If you’re anything like me, seeing a game called Rogue Trader probably tells you two things about what you’re about to play. One, it’s a roguelike, and two, it’s a game about managing a shop or otherwise hocking merchandise for fun and profit. Except here you (by which I mean I) would be wrong. Rogue Trader is actually a recent entry in the grimdark Warhammer 40,000 universe, a massive RPG somewhat in the style of Baldur’s Gate 3. If you happen to be in the mood for up to 100 hours of dense RPG action, Rogue Trader is available on Xbox Game Pass beginning February 20.
Anyone who’s starting Rogue Trader without more than a glancing familiarity with Warhammer 40K is in for a bit of a rough start. The game is set within the Imperium, home of the bloodthirsty fascist Space Marines, but your character occupies a much higher position in society. Despite sounding like someone selling dubious goods on the black market, a Rogue Trader in Warhammer 40K’s world is an extremely privileged member of the political elite, vested with the power to do basically anything you want in pursuit of profit while commanding a ship crewed by thousands of underlings. Since your character is already deeply embedded in Imperium society, there’s very little in the way of introduction to Rogue Trader’s world, and you’ll need to put your brain to work untangling the intricacies of space infighting and demons lurking in hyperspace.
