Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 review: Is the gory sci-fi action game worth playing?

4.0 out of 5 star rating

It feels inevitable that Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 will find a sizeable audience.

In truth, the appeal of Warhammer continues to be immense across all its iterations, and devoted followers have been anxiously looking forward to this science fiction follow-up for quite some time now.

The last Space Marine video game was released back in 2011, available for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. However, this time around, instead of being developed by Relic Entertainment, the new version hails from Saber Interactive, known for their work on World War Z.

In addition to other distinctions, a change has been made in the main cast as well. The role that was played by Mark Strong in the earlier game is now taken up by Clive Standen, who starred as Rollo on the series Vikings.

Standen portrays Titus, a high-ranking space warrior belonging to the Space Marines, a heavily armored military unit continuously engaged in a seemingly endless conflict with an aggressive extraterrestrial species known as Tyranids.

Essentially, here’s the gist: Despite being a newcomer with minimal knowledge about Warhammer lore, I was still able to jump right into the game and enjoy myself. The lore is intricate and extensive, but it didn’t hinder my experience in this game.

In this case, it appears that action is central, with Space Marine 2 providing an exclusive mix of long-range and close-quarter fighting.

When your adversaries are far off, it’s best to employ large firearms and potent explosives to maintain a safe distance from them.

The gunfire is quite effective, and introducing fresh weaponry as the campaign progresses ensures that you’ll continuously encounter new obstacles.

At specific instances, you’ll have the freedom to use a flamethrower, providing an enjoyable variation in the action.

As your opponents draw near, it’s best to switch to close-combat mode. This is when the game becomes particularly engaging for me, as precise parrying timing becomes a crucial skill to master. A well-timed parry can leave an opportunity for a potent counterattack.

When engaged in close combat, or melee mode, stunning sights of ‘finishing moves’ will be offered to you. These dynamic over-the-top takedown sequences are not only thrilling but also quite gruesome in their depiction. Besides adding an epic flair to the gameplay, these finishing moves also serve to replenish your shields.

It’s essential to closely monitor your shields and health meter since they can decrease significantly and rapidly if you’re not being cautious.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but marvel at the star attraction of this game – Saber’s Swarm Engine. This cutting-edge tech truly dazzles by filling my screen with a swarm of formidable adversaries!

Playing World War Z gives you a general idea of what’s in store here, since the swarms of aliens pile up to climb onto new locations, with the possibility of overpowering you if not handled properly.

The technology is truly remarkable, significantly enhancing the intensity of the game’s action scenes. Mismanaging the long-range attacks (such as using grenades or guns to create gaps among the enemies) can make it extremely challenging once the enemies close in for hand-to-hand combat.

The diverse array of adversaries is equally noteworthy, and you’ll find yourself in a rhythmic, focused state when you grasp which attacks can be deflected or avoided, as well as identifying the tactics each enemy might use against you.

In summary, the fighting mechanics in this game are excellent and highly enjoyable if you’ve had fun with games such as DOOM, Helldivers, Gears of War, or Outriders, where you can expect to have a thrilling experience battling against swarms of extraterrestrial enemies.

You can play alone or with friends in a robust campaign, and there are other modes on offer, too.

In our opinion, we found the Operations Mode quite engaging, as it offers a Player-versus-Environment (PVE) challenge where you complete additional missions parallel to the main storyline. Furthermore, there’s an option for Player-versus-Player (PVP) encounters, which can help extend the game’s longevity.

While the constant, thrilling battles are undeniably captivating, one might find themselves questioning the variety in mission types, as they occasionally lean towards being overly familiar or predictable.

After guarding an essential energy supply three times against the mob, you may start yearning for something with a little more architectural intrigue.

As a result, the campaign continually adds fresh features – such as jet packs – to prevent it from becoming monotonous.

One way to rephrase that could be: One issue I’ve noticed is the characters in the game. To be honest, several of them aren’t particularly memorable for me. In fact, many of the main characters seem to fit into common tropes (the seasoned veteran, the eager newcomer, and so forth), which makes it challenging to develop a strong emotional connection with them.

Despite that, there’s no denying that Space Marine 2 is a good time. If you’re an action game fan that enjoys a sci-fi setting, you’ll happily spend quite a few hours blasting and tearing through Tyranids. And what more could you really want?

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 launches today (9th September) on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. We reviewed on both Xbox consoles. You can order your copy now.

2024-09-09 15:04

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