MeinMMO author Ody has already played the new tactical RPG Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2 for several hours. Ironically, the human tech nerds of the Adeptus Mechanicus felt so foreign to him that he feels more connected to the metallic robo-mummies of the Necrons.
First of all, I dove into Mechanicus 2 without much prior knowledge: I haven’t played the first part, nor am I particularly versed in the lore of Warhammer 40,000. My heart remains with fantasy. However, I didn’t go into the game completely blind; I have some familiarity with Warhammer 40,000.
I was already aware of the two playable factions of Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2. They are:
- The technically skilled Adeptus Mechanicus, whose tech-priests (disgusted by the weakness of their flesh) replace parts of their bodies with mechanical components and are fanatically in search of new knowledge for the Imperium
- The power-hungry Necrons – an ancient species of aliens (also known as Xenos), who have completely abandoned their organic bodies and are now living but soulless machines
Basically, the Necrons are Egyptian-themed robo-mummies. They are led by a “Phaeron,” which suspiciously sounds a lot like “Pharaoh.” But even their names for things (or themselves) strongly evoke ancient Egypt.
So on one side, we have a human faction obsessed with technology, and on the other, a Xenos species of soulless robots. It is quite clear which of the two factions is more relatable to me as a relative 40,000 noob. Yep, it’s the robo-mummies – wait, what?
Mechanicus 2 shows the Imperium from its strangest side
In a setting featuring robo-mummies, space orcs (and elves), and swarms of ravenous Tyranids, humans somehow sound boring. Nevertheless, the Imperium of Humanity is quite popular within the community – also because it is much easier to empathize with another human.
However, I found it surprisingly difficult to empathize with the Adeptus Mechanicus in Mechanicus 2.
The first character the game introduces us to is Tech-Aquisitor Scaevola. When she speaks, you hear a heavily distorted, mechanical voice, and her dialogues read more like a command line of a program – it truly feels like she is more machine than human.
In the audio options, you can even activate “Lingua Technis” – then you really can’t understand a word of what the tech-priests say without reading any dialogue boxes.
While there are characters on the side of the Adeptus Mechanicus that come across as noticeably more human, overall, the tech nerds of the Imperium are definitely the stranger of the two factions. And that’s not a criticism, but a compliment: You can truly feel how much the tech-priests have departed from ordinary humanity.
My true friends are power-hungry robo-mummies
In contrast, the Necrons always speak clearly and distinctly, even though they ooze with arrogance and self-satisfaction (which can be quite entertaining). They were also much easier for me to understand than the Adeptus Mechanicus.
The story starts quite simply: Necrons on the planet Hekateus IV awaken from a millennia-long sleep, but they encounter the Adeptus Mechanicus. This has settled on the planet and turned it into a forge world – without being aware of the sleeping Necrons.
The Necrons do not like this at all, which is why Vargard Nefershah mobilizes the legions of their ancient dynasty to drive away the intruders. The Adeptus Mechanicus does not want to give up the planet without a fight and opposes the undead machines.
I have spent about 6 hours in the game so far and have started both the campaign of the Adeptus Mechanicus and that of the Necrons. The latter has stuck in my memory much better – the immortal space pharaohs have captivated me and make me want more.
Story and dialogues captivate, even if the battles do not always
To spend more time with the Necrons, I can overlook the fact that Mechanicus 2 doesn’t engage me as much gameplay-wise. This is not necessarily due to the turn-based tactical battles. While I am not a fan of them, I can make do with them. Rather, it is the game music, or rather the lack of it in some situations.
In my very first battle, I was surprised by how quiet the game actually is: Aside from the sounds of gunfire and other instruments of death, as well as the mechanical stomping of the Necrons and other machines, there was almost nothing to hear.
What provides a denser atmosphere between the individual skirmishes results in a lack of impact during the battles for me. Hits do not feel as powerful as they could, and fights do not feel as exciting as they should.
During my first gameplay sessions, I often wished for more musical bombast – especially when I was fighting a fierce battle for my hero’s survival and his soldiers were falling to the left and right of him. The music in the game is really good and fits the atmosphere, but it could hit harder at times.
By the way, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2 will be released on May 21, 2026, for PC on Steam, as well as for consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Thus, the release falls on the same day as the Warhammer Skulls Showcase 2026 – an annual event where Games Workshop presents a multitude of video games for the Warhammer IP.
Now it’s up to you: Will you stand against the threat posed by the Necrons as Adeptus Mechanicus? Or will you rather let their ancient dynasty be revived and drive the humans from your planet? Feel free to let us know in the comments. By the way, the release of Mechanicus 2 also coincides with the release of the first mini-DLC for Total War: Warhammer 3. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus has already played it: I played the new DLC of Total War: Warhammer 3 as one of the first in Europe and fell in love again
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!