Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is something I have been looking at with keen eyes for some time. Developed by Saber Interactive, it brings plenty to the table for players. As a newcomer to the universe, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. However, the worlds in the game and the characters have always piqued my interest. As I played through the latest entry of Warhammer, I was pulled into a unique universe, one I didn’t want to leave even as I finished its campaign. The concept of the Space Marines in the game has me feeling like an enhanced instrument of war.
As I continued through the various modes the game offers, I felt like I was in my past self playing classic third-person shooters. The game presents great gameplay and an incredible narrative. The presence of strong PVE components and the classic PVP modes are great foundations. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 provides something for all types of players. However, as I pressed on, it felt as if there could be improvements made to the game especially when it comes to the longevity for players diving into it.
A Short But Thrilling Campaign
The latest entry for Warhammer continues the story of Lieutenant Titus. The protagonist from the previous Space Marine title. Players assume the role of the iconic character as they lead a three-man squad of Ultramarines. Titus and his brothers, Gadriel and Chairon, work to combat the growing xenos threat of the Tyranids in a massive war. However, not everything is as it seems as a threat of Heretics grows behind the curtain. Players must work with their companions to find a way to stop both threats to the Imperium by any means necessary.
The story is superb, bringing in many elements of lore for fans of the universe to delve into. Do not let this deter you from experiencing it though, it is easy to pick up as an outsider. Seeing all of the different characters, species, and locales was incredible. I have always been interested in the universe and getting to experience it through Space Marine 2 felt great. Simply put, Titus and his squad work to stop the war on the Imperium from various forces as enhanced super-soldiers.
I’ll start off by saying the campaign for the game is relatively short. I played it on the Normal difficulty and was able to complete it in around 9-10 hours. It takes place across three different planets with players fighting both the Tyranids and Heretics. While the length may seem short, the missions themselves are quite long. However, I feel as though the campaign could have been even a few hours longer. Whether missions on the same planets or adding a new location. Furthermore, although there are cutscenes and world building, players may need to feel inclined to dive into extended lore to truly appreciate what the campaign has to offer.
PvE Players Have Choices But With Limited Content
Space Marine 2 thrusts players into a third-person shooter environment on linear PvE missions and PVP maps. It features three types of modes for players: Campaign, Operations, and Eternal War.
When it comes to the campaign, layers can experience the entirety of it in co-op. Other partners fill in as the other members of Titus’ squad, keep the story immersion. Furthermore, there are an array of difficulties to play the campaign on, changing up the experience the higher in difficulties players go. Unfortunately, though, progress for those who are not the host does not save. This is something I experienced and it can be a bit tedious, especially for players wanting to have a fluid story experience. Additionally, the loading in and out of missions can slow the pace of the gameplay a bit, especially after completing missions.
Operations see players deploying on missions that take place in the campaign but separate from Titus. The squad is different from the story but coincides with the narrative. What makes this different though is that players can choose from a variety of classes to be. From Vanguard to Assault, and many more. Each class features different abilities to use that can help your squad out in combat. The variety works well and provides renewed gameplay styles with each class. Furthermore, players progress through the missions completing different objectives like defeating waves of foes to defending areas, similar to that of the campaign. While there are currently only six operations, more are going to be added with free updates and the classes can help to break up any repetitiveness.
Combat & PvP Are Strong Components
When it comes to Eternal War, the PvP element of the game, it is relatively simple but great. It feels like a boots-on-the-ground style of competitive gameplay that has been sorely missed from games. It doesn’t feel hectic or require any ridiculous movement to adapt to. Rather players just need to combat the various classes their opponents can pick (from the same roster as in PvE). There are only three modes for Eternal War: Annihilation, Seize Ground, and Capture & Control. Each one represents Team Deathmatch, Domination, and King of the Hill, respectively.
While it may not seem like a lot, more modes will also be added for free and the ones currently in the game are a blast. As I battled through matches of Eternal War, I couldn’t help but feel back in the glory days of old-school multiplayer shooters and it is beautiful. It feels like a great change from the current climate. Rather than feel Call of Duty and Fortnite, it is straightforward guns blazing that players should be experiencing again and Space Marine 2 does it well.
The combat in the game is really satisfying, feeling similar to Gears of War. Each weapon in the game provides differentiating recoil and damage. Furthermore, the melee combination adds an extra layer of thrill to the game. Adding to this is the mechanic of parrying enemies to stun them and deal massive damage, which is satisfying every time. Space Marine 2 also has the Gun Strike feature, where if a perfect parry is performed, players can hit the shoot button and deal extra damage with a visual gun animation. Every time I perform a Gun Strike feels fantastic and further cement a feeling of being this cool and tough soldier.
