It’s been 13 years since Captain Titus took us on an Ork-slaughtering journey in the original Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine — a long wait for fans wanting more action as a hulking space warrior. World War Z developer Saber Interactive has taken the reigns for this entry, utilizing its Swarm Engine to cram countless enemies on screen at any given time, offering up a glorious bloodbath of action. We’ve seen a stream of impressive trailers in recent months, raising my expectations, and after spending some time obliterating xenomorphs for our Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review, I think it’s safe to say that Saber has earned the praise of the Emperor, despite a few fumbles here and there.Space Marine 2 puts us back in the boots of a now older and more surly Demetrius Titus, an Adeptus Astartes (Space Marine), who after stopping the forces of Orks and Chaos from controlling a powerful artifact on the Forge World of Graia in the first game, was accused of heresy and imprisoned by the Inquisition. Following his release, Titus joined the Deathwatch, an elite Chapter of Space Marines who defend the Imperium from the many Xeno threats sprawled across the galaxy, which after a long term of servitude, takes him to the jungle planet of Kadaku and the beginning events of Space Marine 2. Saber Interactive has made it so anyone can jump in and enjoy this installment without prior knowledge of the first game, as you’ll hear bits and pieces about Titus’ past exploits during his many talks with his companions, Galadriel and Chiron. With that said, there are many treats to be found for fans of the original as well.Space Marine 2 takes us to the Recidious System, where you’ll find the aforementioned jungle planet of Kadaku, a Forge World called Averax, and the burial world of Demerium, which has been attacked by a splinter group of Tyranids from Hive Fleet Leviathan. Titus acts and feels different this time around, now voiced by Vikings star Clive Standen, who gives the now demoted Lieutenant Titus a gruff persona. He’s also bigger, as after the opening tutorial events, the stalwart protagonist undergoes the Rubicon Surgery to turn him into a far stronger Astartes known as a Primaris. In fact, everything feels bigger this time around. Titus and his Battle Brothers tower over the ordinarily sized Imperial Guard soldiers, who feel tiny compared to the massive landscapes they’re fighting in, such as Averax’s city towers climbing into the sky. The attention to detail and scale is fantastic, making you feel like a hulking Angel of Death but also a small cog in a gargantuan machine that spans the galaxy.Following its predecessor’s footsteps, Space Marine 2 blends third-person shooter and hack ‘n slash mechanics for a violent galactic adventure to save the Imperium of Man from annihilation. Tyranids are swarming across planets and the Tzeentch-worshipping forces of Chaos are vying for control of a powerful weapon known as Aurora. It’s down to Lieutenant Titus and the Ultramarine Chapter to eliminate the threat, secure the weapon, and save humanity. There is an engaging story to experience in the main campaign, which slowly builds into an explosive final act that is nothing short of epic. Whether you’re performing a sub-orbital drop, dodging debris as you plummet toward the ground, or lumbering through an Imperial Guard position preparing for battle, the campaign is excellent and is brought to life in gorgeous detail, but terrible AI teammates severely hamper the experience.Much like the co-op Operations mode (which I’ll get to in a bit), the campaign is designed around three-player co-op, with players each taking control of Titus, Gadriel, and Chiron — the latter two are controlled by bots if you’re playing on your own. Upon starting the game, you’re told that Space Marine 2 is designed to be played on Veteran difficulty, and I’m sure it is if you’ve got some pals, but if you’re on your own it’s an unenjoyable slog — I managed one frustrating mission before dropping the difficulty. Trying to defend objectives from swarms of flying Tyranids while also getting assailed by hordes of ground-based foes requires a decent level of teamwork when you’re on a time limit, and on Veteran, juggling your health, armor, the objective, and the constant threat of surrounding xenos is a tough slog. In other missions, I’ve had the AI literally stand there while I battle it out with a boss, watching me take hit after hit — I must have offended them somehow. Admittedly, they perform better in Operations, which to me, feels a little backwards when a campaign should be balanced for single-player.The game is designed to have you getting battered every which way, using finisher moves to restore your armor, saving your health — health can only be restored via Medicae Stims. Having three Space Marines in the thick of it gives you a chance to thin the tide far quicker, preserving your health, which has been fun during Operations with other players, but the AI fails to offer that kind of support, leaving you to deal with the majority of the assailants. Whether fighting Tyranids or Chaos, you’re generally attacked by a large number of enemies, including numerous tougher units that require a lot of battering