Total War: Warhammer 3's Immortal Empires campaign has reached its 'End Times' with the new Lords of the End Times expansion, allowing players to rewrite significant aspects of Warhammer Fantasy lore. This expansion is available for $9, requiring only the purchase of one of its included characters—Boris, Thanquol, Nagash, or The Glottkin—to access the campaign, though it does not unlock all playable factions.
The End Times period in Warhammer Fantasy lore was met with considerable fan dissatisfaction due to its perceived inconsistencies and the fates of beloved characters. The game aims to rectify this by offering players the agency to alter these established narratives. For example, a player can choose to prevent the sacrifice of the Fay Enchantress or defeat Nagash, events that were pivotal and often unpopular in the original lore.
Rewriting the Narrative
The expansion introduces several endgame scenarios that players can trigger or engage with. Archaon, the Everchosen, initiates a Chaos invasion that is functionally immortal until his invasion fortresses are destroyed and his host weakened. Settlements razed by his forces remain so until his defeat, adding a time-sensitive element to the campaign. Other endgame scenarios include Nagash's Great Ritual and the Skaven Vermintide. Players can also opt to have all these events active simultaneously for the most lore-accurate, albeit chaotic, experience.
Alternatively, players can choose to embody the endgame itself, playing as Archaon and initiating the Chaos invasion when they deem themselves powerful enough to bring ruin to the world. This feature allows players to not only witness the end of the Warhammer world but to actively shape its final moments.
A Continuing Legacy
Despite the 'End Times' theme, Creative Assembly has indicated that this is not the conclusion for Total War: Warhammer. While the developer continues to address issues such as campaign AI and the need for reworks for certain factions like Bretonnia, there is a promise of future content, including additional characters and units. For players with extensive experience in the series, the $9 entry point for the Lords of the End Times expansion is presented as a compelling value for experiencing what is considered a definitive rendition of the Warhammer Fantasy world in digital form.