Predating even Total War, an iconic '90s Warhammer RTS has suddenly returned with modern polish, thanks to player demand

With news that we're getting both Total War: Warhammer 40k and Total War: Medieval 3, it's been a good time to cast my mind back to some of the best Warhammer games, and indeed the best RTS games, of years past. Among them is the beloved Warhammer: Dark Omen, Mindscape's 1998 tactics-led wargame, which predates even CA's original Shogun: Total War in delivering real-time clashes across 3D battlefields. But while it remains a cult classic, trying to get your hands on a modern copy has been tremendously difficult; at least, until now.

That's right, Warhammer: Dark Omen has just appeared on GOG, giving the RTS classic a fresh lease on life. It's been a long-standing feature of the storefront's 'GOG Dreamlist,' where players can submit and vote on games that they'd really like to see brought to the platform. Now, almost 30 years after it first released, Dark Omen lives again. As if that wasn't good enough news, it's even been given a fresh layer of polish complete with "4K and widescreen support, smoother visuals, and significantly improved stability," and it'll only cost you a tenner.

In case you weren't around at the time, or it simply passed you by, Warhammer: Dark Omen puts you in charge of Commander Morgan Berhardt, commander of the Grudgebringer mercenary force. What begins as a call to assist in holding off an orc invasion quickly starts to escalate when you realize what pushed the orcs to cross the border. The story even includes options where you can choose how events play out and affect the course of the conflict.

On the battlefield, the focus is on smaller, more impactful mercenary forces, starting out with basics such as infantry and cavalry and moving on to ranged forces, artillery, wizards, and so on. Building on its predecessor, Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Dark Omen integrates more 3D terrain, which includes a full line-of-sight system that allows you to hide behind obstacles to evade enemy fire, flank foes, or set an ambush.

Despite laying dormant for many years, players who voted for Dark Omen have been quick to take to GOG and express their gratitude for its return. "Guess the voting does work," writes one, "I remember voting for it months ago and it just alerted me that it's finally here." Another adds, "Having played the GOG version, I've gotta say they really did a good amount of work to make it work on modern systems. However, the controls can be wonky - just as they were back in the day."

Warhammer: Dark Omen is available now via GOG, with a 10% launch discount meaning you'll pay $8.99 / £7.69 if you buy it before Saturday January 3, 2026. Expect to pay $9.99 / £8.50 thereafter. You'll find it right here. Whether you've always wanted to revisit this classic, or are curious to try it for the first time, it's never been easier.