Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review — A cathartic co-op experience

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has certainly piqued my interest. The quality mode offers an immersive visual experience that’s hard to resist, even if the frame rate isn’t exactly lightning-fast.

In the midst of Melta blasts clashing with terrifying alien screams, I remain unyielding, the only source of light being the fleeting spark as Hormagaunts are destroyed one by one. One of these fearless creatures jumps mid-air and is swiftly knocked down, a timely parry serving to reinforce my armor. The smile on my face grows broader

For more than a decade, I’ve been engaged in countless battles with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – a game that has long been anticipated, initially announced way back in 2021. This sequel comes as a surprise after such a lengthy wait, especially given the demise of its original publisher, THQ, which many (including myself) thought would mean the end of this series

Under Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment’s supervision, Titus and the Ultramarines make a return to action, offering a blood-soaked experience that is visually stunning, sonically pleasing, and simply enjoyable at every turn. The narrative may not be groundbreaking, but it effectively delivers the Warhammer 40,000 atmosphere in an exhilarating adventure. Some technical problems require immediate attention, but I’m looking forward to diving back in as more missions become available

What is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2?

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review — A cathartic co-op experience

Space Marine 2″ is an action game where you play from a third-person perspective, created by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment. This game takes place in the world of Warhammer 40K, and it’s a follow-up to the 2011 release “Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine”. The character Titus from the Ultramarines returns in a fresh new timeframe

Similar to its predecessor, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 puts players in the role of relentlessly defeating the adversaries of the Imperium using a variety of methods such as slashing, battering, punching, pulverizing, vaporizing, shocking, and annihilating. This is achieved with an array of iconic weapons reminiscent of the tabletop models, like Power Swords, Thunder Hammers, Plasma Incinerators, and others

In this battle scenario, these war tools are essential since players must confront endless waves of Tyranids, which include flying, crawling, and swarming monstrosities, coming at you by the dozens. Additionally, the traitors from the Thousand Sons Legion pose a threat, reinforcing their ranks with cultists, Rubric Marines, and more

Individuals have the option to play on their own, or they can band together with others. The primary campaign accommodates up to three players working together, and the Player versus Environment (PvE) Operations mode is designed with cooperation in mind. Lastly, the Eternal War mode pits players against one another, with loyalists battling the forces of Chaos

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review — Story and characters

Years following the Space Marine incident, Titus finds himself serving with the Deathwatch, completing one perilous assignment after another as a form of atonement for the heresy allegations he faced. In the opening act of Space Marine 2, circumstances unfold that reunite Titus with his chapter, the Ultramarines, who are summoned to thwart a Tyranid invasion

Although this work delves into intriguing topics like the impact of secrets on a brotherhood under the watchful eye of the Imperium, and how suspicion can affect relationships, the overall narrative follows traditional patterns. Fresh enemies emerge and mysteries are unraveled, but primarily to offer additional targets for your Bolters

It’s important to clarify that I don’t view this as a negative aspect at all. The writing effectively portrays Titus as one of the greatest human champions, solidifying his position in the annals of history. However, additional data and casual conversations suggest the grim reality of life under such a regime, revealing its true terror

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review — Gameplay and features

Space Marine 2″ seems to combine the classic gaming feel of Xbox 360 era with today’s advanced technology, and I say this as the ultimate praise. Managing a Space Marine is an absolute joy, as you trample and roll towards your enemies with powerful strides that would even make Gears of War characters take notice

In this game, both types of weapons, melee and ranged, provide a satisfying experience. The developers have skillfully blended melee and distant combat encounters against aliens and heretics. One moment you might be shooting down a horde with the Heavy Bolter, and the next you could find yourself engaging in a duel with an enemy Tyranid Warrior using your Power Sword. Timing is crucial here, as successfully parrying or dodging will help restore your Armor, which protects you from a certain amount of damage before affecting your health directly

Here, Saber Interactive’s unique Swarm engine is skillfully employed, leaving you vastly outnumbered (approximately 100 enemies versus you), as you valiantly battle against an unrelenting surge of claws, teeth, venom, plasma, and magic

As the game progresses in its campaign, the mission diversity starts to wane somewhat, transitioning from distinctive experiences into repeatedly advancing through enemy strongholds. Despite this, the game doesn’t drag on excessively (I completed my initial playthrough within 11 hours), so it’s not a major issue

In the team-oriented Operations mode, the commendation I’ve given for the combat mechanics still stands. This additional campaign-like experience can be considered a secondary narrative. The missions (initially available at launch) connect to the main storyline, mentioning peripheral events and characters that are concurrently happening, complementing key plot points in the primary story

This even extends to some boss battles that are unique to Operations, and I highly recommend playing through each mission at least once. Even if you don’t like playing co-op, the lowest difficulty is perfectly doable with bots that fill in for other players when you’re by yourself.

