Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Adds Killer Roguelite Wave Mode

Fatshark's latest addition to Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has me dusting off my chainsword. The upcoming Mortis Trials mode promises stacking buffs across 12 waves of heretic-slaying mayhem, and I can't help but see the DNA of Killing Floor in this new offering.

As someone who's sunk countless hours into wave-based horde shooters, I'm pretty excited about this one. While Darktide's recent Havoc mode catered to the endgame crowd looking for a brutal challenge, community manager StrawHat describes Mortis Trials as "chaotic, with easy access for immediate fun." That's music to my ears after a long day when I just want to jump in and slay some chaos spawn.

The new mode becomes available once you hit trust level 13, sending you into the Theatres of Mortification to battle escalating waves of chaos-induced visions. What's interesting is how they've structured it—every third wave serves as an "objective" wave where you'll complete tasks to earn supplies and buffs. It's a smart way to break up the rhythm and keep things engaging.

Where Mortis Trials really stands out from traditional wave defense is its roguelike progression system. You'll select an "indulgence" specialization on top of your chosen class, with options including pyrokinetic, voltaic, fulminator, death dealer, and colossus. The first three focus on different elemental damage types, while the latter two specialize in close-quarters combat and survivability.

I'm already imagining the possibilities with my Veteran Sharpshooter. Stack enough voltaic buffs, and I might turn into a walking lightning storm by wave 12.

"You'll get stronger as you progress through the waves," a friend who tested the mode told me. "But so do the enemies, and in ways you might not expect."

For us lore hounds, there's another treat—the mode dives deeper into Sefoni, the mysterious withering psyker we meet early in the game but know relatively little about. Narrative lead Michael Knight hints at some juicy backstory: "Sefoni's delighted that she's got new playthings to torment... generating the Trials of Mortification places Sefoni under enormous pressure, and fragments of her past have a tendency to manifest without her knowing."

That's the kind of environmental storytelling that makes the Warhammer 40K universe so compelling. You're not just shooting baddies—you're experiencing the fracturing psyche of a powerful psyker in a hellish future where there is only war.

Mortis Trials arrives March 25th. It's worth noting that while Darktide had a bumpy launch period, Fatshark's dedication to improvement has turned it into one of the most satisfying Warhammer 40,000 games on the market.

If you're looking to team up with friends for some grimdark action or just want to test your mettle against waves of the chaos-tainted, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is waiting for you on Steam. Just remember to bring enough ammo—the heretics certainly won't be in short supply.