Game2026

Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000 (Classic)

Strategy

Developer Holistic Design Inc

Final Liberation is a turn-based tactics video game released for Microsoft Windows in 1997, and re-released on GOG.com in 2015 and Steam in 2026. The game is best known as the first video game based on Epic, a table-top wargame set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. The game borrows heavily in terms of rules and style from the table-top game in an attempt to recreate the table-top experience on a computer… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

74 reactions from 1 source (Steam reviews) · newest Sep 29, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works

Audience score

86
LovedLoved

64 positive · 10 negative
95% range 77–92%

Source+−=
Steam reviews64100
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
80 of 91 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)

What people are saying

Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.

Reactions

60 of 74 · most liked first
  • Steam user Steam user …5091Steam reviews · Apr 13, 2026

    I've played around 40 hours on the GOG copy before buying this, finished the campaign on normal. this is the gold standard for Warhammer 40,000 strategy games. Nothing comes as close to comparison for this game, the story and gameplay is pure cheese. not to mention all the awesome costumes in the FMV cutscenes. also the splash screen saying this doesn't reflect current lore... disregard that. commissar holt is more than canon, him and Yarrick and Cain all hang out and are friends. 'nuff said.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …7895Steam reviews · Apr 21, 2026 · 2 h played

    It's funny to think that when I first played this game on a PC Gamer demo disk 30yrs ago that my parents PC could barely handle it. I got to play one level, it crashed over and over again and that was enough to make me obsessed. Now I get to fully play it as an adult. This game is stupidly difficult. But once you understand the rock-paper-scissors dynamic of the units and that artillery should be pounding everything all the time it gets much more manageable. It's fascinating to see how…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …8300Steam reviews · Apr 13, 2026 · 14 h played

    Epic 40,000: Final Liberation. This game is a wonderful introduction to epic scale warhammer, and is overall a fantastic game that holds up exceptionally well today. I dare to say that if this is ever refreshed, hardly anything aside from graphics should be changed - if even that! The campaign flows well, if you use your head of course. Certain situations can be challenging and punishing, but it is always a situation you can overcome if you play smart. This game is what cemented my decision…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6753Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026 · 2 h played

    With full compatibility this 1997 title hold up surprisingly well. A deep, nonlinear campaign that rewards careful planning takes centre stage. And of course the FMV cutscenes. The cheesy, cheesy cutscenes. Except Commissar Holt who absolutely needs to be worked into the tabletop game. Choose your next purchase with exceptional care.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …5682Steam reviews · Apr 24, 2026 · 47 h played

    Common complaint I see is that the game is slow. Above the zoom buttons on your screen, there is a nondescript slider which adjusts the animation speed and is on Slowest by default. You're welcome. Now, I actually haven't played this game before '26 and I came here looking to scratch the Wh40k Armageddon itch - love that game, but it scales into stupid huge proportions pretty quick. Dawn of War, on the other hand, feels a little too small no matter the mods. This thing right here - this is…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …2853Steam reviews · Apr 13, 2026 · 1 h played

    You should buy it for the soundtrack alone.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1351Steam reviews · Aug 1, 2026

    Okay, useful info first, nostalgia later. A modern player probably won't like this - by today's standards it's not pretty, and it's repetitive. But if you're a Warhammer fan, I still recommend to at least watch the live-action cutscenes from this game on YouTube - in my opinion, this is as Warhammer as it gets, especially considering that this was filmed in 1997. I am not a modern player. I was thirteen when this came out and it was the first Warhammer game I've ever played. And I still think…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …7237Steam reviews · Apr 14, 2026

    Crashes during enemy's movement phase, campaign lags wildly I don't think they bothered porting this one to modern systems, so don't bother playing

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …7419Steam reviews · Apr 14, 2026

    Finally achievement support and modern OS support for my favourite TBS game of all time! Kudo's GW!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …3055Steam reviews · Apr 23, 2026 · 1 h played

    Epic 40k got done dirty but at least we had this gem of a game come out of it before it was ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1053Steam reviews · Apr 13, 2026

    Great music, but no option to turn off anti aliasing and what seems to be a complete lack of manual (they appear to have instead only supplied the errata document) makes this a pretty poor remaster

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …5848Steam reviews · Jun 9, 2026 · 2 h played

    Exactly as I remember it. Have the original CD for this still too

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6480Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026 · 1 h played

    Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000 (Classic) — Reflective Impressions Going into this, I had to remind myself what this game represents. This isn’t just another Warhammer title—it’s one of the earliest attempts to bring the 40k universe into video game form. And with that in mind, it honestly ends up being a lot better than I expected. The first thing that stood out to me was the soundtrack. It’s actually really good—catchy, memorable, and it does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6721Steam reviews · May 14, 2026 · 6 h played

    The game that got me into warhammer, does rely on RNG but with careful planning you can minimize this. Sad that the game did not get any more content but maybe if Total war is successful we can get a new Epic game.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …5530Steam reviews · Apr 14, 2026 · 2 h played

    Didn't work. Crashed on end of level one cutscene, couldn't get it to progress to level 2.

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6769Steam reviews · Jun 5, 2026 · 6 h played

    Its a classic for a reason.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …0388Steam reviews · Apr 20, 2026 · 1 h played

    Crashes randomly just like the original! That's what I call a faithful adaptation. Total classic though.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6345Steam reviews · Jun 14, 2026 · 52 h played

    I played Final Liberation in the late 90s and remember it fondly. The fact is, if you like 4X games, then you will enjoy this 3X. You will expand (i.e., earn points and purchase units), explore (i.e., select one of several pathways on the globe to engage the orc horde, defeat greater and more robust opponents, until you finally face-off the War-Boss), and exterminate (i.e., there are many, many battles, and the Space Marine of the 90s were not comparable to the 11th edition Adeptus Astartes...…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …2107Steam reviews · Apr 27, 2026 · 16 h played

    not only still holds up, but even better than i remembered acted fmv's after most battles not super difficult but a fun sandbox to try things out and not get punished absolutely worth $5

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …0922Steam reviews · Apr 19, 2026 · 17 h played

    Remember when 40k used to be fun? Remember when most 40k video games were not just shovelwear slop? Remember when GW had more boxed games? Well good news because this Epic based boomer TBS is excellent. I've been looking for this game for years after playing it in the late 90s / early 2000s at a friend's house. Nostalgia bait? Maybe, but it sure is tasty bait. I'd eye'd this up on GOG a few times, but this takes away the need to make it run well on modern hardware. It runs near flawlessly,…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …8185Steam reviews · May 25, 2026 · 9 h played

    Nothing short of amazing. This is the way Epic Warhammer 40K should be!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6837Steam reviews · Apr 17, 2026

    Welp,.. AI hits on 30%, you don't hit on 40% This is all you need to know really.

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …3792Steam reviews · Apr 17, 2026 · 2 h played

    This game is several generations older then me mind you, and I already like it from seeing the cutscenes and music few years back. That and a certain Commissar slapping a governor for stories of his ineptitude.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1991Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026 · 9 h played

    This is one of the classic OG grand strategy games not just for Warhammer, but for PC in general. With a combination of a turn based world overview map, and turn based battle maps, this game provides a surprising amount of depth. Take control of the Imperial Guard and move through sectors of the planet, liberating space ports and hive cities from the Ork menace. Use control points from the regions you've captured as resource points to repair damaged and lost units for your companies, or…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …7604Steam reviews · Apr 14, 2026 · 17 h played

    "Choose your next words with exceptional care." Soundtrack is pretty great for that vintage 90s feel, live action cutscenes seem to have no issue in this version or atleast none encountered so far, Orks still seemingly and unforgivingly having better accuracy than my Guardsmen after all these years. Useful tip, press V when in the campaign map menu to better see the regions you have control over and where you can attack.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1832Steam reviews · Jul 17, 2026 · 1 h played

    Despite this game’s old graphics and mediocre UI, it is very fun and plays much like a tabletop wargame, though the ones and zeros behind the hit conditions and statistics are hidden for the sake of smoother casual gameplay. I’d recommend this game to anyone looking for a good turn-based strategy game that isn’t overly complex or reliant on math.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6587Steam reviews · May 30, 2026 · 21 h played

    I loved Final Liberation when it first came out, and I still love it now - having played this version of Epic 40k on the tabletop, and having find memories of painting hordes of these tiny figures to pay my rent while at uni, this game will always have a place in my heart. The great cinematics - and sounds of hordes of orks and imperial troops dying to massed gunfire of titans and gargants that tower over them is rife. It's a shame the other races never properly made it into the game. There was…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …7641Steam reviews · May 29, 2026 · 2 h played

