Get yo freek on.
Warhammer and Warhammer 40K have almost unlimited potential when it comes to adapting its license to any genre video games can throw at it. While I’m still waiting for a Warhammer 40K spin on Mario Party, Speed Freeks does take me back to my love of car combat games such as Twisted Metal and Vigilante 8. While it’s explosive, wildly engaging, and has the weight you want from its vehicles and combat, what’s under the hood is shockingly barren.
Released in early access last August, some changes have certainly been made to the game in time for its 1.0 release. Originally, microtransactions were built into the game to accommodate the free-to-play model, but its 1.0 release has shifted to a $15.99 USD price point and removed any and all existence of microtransactions. While that can certainly lower the install base with a barrier to entry, it nonetheless was the right call, given it doesn't feel like a game built to support additional purchases. That said, the feel of free-to-play is still present in its overall presentation and lack of much content from the starting line.
Sure, there are tons of customizable parts to equip to your vehicle, but they are very minimal in reshaping the form and function of your ride, meaning you are not changing major components of your ride. However, what is really the noticeable issue here is a lack of modes to provide variety, let alone really allow the car combat elements and racing to shine. The modes here are solid enough, but man, does it feel like something is missing here.
Speed Freeks is far more looking to be Twisted Metal than a racing game built around the Warhammer 40,000 universe. And while that is fine, it teases the elements of racing in its Deff Rally mode, a point-to-point race while you dispatch enemies with your mobile arsenal. A true racing mode complete with bright signs, hellish turns, and the spectacle of racing would have been incredible, given that the presentation for the game itself is utterly brilliant when it comes to the design and aesthetics of its environments.
Kill Konvoy brings up the rear with a mode built around hauling bombs to the opponent's mobile fortress called a Stompa. This mode is thrilling, providing a great use of the cars as you haul ass to the aforementioned bombs, collecting them, and then delivering or escorting your allies to the opponents Stompa. And, with wildly spacious maps, you get a lot of driving via this mode that satisfies in ways that Deff Rally oddly doesn't.
However, the most glaring omission is a simple team Deathmatch or solo Deathmatch mode. Why is this not here? I can already see players ignoring the objective in Kill Konvoy, so why not have what should have been the first mode created for this game? It's a bizarre omission that really scratches the head. And, given the title is called “SPEED” freeks, why is there not a traditional racing mode here?
While I would say “complaints aside” as I really don't have too many more, I do have some issues with the controls that don’t offer much variety in changing how your vehicle maneuvers. I would love to see a setting where I could use the triggers as gas and brake, with the shoulder buttons handling your business with an assortment of weapons that each vehicle varies in. The main setting is using the left analog stick to apply gas, which generally feels odd here. While it works, I'm not a fan. But with that, yah, everything else present in Speed Freeks is damn impressive.
While there have been plenty of car combat games to come out after Twisted Metal somewhat retired, and the clones like Rogue Trip, Vigilante 8, and who can forget WWE Crush Hour, none have hit the mainstream like Twisted Metal. While it could be a variety of things, like the general gameplay or a lack of a compelling license, Speed Freeks scratches that itch that I never knew I still had. Car combat was such a compelling genre back in the day that I played nearly any that were released. Carmageddon, Cell Damage, Blood Drive, and Wreckfest, I've played them all.
Speed Freeks does a great job at the combat part, the crunchy feel of the weapons, the burnt metal corpse of a vehicle flying overhead as you speed to your objective, is perfect. Speed Freeks has plenty of vehicles, each sporting different weapons of their own, each with different stats to work within the framing of the classes they portray.
As you attempt to unlock all the vehicles, some certainly stand out from the pack. The Looted Wagon, however, while having the capabilities of a tank, it also suffers from being drastically slow and its manual missile leaves you as a sitting duck. The Grot Mega Tank, however, is a much better take on the tank, if that is your jam. Those that you are likely to rev up is the grenade launching Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy, the all-rounder in the Boomdakka Snazzwagon, ripping around in the incredibly fast Shokkjump Dragsta, and countless more, all outfitting with guns, mine-launchers, and more, each of which is primed for some destruction.
Once a vehicle has been chosen, your orc customized, then you'll dish it out across the two modes available. While there is free roam, to get the lay of the land, It's not really what you would truly consider a viable piece of replayable content. Still, the maps themselves all look great and have a solid design to allow for bursts of speed or areas to duck out of fire. 1.0 adds Da Dust Up and Da Gorge to the list, being their most dynamic and visually striking maps out of the bunch.
I've spent my time moving back and forth from my PC to the Steam Deck, and while the game is certainly better looking on a proper PC, the bulk of my hours with the game have been on the Steam Deck. Given the simplicity of what this game offers, having it portable feels oddly more natural, that and it runs incredible well. And with bots matches while I am offline, it allows me to get a few matches in while I'm on a break at work.
Warhammer 40K: Speed Freeks can certainly feel limited in what is available to take on, but the extremely low price does make up for some of that. Still, additional modes, and even vehicles, should be added at a somewhat regular pace if they intend to keep its player base engaged. What is here is enjoyable, with the crunchy and weighty combat you'd want, all wrapped up in an aesthetic that feels perfect for it.
Developer - Caged Elephant. Publisher - Wired Productions/Plaion. Released - May 22nd, 2025. Available On - Windows. Rated - (N/A) No Descriptors. Platform Reviewed - Steam Deck/PC. Review Access - Review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Jeff is the original founder of Analog Stick Gaming. His favorite games include The Witcher III, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Hi-Fi Rush, Stellar Blade, Hellbade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and the Legend of Heroes series, especially Trails of Cold Steel III & IV.