In the game, players assume the characters of Titus and his group during the campaign. However, Operations and Eternal War offer a high degree of personalization, enabling you to unlock various paints and armor components. This way, you can craft the Space Marine character that suits your imagination perfectly. Personally, I’ve customized my characters to resemble Space Wolves, similar to my tabletop armies that I plan on resuming work on soon. Yet, you’re free to choose Imperial Fists, Iron Hands or even design a unique chapter of your own

In my current review, I’m unable to provide insights on the multiplayer-centric game mode called Eternal War, simply because it wasn’t accessible during the time I was writing this piece. Cross-platform play (a feature included in the complete game) was not active during the review period, preventing me from assembling a game lobby with both Space Marines and Chaos forces to observe their clash

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review — Visuals and audio

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 showcases impressive visuals, boasting exceptional texture detail on the armor of the powerful space marines and the rough hides of their alien adversaries. The design remains compelling even in the heat of battle when enemies merge into a chaotic swarm, and witnessing a Tyranid horde charge towards you is truly awe-inspiring

The sound design is equally impressive, offering the continuous excitement of Bolter explosions and plasma sizzles that never fail to thrill. Amidst the clamor of war, various audio signals stand out, such as a Sentry’s call for backup. It might be simple for the din of destruction to become overwhelming noise, but rather, the conflicts resonate with melody

It’s regrettable that there’s no High Dynamic Range (HDR) support at present. Such a feature, even in its basic form, could significantly improve the game’s visuals. Given the artistic style of this game, HDR would be particularly effective and beneficial. Here’s hoping they consider incorporating it in future updates

In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on Xbox Series X, you have two options when you play: Quality, offering 4K resolution at 30 frames per second (FPS), and Speed, aiming for 1080p resolution at 60 FPS. The Quality mode delivers an impressive visual experience, although a 30 FPS rate might not seem fantastic in a fast-paced third-person shooter, it’s still smooth enough to play comfortably

When you switch to Speed mode, the decrease in resolution becomes quite apparent, showing fewer details and giving a grainier look to small objects. However, it provides a significantly smoother feel, and the frame rate performs admirably given the continuous action, with some minor drops during explosions and one prolonged dip during an especially demanding battle scene

Generally, the loading times were acceptable, though slightly longer than some other games. New levels or missions required about 15-20 seconds to load. However, on two occasions, I experienced a problem where specific missions refused to load or crashed despite waiting for a few minutes. Closing and reopening the game resolved the issue both times, leading me to hope that this is an infrequent glitch that the developers can identify and rectify swiftly

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review — Accessibility and approachability

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 does sport a handful of accessibility options like the ability to adjust motion blur and customize the game’s subtitles, including allowing players to increase subtitle size and identify speaker names. There are also some colorblindness settings for the game’s Parry and Dodge warnings. It’s not a super comprehensive suite, but combined with the game’s difficulty settings, it should be enough to ease the experience for anyone that has a hard time dealing with motion blur or tiny text.

In Space Marine 2, even if you haven’t played the original game, you can easily follow along as the story progresses and new characters are introduced. The connections to the previous game are largely subtle references that are quickly understandable within the narrative flow. There are a few exceptions, but overall, this sequel is self-contained

For beginners diving into Warhammer 40K, Space Marine 2 serves as a good introduction. It introduces various themes and factions at a pace that allows newcomers not heavily involved in the lore to keep up. For instance, it explains the origins of each Space Marine chapter depicted in the heraldry packs. While there are better starting points available, if you’re completely new to Warhammer 40K, you won’t feel utterly bewildered

Should you play Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2?

In essence, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is an exhilarating experience. It harks back to a time when games like this were common, but it offers larger enemy swarms and improved visuals. The narrative doesn’t strive for the extraordinary, but it effectively captures the awe and dread associated with humanity’s brave defenders, allowing you to inflict devastating destruction at every turn

Fans of Warhammer 40,000 will undoubtedly savor the intricate details, but even those who simply aim to hack a way through swarms of alien hordes are bound to have a blast, particularly if they’re playing in a cooperative setting. There are some technical issues that need to be ironed out, yet with an action-packed plan for adding new missions and adversaries over the next few months, I’m excited about rejoining the Emperor’s Angels for countless battles

In September 2024, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 will be released simultaneously for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. Those who own the Gold or Ultra Editions can begin playing four days early starting from September 5

2024-09-04 20:24