Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition review: For The Emperor! (And a Fresh Coat of Paint)

Let me be clear: I’ve been around the block with this series. I’ve purged with the good (Dawn of War), I’ve held the line with the great (Dawn of War 2), and I’ve suffered through the absolute dogshit (Dawn of War 3, a game that shall not be named). The original 2004 classic is, in my mind, one of the best real-time strategy games ever fucking made. The problem is, trying to get the original to run on a modern PC is an exercise in pain and suffering. So when the Definitive Edition was announced, I was cautiously optimistic. Finally, a chance to relive the glory days without arcane rituals and compatibility mode witchcraft.

The Unshakeable Core of a Masterpiece

First, the good news. The beating heart of Dawn of War is still here, and it's as magnificent as ever. This is classic, base-building RTS, but Relic nailed something special 20 years ago that still holds up. Instead of a mess of individual units, you command squads. You reinforce them on the fly, equip them with heavy weapons, and watch them dive behind cover. The whole economy revolves around aggressively capturing and holding strategic points, forcing constant, brutal conflict.

And the atmosphere? Chef's kiss. The unit barks are pure, meme-worthy gold ("Walk softly, and carry a big gun") that I've been quoting for two decades. The cacophony of bolter fire, whizzing lasers, and chainswords chewing through Ork flesh is a symphony of glorious violence. This edition also bundles in all three expansions, so you're getting a mountain of content with four campaigns and nine wildly unique factions to command, and best of all? YOU CAN ACTUALLY PLAY IT ON YOUR MODERN PC.

A 'Definitive' Face-Lift

So, what makes this edition "Definitive"? Well, for starters, it actually works. It supports widescreen resolutions (Thank god), the UI has been adjusted so it doesn't look like a stretched-out nightmare, and you can finally zoom the camera out to get a proper view of the battlefield. The visual overhaul is noticeable; unit textures are sharper and the new lighting adds a bit of modern flair.

But a closer look reveals some laziness. A lot of the updated textures and unit portraits reek of a quick AI upscaling job, resulting in some faces looking like slightly melted cheese and details appearing smudged and weird. It gets the job done from a distance, but it feels like a corner was cut where a little more love would have gone a long way.

Ghosts in the Machine

The most frustrating part is that under the new coat of paint, it's the same old machine, complete with all the old rust. Relic claims the pathfinding was improved, which is…questionable. I’ve watched my squads get stuck on buildings, on each other, and on thin air more times than I can count (although admittedly still a bit less than originally). The same game-breaking bugs that plagued the original Soulstorm are apparently still here, waiting to ruin your day.

And the lack of basic quality-of-life features is just staggering. We're in 2025, and I can't rebind my keys or use WASD to move the camera? Having to awkwardly contort my hand to use the arrow keys for camera control while my other hand is across the keyboard hitting ability hotkeys is archaic and infuriating.

Missed Reinforcements

For an asking price of nearly 30 bucks (almost 20 if you own the OG), I expected more than just a functional port. Other Definitive Editions have set a standard, adding new campaigns, new factions, and meaningful new content. Where's the new campaign for Dawn of War? Where are the Tyranids? Why not expand the beloved Army Painter with more decals or custom banner options? The lack of any new content makes this feel less like a celebration of a classic and more like a low-effort paintjob.

The Verdict

Look, Dawn of War is still a phenomenal RTS. The core design is so strong that it manages to shine through the lazy upscaling, the ancient bugs, and the criminal lack of modern controls. This is, without a doubt, the best way to play the complete first chapter of the series on a modern PC. All four campaigns and nine factions provide dozens of hours of classic strategic carnage that still feels incredible to play.

But calling this "Definitive" is a stretch. It’s more of a "Functional Edition." It does the bare minimum to get a 20-year-old game up and running, but it's rife with missed opportunities that could have elevated it from a simple port to a true remaster. For veterans, the discount makes it an easy buy. For newcomers, I’d suggest waiting for a sale. What’s here is a masterpiece, but it’s a masterpiece that deserved a better frame.

7.8/10 Like finding your favorite childhood toy, but it’s got some new paint slapped on and is still missing a few screws.

We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way.