to get them into an incapacitated state ready for a finishing execution. Oftentimes, you’re left feeling like you’re fighting within an inch of your life instead of being the armored space badass we’ve come here for. It’s far better on lower difficulties and when teamed with other players, but if the campaign is designed to be played on Veteran, I’d expect to have an enjoyable experience when playing solo as well as in co-op.With that said, it’s a double-edged sword, as the addition of Gadriel and Chiron throws some really nice storytelling into the mix. Titus’ return to the Ultramarines is met with awe and respect from his squad mates, followed by suspicion as Titus’ past is slowly revealed. There’s also continuity between the campaign and the Operation missions, as during the story, Titus usually has two Combat Squads (Talasa and Veridian) tackling other missions, such as distractions or strikes to aid the main objective. Hopping into Operations gives you a chance to play out those objectives too.Operations play fairly similar to the main campaign, although they double down on the co-op shooter tropes, offering limited resources like ammo, med kits, and armor boosts, as well as throwing in additional mechanics across six missions such as giving enemies a chance to call in more units. They’re good fun, and while the same issues from the campaign persist here, things are expected to be a bit tougher as a dedicated co-op PvE mode — leaving me longing for a single-player story to break up the gameplay loop. Whether blasting through the campaign as Titus or squadding-up in Operations, Space Marine 2’s gameplay is ridiculously fun. There are a host of weapons on offer, such as standard-issue Bolt Rifles, Melta Rifles, Plasma Pistols, Bolt Sniper Rifles, and the iconic Chainsword. Weapons look weighted and sound punchy, blasting chunks out of your rivals. A good chunk of combat comes done to melee, of which you can dodge, parry, and strike back with the might of a Space Marine. Perfect dodges and parries also open up chances to perform a gun strike, with a stylish animation where you’ll shoot them with your sidearm. Enemies can also become incapacitated, leaving them open for one of the many executions available. They’re great fun to perform and adapt well in co-op, giving combat a dynamic feeling.Operations also feature a progression system, six customizable classes, perks, upgradable weapons, and the like. Completing missions earns you currency to purchase additional cosmetics from various Space Marine chapters, such as the Dark Angels, Salamanders, Space Wolves, and many more. If, like me, you’re not patient enough to paint the tabletop miniatures, the customization on offer here is a fantastic chance to create your own Space Marine style. I look forward to seeing the various color and armor combinations players come up with once the game has been out for a while. With so many similarities to the campaign, it would have been nice to have some crossover for the customization aspect, such as weapon leveling, currency earning, and whatnot, giving players a reason to return to the main storyline for variety.Unfortunately, I was only able to squeeze in one game of the PvP mode, Eternal War, such is the way with playing games early. Although, it does look like it might be broken at the moment as I’ve been in full lobbies numerous times and it’s not loaded us into a match. My one game was enjoyable, however, as the abilities and layer of armor each player gets add a twist to the standard shooter experience. I’m hoping the issues I’ve had with Eternal War will be patched out when the game arrives in full, as it offers a decent break from the long missions featured in the other modes.As for the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 achievements, I’ve unlocked 36 of the 50 achievements, with most of them linked to completing each story and Operation mission. There are also six attached to the classes, each of which can be completed across a couple of missions. It’s a varied list, which will see you tackling each mode and exploring the maps for the Dataslate collectibles — which aren’t too hard to find. There will be a bit of a grind here, though, as I’ve only killed around 12,000 enemies during my time playing, although I’ve spent a good portion of that idly waiting for Eternal War lobbies to fill. With achievements tied to killing 20,000 and then 41,000 enemies across all modes, be prepared for a long haul with this one.SummaryWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 lives up to the precedent set by the original Space Marine for the most part, offering a storyline and co-op experience filled with gore and action brought to life with excellent visuals. It’s held back by irritating AI companions and a campaign optimized for co-op, leaving an un-balanced experience for solo players. However, if you’re looking for a game to live out a Space Marine fantasy, and want some co-op fun, you’ll be in for a real treat.7 / 10* Tom spent around 35 hours cutting through his enemies as an armor-clad Astartes in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, unlocking 36 achievements in the process. A key for the game was provided by the publisher and played on an Xbox Series X.
Source link
