Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Versus feels like the game mode we've always wanted

Back when Warhammer: Vermintide 2 first launched, there were rumblings of us being able to play as enemy special units this time around, but at release that wasn't to be. No, we'd have to wait years to finally get a playable Skaven faction in the game, but after checking it out, it does look like it's worth the wait.

Speaking with the design team at Fatshark at a recent preview event, we got a glimpse at the Herculean effort it has taken to get the Pactsworn working in the game. Trying to make it both accessible to newer players who might want to give the Versus mode a go as well as a challenge for existing veterans is a balancing act we certainly don't envy, but luckily after a few closed alpha tests, the community has been quite clear in pointing out what works and what doesn't.

So, what is Versus in Vermintide 2? Well, it's a new game mode, in which one team of 4 plays as your typical heroes, choosing their class and career at the start of a match, while the other team gets a handful of Skaven special units to choose from. They are: the Gutter Runner, Warpfire Thrower, Poison Wind Globadier, Ratling Gunner, and Packmaster. Each Skaven unit will be familiar from the base game, with a couple of abilities that give them a unique way to pin enemies down, making it easier for the hordes to pick them apart. Think of Versus as one lengthy mission in Vermintide 2, as the heroes have to complete objectives in order to earn points, while it's up to the Pactsworn to stop them. You swap between playing as the heroes and Pactsworn from round to round, with each round having points for you to grab.

From the perspective of the heroes, not much has changed, except now the special enemies you'll face should be a lot smarter. They can hide behind walls waiting for the perfect moment to strike, or even become a Bile Troll when they really need to lay the hammer down. It's sure to make for one of the most-difficult experiences the game can offer, especially when people of equal skill are playing against one another, as you still have plenty of other enemies to contend with as well.

The Pactsworn are weaker than the heroes, as they'll go down in just a couple of attacks, but can respawn every 10-15 seconds or so as a new unit type. This keeps them more as an expendable but still deadly threat, allowing you to switch up your tactics after death or become the terrifying aforementioned Bile Troll, which was devastating in our preview. This boss unit spawns randomly, but if the heroes are having too much of an easy time, you're more likely to get it. On the other hand, it will then spawn in the same spot for the enemy team, so you're best taking a mental note of when and where it appears. The Pactsworn can also summon a horde to impede the heroes' progress, but if you're a skilled Vermintide 2 player, you shouldn't have a problem with the weaker enemies.

After years of playing as the Ubersreik Five, you'll likely be most drawn to the Pactsworn, as they are new. Each of them has an ability or two to make use of, and even though they're nowhere near as deep in their mechanical detail as the heroes, they are a blast to see. Gutter Runners diving from rooftops, Ratling Gunners trapping the enemy team in a chokepoint, it's that classic PvP multiplayer that'll have you laughing and staying up far too late with friends. There are also levels specifically tied to your Versus experience, which means a fresh grind even for the most-experienced of veterans, and a way to level up your heroes without playing the base game if you've not levelled up everyone to the maximum.

Games in Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Versus are lengthy, as the three rounds each have you playing as the Pactsworn and the heroes, so you'll essentially have six rounds. However, even if the enemy team does get far ahead, Fatshark has ensured you're not just spending the better part of an hour waiting for the inevitable loss screen, as the later rounds allow you to get more points, so a comeback is pretty much always on the cards. The only thing we did notice about the length was that on some maps it seemed like it took a while for the heroes to get any points, with some areas and objectives offering loads in a short burst before a long drought. Also, it seemed that the Pactsworn really needed to co-ordinate in order to have any hope of stopping the heroes just running through a round. As they're weaker, the Pactsworn rely a lot more on chipping away at the heroes, little by little, so don't expect to have a Gutter Runner sweep when facing all your enemies at once.

That balance certainly feels like it's getting there, though, and even if the Pactsworn aren't stacked with abilities, they're still interesting to see because of how fresh they feel to the years-old formula of Warhammer: Vermintide 2. In the future of the Versus game mode, Fatshark believes we'll see more units added to the rat roster as well, spicing things up with a variety of Skaven for you to pick from, rather than fleshing out the existing playable rats. All I'm wishing for is a playable Rat Ogre. There's also a release planned for either late this year or early next, but a lot of that depends on the response to the beta running from the 21st of August to the 2nd of September, so if you want your voice heard, best get playing!