Necromunda: Hired Gun is a first-person shooter set in a beloved Warhammer 40,000 universe – Polygon

Necromunda: Hired Gun, a first-person shooter set in the world of Warhammer 40,000, appears to have leaked on the Microsoft online storefront. Developed by the same team behind Space Hulk: Deathwing, the game puts players in the role of a mercenary hunting criminals and mutants on the mean streets the Imperium’s most famous hive world. The listing mentions that it will be available for both Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles.

Launched as a tabletop miniatures game in 1995, the Necromunda universe focuses on the violent battles between working-class gangs in a massive, industrial spire city in the 41st millennium. The game pits small forces — usually about six miniatures — against each other on a highly three-dimensional game board. Its universe is known for its bloody violence, but also its sense of humor.

The franchise was rebooted in 2017 with a new boxed set miniatures game titled Necromunda: Underhive, which has been followed up by multiple boxed sets, miniatures kits, and hardcover rulebooks. It’s also been the subject of two recent video games: Necromunda: Underhive Wars, a tactical strategy game for PC and consoles, and Necromunda: Gang Skirmish, a free-to-play mobile game.

Necromunda: Hired Gun is the first title to allow players to experience this franchise from the first-person perspective. Players will take on the role of a lone mercenary aided by a partially robotic dog called a cyber-mastiff. They’ll be able to upgrade their character with customizable augmentations, allowing them too “run on walls and leap over chasms” according to the official description.

Images show the player character fighting alongside Eschers, an all-female faction that uses chemical stimulants to enhance their combat abilities. They’re also seen using living grenades fashioned from rats, a speciality of the Cawdor faction of gangers. Enemies include muscle-bound Goliaths and Orlocks from the House of Iron. There’s also a hulking Ambot, a powerful robot used for excavation.

According to the description, players will also have access to a grappling hook which will allow “agile traversal of the massive environments.”

While the franchise itself hasn’t always been a home run in video games (Necromunda: Underhive Wars in particular reviewed very poorly when it was released), the studio behind this game has an excellent track record; It was responsible for the excellent multiplayer cooperative shooter Space Hulk: Deathwing that was originally released in 2016. That game was later revised and re-released as Space Hulk: Deathwing – Enhanced Edition for PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.