Everyone’s talking about Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2 right now and for good reason – it’s getting plaudits from nearly everywhere, its player numbers are stunning, and people are just loving smashing Tyranids into goop. I can’t help but look back 13 years, however, and stare wistfully at the original Warhammer 40k Space Marine game, remembering some of the smashing times I had in it – literally, as the Thunder Hammer was my weapon of choice. It seems I’m not alone, as the launch of the sequel has given its predecessor a decent bump in player numbers.
Though it came out way back in 2011, Warhammer 40k Space Marine hasn’t aged poorly at all. It’s as solid an action-adventure game now as it was then, a title that doesn’t aim for the stars but instead nails that moment-to-moment feeling of being a ceramite-clad warrior, destroying the alien, the mutant, and the heretic. Every footstep you take thumps out, Imperial Guard soldiers meet you with cries of awe and fear, and your Orkish opponents get turned into fine sprays of crimson mist. It’s brainless stuff, but by the Emperor it’s fun.
With its sequel smashing player records for a Warhammer game on Steam you’d be forgiven for thinking that there would be no space for the original, but the opposite appears to be true. Coinciding with the launch of Space Marine 2, the first game has shot up from an average of roughly 500 players concurrently playing to a figure just above 2,000. While that’s not a colossal figure, it’s incredible for a 13 year old game, and is the best it’s seen since 2018 when free Steam keys were given away.
Similar to its sequel, the first game also features several multiplayer modes that are surprisingly robust – and are probably well populated now for the first time in years. While the game’s PvP is strong stuff, especially the mode where you can control a dreadnought for limited periods, the best feature of the game is its wave-based PvE fights. These consist of incredibly tough battles that see a few friends fight against oncoming hordes, and with different loadouts to play with along with several different levels, it’s a brilliant inclusion that still feels fresh today.
Hopefully some Warhammer 40k fans are using the Space Marine 2 hype as a chance to play this underrated 2011 title. While the sequel’s no doubt dragging it along in its slipstream, the currently-running sale for the first game won’t be hurting it either.
You can save 75% on Warhammer 40k Space Marine – Anniversary Edition until Monday September 23, taking its price down to $14.99 / £9.99 down from $59.99 / £39.99. If you’d like to learn more about it, head over to Steam to check it out for yourself. You can also take a look at our Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2 review, to see what we think of the sequel.
Should you be hungry for something else, our guides to the best space games and the best Warhammer 40k games will keep your grimdark stomach full and happy.
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