Owlcat Games has opened beta testing for Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, moving the upcoming story-driven CRPG beyond its earlier alpha phase and giving founders a deeper look at its investigation-heavy take on the grim darkness of the far future.
The beta is available through Steam for players who supported the game through Owlcat’s website, with access planned to remain open until release.
Set in the Calixis Sector, Dark Heresy casts players as an acolyte of the Inquisition before pushing them into a web of heresy, conspiracies, interrogations, and tactical encounters. A party-based CRPG where choices carry weight, with players commanding a warband that can include Imperial loyalists and more unusual allies, including xenos companions.
Combat remains turn-based, with systems built around positioning, morale management, and targeting enemy weak points.
The beta adds new areas, companions, story content, and combat encounters, though Owlcat notes that the current build is available in English only. Voice work is also incomplete at this stage.
The alpha content is fully voiced, while newly added beta material currently has partial voice-over, with full voice acting planned for the final release. Players who want to experience the fully voiced alpha route can begin in Marisportum Sectoris, while those who want to reach the newer beta content can head toward Lucid Palace after leaving Serpentis Bastion, roughly one hour into the game.
Players who joined the previous alpha do not need to redeem a new key. They can download the updated Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy Playtest project directly.
New eligible founders can obtain a beta key from the Digital Download section of their profile on the official Dark Heresy website, then activate it through Steam. The beta client is separate from the main Steam store page, where the full game is still listed as coming soon.