    I can see why I as a 13-year old boy loved this game so very much! It was always a fond memory that I never thought would return. So when I saw this port I was super hyped. Though, nearly 30 years later, the game just doesn't hold up to modern standards. It's incredibly boring, actually very much like playing the board game Risk, with very little to offer, other than: move your troops and shoot. If you hit, you kill the enemy. If you miss, it's their turn to shoot you. Also, it's just a port,…

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …8522Steam reviews · May 29, 2026 · 1 h played

    FMVs are cool but the gameplay is unfortunately really really bad. Every unit on both teams automatically has overwatch at all times so anytime you barely get within range of the enemy their entire army overwatches whatever unit you send forward so its better to just get all your troops to the middle of the field and not move them and skip your turn and the enemy walk into your overwatch but then they just entrench themselves so you're both just skipping your turns and then the game just…

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …9167Steam reviews · May 14, 2026 · 15 h played

    This was the first warhammer game I played, got me into the hobby so to say. This remaster is bringing back that nostalgic game from the 90s (including its flaws). There were some small bugs and crashes, but nothing too major for me. The FMV cutscenes are poor quality (resolution issue? I honestly have no clue) Would still love a remake to update it towards the 2026 era of the setting (new models, new units, EXTRA RACES?) but that probably wont happen.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …5116Steam reviews · Apr 27, 2026 · 12 h played

    Back from a time when gameplay and graphics were both given equal footing, this absolute classic returns. Whilst the units may be a little less smooth to modern eyes, this is more than made up for the replayability as you try different unit combos lollopping across the campaign map. The only shame is that the obviously planned expansions never game to fruition. Hopefully some enterprising souls can come up with a way of doing this.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …9470Steam reviews · Apr 27, 2026 · 20 h played

    The crazy 90s cinematics alone are worth buying this game. Commissar Holt should've gotten a model and a data sheet as reward for his performance in this game. I played this many years ago and pined for a workable version of it to replay. I have now completed playing it through and I enjoyed the flavor of this, but it is a tedious game, too. Imagine random ork boyz popping your chimera with some desultory bolter fire, but two to three batteries of basilisks required to wipe the same squad of…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1798Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026 · 13 h played

    *Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000 (Classic)*, developed by Holistic Design Inc and published by SNEG, is a large-scale turn-based strategy game that captures the essence of tabletop wargaming with a level of dedication rarely seen in modern adaptations. Originally released in the late 1990s, it reflects a design philosophy rooted in complexity, patience, and simulation, offering battles that emphasize planning and coordination over speed or accessibility. Even in its current form, it…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6579Steam reviews · May 19, 2026 · 39 h played

    Truly lives up to the name Epic 40k. This was absolute peak industrial sci-fi strategy.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …8222Steam reviews · Apr 26, 2026 · 12 h played

    If you played the original and want some nostalgia, then by all means pick this up. It's a true port of the original... sadly with many of the same bugs and glitches and crashes. I loved this game as a kid, and enjoy it now, but if you're buying it to have an Epic 40k experience, I think it's pretty fair to say you'll feel rather let down that this game is nothing more than... functional. If Games Workshop licenced this game for a remake, I'd pick it up in a heart beat, but as is I don't…

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …3242Steam reviews · Apr 20, 2026 · 19 h played

    A classic 90s turn based strategy game. This entry was the first computer based 40k game to feature some of the biggest and baddest units available to both the Imperium, and the Orks. Command armies of up to 20 groups/detachments of units, ranging from a platoon of 5 squads of basic Planet Guard, all the way up to the mighty Warlord class Titan. While this is definitely a product of its time, suffering from somewhat repetitive level design, extremely cheesy writing (which I personally love),…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …0837Steam reviews · Apr 16, 2026

    -far too slow -clunky everything ima refund ts

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …3254Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026

    Great game, fun way to learn how Warhammer games work. This game is 100% canon

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6491Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026 · 4 h played

    As fun and campy as I remember!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …4200Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026

    Supporting the developer.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …0998Steam reviews · Aug 17, 2026 · 42 h played

    Amazing blast from the past. I was shockingly bad at this as a kid in the 90's. So it was nice to avenge my childhood self finally with this game. I really enjoyed it, it was as frustrating as I remember but it's the reason I picked it up again. If you're a classic warhammer game enjoyer or played classic RTS game like the Close Combat franchise, then this might be for you. If you're a modern total war or RTS enjoyer... probably not. It will most likely evoke the rather cringy "Gah, the…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …9501Steam reviews · Aug 8, 2026 · 1 h played

