted 7:27 AM 22/8/08
For the love of--
Where the F*&$% are my Movie Marines already?
That Eldar strike in the cinematic would have wiped them out in the last game to a man, and so will the Nids, but in the fluff Tyranids were described as having to climb over a mountain of corpses 15 feet high to get to the Terminators that held the fortress on MaCragge before they died.
Also, need to agree on the wierd movie links. Thankfully, they worked today at home but from some places (such as my school) stuff doesn't want to load at all.
thecactusman17
vactoxic
Posted 9:09 AM 22/8/08
@Cervantes3773:
shhh..squats never existed ;)
vactoxic
Filthy_O_Bedlam
Posted 10:51 AM 22/8/08
@Cervantes3773: you forgot the Jokaero. Nothing like technologically advanced Orangutans.
Filthy_O_Bedlam
Impurethinker
Posted 12:16 PM 22/8/08
** hope the link works right.
And it does, perfectly.
Song is by Dream Evil
"Chosen Ones"
Impurethinker
Impurethinker
Posted 12:12 PM 22/8/08
Did someone say 40k and metal in the same breath? Okay.
If you like the Space Marines at all then you will love this.
+ Watch video
I just hope the like works right.
Impurethinker
PEWPEWGreenLaser
Posted 5:21 PM 21/8/08
WANT. WANT NAO.
My friends and I actually had a big debate about who the Eldar were talking about when they said that the world was "theirs." I was in the Tyranid camp, a few of them thought they meant Chaos.
Funny thing is, I was right about the game, but Chaos is way scarier thematically. I mean... the Chaos doesn't even have to land a single zealot to conquer an entire planet. THAT. Is scary shit.
Anyway, if the Tyranid are translated correctly from the table top they should feel a lot like the Zerg in terms of balance against the other races (though, there are a lot more in WH40k). Big numbers, relatively weak, not much of a late game. But they will be fast. And there will be more of them than you. :)
PEWPEWGreenLaser
vactoxic
Posted 2:47 AM 23/8/08
+ Watch video
just incase the imbed link didn't work . Sorry for the triple post
vactoxic
vactoxic
Posted 2:46 AM 23/8/08
got a link for yout
vactoxic
vactoxic
Posted 2:44 AM 23/8/08
@Impurethinker:
Pretty cool, I have no videos to link, but I think the perfect song to go with the 40K world is "Headache" by Gridlock. It's not metal, more old school industrial, just walls of sound with nasty percussion and very very fitting samples.
When it comes to 40k and metal, you just can't beat Bolt Thrower, from the album art, and lyrics, to the songs themselves, perfect.
vactoxic
boringjob2
Posted 3:55 PM 21/8/08
Anybody else feel like RTS games are stuck in a rut?
boringjob2