Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy has revealed gameplay screenshots — and they're making me want to sign up for its Alpha Test as they look glorious

Warhammer 40,000 fans will soon get their first taste of Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy's gameplay through an Alpha Test that's set to go live on December 16, 2025, via Steam for players who bought the game's Collector's Edition or Digital Packs.

To get fans hyped up to play it, Owlcat Games has released a new set of gameplay screenshots showcasing this upcoming CRPG's grim environments, characters, combat, and detective system.

So we're going to be taking a look at these screenshots and analyzing what kind of heresies we will be purging in one of my most anticipated games of 2026.

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For those unaware, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is an upcoming CRPG set in the grimdark, sci-fi universe of Warhammer 40,000.

You play as an acolyte of the Inquisition, a secret police service that travels the galaxy hunting heretics, xenos, mutants, and traitors that threaten to harm the Imperium of Man.

In this game, you're sent to the Calixis Sector to root out Chaos cultists and vile mutants causing trouble within the Sector, while uncovering the mystery behind a horrifying phenomenon known as the Tyrant Star.

Along the way, you will be conducting crime investigations to expose heresy, recruit a team of hardened warriors to your warband, engage foes in tactical turn-based battles, and make hard moral choices that may determine the fate of the Calixis Sector and beyond.

For the most part, the gameplay of Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy will be similar to its predecessor, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, but with some very key differences as seen in these new gameplay screenshots.

For example, the combat system has been given a cleaner user interface, and there will be new mechanics to master in battle.

One such new mechanic is the Body Targeting system, which will allow you to attack an enemy's specific body part, similar to Fallout's VATS system.

Crippling an enemy's limbs will cause major status debuffs to make them easier to fight, or break their concentration to interrupt an attack they are channelling.

Another major gameplay element that differentiates Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy from Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is its Investigation system.

As an acolyte of the Inquisition, you will need to investigate crime scenes, interview/interrogate characters, collect evidence to catch criminals running wild in the Calixis Sector, and report your findings to the Inquisition to pass judgment on suspects.

Your mission will not be easy, as some trails may lead to dead ends or false evidence, and some characters may lie or try to kill you.

Fortunately, you will not be alone in your crusade as Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy will allow you to recruit a variety of companions with powerful combat and investigation abilities to your party.

Some of these party members can be faithful servants of the Imperium, like COGG the Ogryn, Epione Spes the medicae specialist, and the Catachan jungle fighter, Haymar Devos.

Additionally, you can also recruit Xenos races to your warband that may cause friction within the group, but can be beneficial to the mission. So far, these include the Kroot outcast Ra'akhti and an Aeldari Corsair named Laarthyr Cairnareth.

I can't wait to dispense vigilante justice in Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

With every new piece of info we get on Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, my urge to play grows ever higher.

The combat system looks gloriously violent and gory as any Warhammer 40,000 game should, and the characters look intriguing and have me curious to learn about them (especially the Kroot race, as they rarely, if ever, get the spotlight in a Warhammer 40,000 game).

Dark Heresy in a Nutshell | Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy - YouTube

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The gameplay element that I'm most fascinated by far is Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy's Investigation System.

Getting the wrong answer to an investigation puzzle doesn't mean you have to start over, nor is it linear. Your investigations can potentially lead you down multiple story paths with differing endings depending on your choices and how much evidence you collect.

You can strive to uphold the law even if innocents get hurt in the process, intentionally fabricate false reports in the pursuit of true justice or selfish gain, or condemn suspects purely out of spite.

Considering that Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader had hundreds of hours worth of story routes, I'm imagining Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy will probably have a similar amount of content thanks to its Investigation System.

I absolutely loved Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (my colleague Samuel Tolbert also did when he gave it a 4/5 review score) and its Void Shadow and Lex Imperialis DLC expansions, so I can't wait to get my hands on Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy when it eventually drops in 2026.

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