    100% Very Good Game!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1561Steam reviews · May 23, 2026 · 40 h played

    Game's alright. hate flyers though.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …4032Steam reviews · May 4, 2026 · 23 h played

    Highly underrated 40k game. Despite being nearly 30 years old, the gameplay still holds up very well. Lots of unit variety with imperial guard, space marines, and titan legions, all of which are depicted in the lovely 2nd edition 40k designs. Got a little over 20 hours of content for $6, so for that price it's an easy recommend.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …9623Steam reviews · May 1, 2026 · 3 h played

    Finally. Warhammer as it was and not the woke trash that it is now. I played this straight through highschool and college. I have wanted to come back to this many times, but it just wasnt great on modern rigs. Now, it runs just as cheaty as it did 30 years ago. Seriously. The computer cheats, all the time. You can sit there spamming fire from 5 units into one of theirs, and not hit it once. Then they can wipe the floor with you with just infantry. At least it isnt like the slop tactical games…

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …9556Steam reviews · Apr 21, 2026 · 4 h played

    A good Xeno is a dead Xeno. PRAISE THE EMPEROR!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6907Steam reviews · Apr 20, 2026 · 16 h played

    Gerat classic Epic 40k gameplay. Way less buggy, only had one crash during the entire game, Make sure to save after every battle!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …5018Steam reviews · Apr 15, 2026 · 7 h played

    Well that's a trip down memory lane. I spent many hours on this game back in the day, and it is as fun now as it was back then.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …4941Steam reviews · Apr 14, 2026 · 2 h played

    Linux users may need to paste 'WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw.dll=n,b" %command%' into the launch options. Cnc-ddraw is actually included in this download.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …6050Steam reviews · Jul 26, 2026 · 1 h played

    I'm afraid I can't recommend this at all. This game has one of the worst control interfaces I've ever experienced. Needing to move squads of infantry around individually is torture.

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1368Steam reviews · Jul 20, 2026 · 3 h played

    Command Infantry, Tanks, Artillery, Super Heavy Tanks and Titans to smash hordes of Orks!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …8022Steam reviews · Jul 2, 2026 · 4 h played

    one of the most fun strategy games ive played

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …1857Steam reviews · Jun 1, 2026 · 20 h played

    Ah yes brings back some really good memories. Both with old games and old rules for tabletop. The game is somewhat short - it took me about 20 hours of play to complete it together with all the achievements and in the end tutorial :) . Takes way less if you go the short route. But still very fond memories of old games :) .

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …2367Steam reviews · May 26, 2026 · 1 h played

    The game mechanics - and overall feel of the game - are the closest you can get to my favorite GW tabletop (Epic Armageddon), with a major difference perhaps in the way aviation is used. In terms of QoL it's a very hard pass. I am a gamer from "that" generation and despite that, in 2026 I got tired fast from its clunky interface. BUT It deserves a remake. Keep the old, pixellated videos (no AI scaling, please), keep all of the great unit sheets, keep most of the gameplay, just make a refresh on…

    negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …5504Steam reviews · May 22, 2026 · 1 h played

    Could be the first ever strategy game I played, fell in love instantly. This is a game I wish they made a remake - updated the graphics and possibly extended/completed the game. Bear in mind this is a 1997 game with no other changes that I can see other than optimization.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …3763Steam reviews · May 12, 2026 · 7 h played

    If you like retro turned based gaming, this is a treat for $9.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …3508Steam reviews · May 5, 2026 · 1 h played

    This game first introduced me to Warhammer 40K and then I forgot about the series until Dawn of War came out. Anyway, I am happy to say that this game is still fun in 2026.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …8148Steam reviews · May 3, 2026 · 20 h played

    As awesome as it ever was, hoping that someone finds a way of adding the missing races!

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …4425Steam reviews · Apr 30, 2026 · 7 h played

    Actually really fun. Big variety of units you don't often see these days like tallarn, mordian, catachan. Super cute FMVs, want a whole movie like that. Music and sound effects... well, it has some of those, too. Interesting scenarios calling for different tactics and army builds. Best £5 I spent in a long time, do recommend especially if you grew up in the 90s and have a soft spot for second edition.

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
  • Steam user Steam user …7981Steam reviews · Apr 14, 2026 · 1 h played

    Classical gameplay and campaign which are great, FMV is nice, and there are steam achievements

    positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →

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