Warhammer 40k Darktide is leaving the Hive, and it feels like an entirely new game

You've never seen Warhammer 40k Darktide like this. Fatshark's grimdark co-op shooter is a riotous effort. You and your friends pummel and pound your way through the nigh-endless Chaos hordes, driven onwards by the majestic sounds of Jesper Kyd's thumping score, in the most heavy-industry shooter around. It's a reliable stalwart, and one of the best co-op games for chatting to your mates, while still throwing enough moments at you that require a sudden burst of focus and coordination. But with the launch of the Beyond the Hive update, Darktide is about to change forever.

Beyond the Hive is a free update for Darktide, and we're talking the really good kind, one that makes you double check that you haven't misread something. This isn't a paid DLC. In accordance with its title, it introduces a new high-risk game mode called Expeditions that takes you outside of the Tertium Hive for the first time. Ahead of you lies the wasteland of Atoma Prime, which was thought to be little more than a radiation-filled death zone, but is actually home to what Fatshark design director Victor Magnuson calls "the biggest injection of new content" since the launch of the Warhammer 40k game.

Upon learning that the Admonition are scouring the badlands for lost Tech-Remnants and other valuable supplies, you're tasked with leading the Mourningstar's forces out to claim any prizes. Those rumors of the surface being deadly weren't an exaggeration, however, and it's up to you to decide how long you're willing to stay out among the radiation, pollution, and enemy threats before you call in a Valkyrie to bring you home. You're free to push your luck, but if you don't make it back, then neither does anything you collected.

Expeditions are a complete deviation from Darktide's standard, start-to-finish missions; you're exploring a vast, open-ended map with no preset path. The Valkyrie drops you in a scavenge zone, and you're able to scan for nearby sites of interest. You're free to seek these out and gather up any Tech-Remnants, supplies, and salvage you find before moving on or heading back. Keep your eyes out, because you can also spot smaller, unmarked treasure troves, and will want to be wary of roaming enemy threats.

To help you stay out for longer, you can stop in at sanctuaries. These are home to the 'Deadsiders,' who will trade with you for healing and equipment if you can overcome their initial wariness to outsiders. Once you've had a moment to rest and refresh, you're able to continue on to the next site of interest. Some of these will be very combat-driven, while others are more puzzle-oriented, requiring collaboration and in some cases encouraging your team to divide and conquer, with the natural caveat that you're stronger as a group.

The longer you're out on a run, the more Darktide's enemy-spawning systems will ramp up the challenge. This has been completely redesigned from the way it works in regular missions, instead tracking the various accomplishments you've achieved on a given trek. Along with regular spawns, you'll want to watch out for roamers like the new Ogryn Pack Master, a fast, bruiser-type monstrosity that charges in with his shocking prod to slow you in your tracks. He's accompanied by Armored Pox Hounds, and is capable of both seeing through stealth and stopping the Arbites' Cyber Mastiff in its tracks. Spot him walking the wasteland first, however, and you'll have the chance to prepare an ambush.

Fatshark says it has designed Expeditions to be "very replayable," noting that the maps, while not procedurally generated, are "very randomized in their composition." You've got more control over how long you stay on a mission, which are estimated to last "ten to 30 minutes" depending on how far you push the risk/reward factor. Magnuson explains that it's also ideal for busier players, who can choose to "round off a run quickly" while still extracting the rewards earned up to that point.

"We see this game mode as something you play in parallel with the rest of the game," the developer explains. "It is not replacing Adventure mode. In addition, Expeditions come with their own Penances, and we've cooked up some really cool cosmetic sets for you to unlock too. All in all, from the layout of the more open maps to the nature of the run and the progression layer, we hope that this will prove a fun way to experience Darktide."

The Warhammer 40k Darktide 'Beyond the Hive' update launches on Tuesday March 17, and it's free for all players. The game is currently 75% off on Steam through Thursday March 19, making it a great time to jump in at just $9.99 / £8.24. Head here to grab it while the discount lasts.

Expeditions promise a completely new way to play Darktide, and one that feels pretty distinct from the overground offerings of its fantasy sibling Warhammer Vermintide 2. I'm very excited to give them a try; it sounds like exactly the injection of fresh pacing the game needs to spice things up a bit after more than three years of sticking to largely the same formula.