REVIEW - Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a crunchy and satisfying delight
This IS the game you're looking for.
By Jonathan Garrett
04/09/24
Reviewed on Xbox Series X.
Review copy provided by Focus Entertainment.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 takes great joy in reminding you that the sum of its parts are more than enough to tick all necessary boxes. Featuring deranged hack and slash action combined with laser focused third person shooting, Saber Interactive have done a wonderous job in leveraging the license to create an authentically relentless, set piece drenched, raucous good time.
The executions alone are worth the price of admission, as combat sees you juggling dodges, parries and finishers that force you to think beyond button mashing your way to victory. Setting yourself up to succeed in combat by taking the time to master these nuances invariably leads to some of the most cinematic and gruesome action we’ve seen in a game since Gears of War first unveiled its Lancer and chainsaw combo.
You’re not short changed on content either, with a 10 hour single player supplemented by additional co-op operations that see you playing as members of the extended cast to support Titus’ efforts. The way these side quests are weaved into the campaign narrative through its own dedicated mode, with plans for future free expansions down the line, should indicate the positive value proposition on offer here.
The campaign itself is best enjoyed with friends. Between that and the PvP Eternal War mode, which is the only one of the three gameplay strands that smartly segregates PC and console players to maintain competitive fairness, you won’t struggle for things to keep you hooked. Unlocking additional customisation and weaponry is handled as you’d expect, with plenty of scope to make things look and feel your own.
It really is the complete package; a sweeping soundtrack of metal bangers and operatic overtures, with controls that feel instantly sensible and a level of polish that justifies the longer cooking time. Space Marine 2 is filled to the brim with precisely the kind of unhinged, horde slaying madness that has no business looking or feeling this good. It’s one of the best games of the generation.
Shoulder pads for the win.
WORTH IT?
At the bottom of every game review, we ask the question: Worth it? And the answer is either “Yeah!” or “Nah”, followed by a comment that sums up how we feel. In order to provide more information, we also have “And” or “But”, which follows up our rating with further clarification, additional context for a game we love, or perhaps a redeeming quality for a game we didn’t like.
YEAH!
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 will excite, delight, and enthral you from start to finish.
AND
There’s more than enough content at launch to see you through, with the promise of more ahead.
TARPS?
At the bottom of some of our articles, you’ll see a series of absurd looking images (with equally stupid, in joke laden names). These are the TARP badges, which represent our ‘Totally Accurate Rating Platform’. They allow us to identify specific things, recognise positive or negative aspects of a games design, and generally indulge our consistent silliness with some visual tomfoolery.
