The Tensions of Helmgart
My party is pushing along the walls of Helmgart when suddenly a hail of bullets rattles the stones around us and forces us to flee for cover. I peek around the side of the pile of lumber where I’m sheltering and spot a ratling gunner perched in a precarious spot on top of a nearby hill. “How did he even get up there?” I moan, as the barrage of bullets continues. This is what happens when you combine Vermintide’s pactsworn with human intelligence, like some kind of cyborg rat— Ikit Claw eat your heart out.
What is Vermintide Versus?
The result is Vermintide Versus, a self-proclaimed PvP mode for Fatshark’s Vermintide 2. It’s been in development for quite some time; you might remember the original trailer from way back in 2019. The outcome feels pretty unique. In this mode, two teams of four take turns playing as the pactsworn—a selection of Vermintide 2’s special skaven enemies—and the Ubersreik Five, the game’s regular heroes.
Dynamic Objectives and Gameplay
The heroes’ goal? Make it as far into each level as they can, earning points along the way, and contending with regular enemies and hordes alongside the opposing players masquerading as specials. These pactsworn have to stop the heroes from reaching their goal and have a number of devious abilities to assist them. The pactsworn selection includes ratling gunners, warpfire throwers, poison wind globadiers, packmasters, and gutter runners, with a bile troll also making an appearance.
Challenges and Strategies
Individually, pactsworn are kind of weak, but the real trick to Vermintide Versus is setting ambushes and overwhelming entire teams before they have a chance to catch their breath. It’s a mode that rewards coordination and knowledge of the map. For the Ubersreik Five, it’s a heightened version of the regular game, as highlighting and prioritising special enemies becomes even more vital.
The pactsworn might feel limited by comparison. The gutter runner, for instance, is fun to play, but it has only one ability. Similar is the case with the poison wind globadier. Many of the pactsworn feel like one-trick ponies, and this makes it challenging to see this mode thriving in the long run unless they’re fleshed out. However, the pactsworn can overcome their limitations by working together and plotting ambushes strategically.
Conclusion
This mode is 100% better with communication and a team of friends, letting you appreciate the role-playing aspect of the sly skaven by attacking in ever more irritating ways. This unique aspect makes Vermintide Versus feel more akin to an invasion in Dark Souls than a typical multiplayer mode, adding an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the game.