Plenty of Progression & Unlocks With a Slow Climb
The game offers plenty for players to unlock from suits throughout the Space Marine lore to perks for weapons. Playing through Operations and Eternal War with various weapons levels up their XP. In turn, players can unlock and equip perks for them. Additionally, playing the modes can help to earn currency which allows players to unlock various cosmetics. From sigils to put on their armor to different pieces of armor, there is a ton of content. Furthermore, you can mix and match different armor pieces to either create your ultimate Space Marine or one from the universe’s lore.
There is a caveat with the progression and unlocks that I found to be a bit harsh, which was the rate of both. It feels as though plenty of grinding is going to be taking place to be able to earn everything you wish. While I don’t prefer to unlock everything right away or max out all classes and weapons, it took me one operation mission to be able to do any leveling up of one gun. This is something that can be patched in an update. But currently, it feels as though things are a slow uphill climb when it comes to noticing any progression of my arsenal.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Is a Stunning and Dark World
The visuals and the environments of the game are breathtaking from the moment I saw them. From lush forestry areas to worlds full of Victorian architecture. Additionally, Saber Interactive does an impressive job of portraying the main visual of the world: it’s dark and depressing. The best part is, that this is exactly how it needs to be. From what I have learned about Warhammer, especially concerning Space Marine lore, life in this universe is not great. War is a constant, danger is everything and things are never happy. Even though I was playing as Titus, many times I felt uneasy about the world and people around me. Seeing sickly NPCs and traversing dark corridors, the game does well at conveying the immersion of its world.
I played the game in performance mode which runs up to 60 fps and it ran great for the most part. There was one instance where many small enemies were on screen and the frame rate dropped to around 30. However, after completing this section in the campaign, things improved again and I haven’t seen drops since. The game also offers a much clearer quality mode at 30 fps for players who wish to see the game in its full fidelity.
Audio-wise, the latest entry for Space Marine is fantastic. The enemy factions are distinct, including the boss and mini-boss types. The screechs of Tyranids and the whispers of Heretics are all incredibly well done. Additionally, each weapon sounds different when firing, instead of a unified sound. Players will know who is firing off the Heavy Rifle compared to the Standard Bolt. However, the voice acting is something to keep an ear out for. The cast does a great job of portraying the grit in the game.
Accessibility Options Are Not for Heretics
Players can enable some different accessibility options to enhance their Space Marine 2 experience. The game doesn’t offer a countless amount such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. However, it still provides plenty to assist players with various needs. For example, it offers three different color blind modes, subtitles with different size options, and referencing who is speaking. Moreover, in moments where the game needs the player’s attention, enabling automatic focus helps to move the player’s view to where the attention is needed, automatically. Features like camera shake and motion blur can also be disabled to provide a smoother experience and not cause possible motion sickness. Another important option is players who wish to have a different language can choose from seven options and over 17 choices when it comes to text.
There could be room for accessibility improvement such as simple button presses for the inputs when being trapped by enemies. Adding to this, having a push to interact while in missions rather than hold could also be added. However, these are small aspects I came across while playing and in no way cause hindrance to the game experience. They would rather just enhance it more for players who prefer it.
A Return to Classic Third-Person Shooter Days
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a callback to the old days of grounded third-person shooters. It features an intense and enthralling campaign that will have you wanting to learn more. Its Operations mode offers more gameplay with different classes to use and shows the other side of the campaign coin. A unique storytelling point, rather than throwing in random missions for players to dive into. While it’s Eternal War competitive multiplayer brings back the muscle memory of fighting against players in classic gunfights rather than trick shots and ridiculous movement.
Saber Interactive has created a unique game and while it offers limited content in each of its modes, there is still plenty to provide a good amount of entertainment. Furthermore, the developers have stated that all content will be free in updates (minus cosmetics), so players have much to look forward to. Taking down Tyranids and Heretics as Titus was a fantastic time and it has only made me want to look further into Warhammer lore, as I’m sure it will with players. The title offers both PvE and PvP options, so players have a variety to experience. Whether you are a fan of the universe or a newcomer like me, Space Marine 2 offers a great experience for a third-person shooter and will just keep getting better as more is added.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was reviewed on PS5. A review code was not provided.