Warhamer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Xbox Series X|S) Review

One very long awaited sequel arrives, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was worth the wait, upping the ante for shooters.

Grim/Dark

The original Warhammer 40K: Space Marine was a pretty well received game. It wasn’t exactly a world-beater, but the title brought fans a battle that was mainly between the Imperial Ultramarines and alien Orks, and was easily one of the best-done Warhammer games in any genre. One of the reasons for that was that it was more character-centric than those just starring faceless armies.

Players controlled Space Marine Captain Titus in the campaign, and watched as he overcame great odds, but was railroaded by his own faction at the close by some dubious charges. After slaughtering hordes of foes for the Emperor, Titus was accused of corruption, and went to an unknown end as the credits rolled. But of course, that wasn’t actually the end for the hero.

As we’d find out, his fate would become apparent in Space Marine 2, a game that picks up (more or less) from that 2011 original. With over a decade between the two, you’d best believe that there was some excitement for the new launch, so much so that it’s become one of the biggest-selling Warhammer games of all time since it’s arrived.

So is it actually worth the wait? Does Space Marine 2 actually improve upon the original, or just retread the same-ol’, same-ol’? Well, I’m happy to say that it’s bigger, better, and more impressive than not just Space Marine (1), but most modern action shooters.

It’s Lieutenant now…

I kind of went over what the basic premise of Space Marine 2 is already, but the story is fairly deep. It starts with a playable prolog, starring a Space Marine who’s quickly revealed to be Demetrian Titus, though he’s not clad in traditional Ultramarine armor. Instead, he’s been recruited into the Deathwatch.

An assemblage of Marines from across various chapters, the Deathwatch can be a great honor. That’s sort of the case with Titus, though it’s a mixed bag for him. He was sent to a kill-team after being cleared of the charges leveled against him by fellow Marine Leandros. So he’s back in action, but not as an Ultramarine, and under the guise of a Black Shield.

It isn’t long though, before he’s reinstated into his beloved chapter, requested by chapter master Marneus Calgar himself. That’s an even bigger honor, and one that sees him reborn as a Primaris Marine, with even further enhanced abilities. The only catch was that he was reinstated as a lieutenant.

Captain no more, Lieutenant Titus serves as a member of a squad that also includes fellow Primaris’ Sgt Gadriel and Brother Chairon. Their mission is a continuation of the LT’s assault on the twisted Tyranids, an insectoid xenos race that consumes everything in its wake.

That’s just the start though, as the hordes (the game can display lots of enemies at once) of foes his team will face belie a greater threat, one that we won’t spoil here, if you’ve yet to play. That’s not all either, as Titus will have to deal with suspicion from Gadriel, who doesn’t quite trust this mysteriously reborn Marine.

A whole new game

So yeah, that’s a lot. But even so, the excellent and thematically-varied campaign is just the start for Space Marine 2. Saber Interactive has absolutely packed this game with re-playability by way of its multiplayer modes. Those would be of both versus and co-op in nature.

The straight versus action pits Space Marines against Chaos Marines, for a pretty iconic showdown that Warhammer 40K fans know darn well. The second option though, is a little more interesting, since it’s essentially more story-based content.

Playable in co-op or with bots filling the roles of a single-player’s squamates, these missions send players on quests that tie-into the main campaign. You’ll see characters crossing over on these, and even experience some key background moments. Additionally, there’s a randomizer, for those who want to fire up a quick skirmish.

Both of the above modes allow players to select their specialties as well. That’s in contrast to the main game, which has players locked in as Titus, making the multi modes actually feel different.

War is play

Fast and vicious, the gameplay of Space Marine 2 serves to highlight the brutality of war in the 41st millennium. There’s no quarter present here, and cutting a bloody swath across a battlefield is basically Lieutenant Titus‘ mission.

Thankfully, all of that is painfully easy to control. Space Marine 2‘s hero has an arsenal of weapons that he can choose from, as well as a select host of melee options. Some of those will appeal more than others, and I found myself mainly playing with a standard bolter, deferring to my second option occasionally, of a plasma pistol and a chainsword… though I do have to admit I swapped that out for a hammer as soon as I was able to.

Note too, that you can’t carry all of what the game throws at you. Titus‘ (and the cadre of possible co-op Ultramarines) loadout is limited to a main weapon, a sidearm, and a close-quarters weapon. Yes, there are a lot of options, but as I mentioned you’ll probably settle on one or two for the majority of your playthrough.

Additionally, there are power-ups and stims to grant health. A boomer-shooter? Well, no, but you won’t find regenerating health in Space Marine 2 to any great degree. Once your shields are eaten through (those do regenerate), you’ll need stims to keep you in the fight. Fortunately they do a decent enough job, especially when paired with finishing moves, which grant a small amount of health.

Space Marine 2 features a parry system too, which gives players the ability to brush off an attack. Defendable blows are highlighted by a blue flash, while a red flash means you better dodge instead. It’s a simple system, and one that adds a good bit of fun and strategy to missions. As soon as you’ve worn an enemy down too, they’ll start to glow red, and that’s your queue to ‘finish them’.

The look of a Primarch

There’s a lot to like in terms of the lore at work, and the available modes in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, but the title doesn’t stop being impressive there. Quite frankly, it does an absolutely stunning job in terms of its visuals and voice work, which is stellar across the board.

Space Marine 2 is thankfully varied in its locations, sending players from lush jungles, to Imperial bases, and even into completely alien, otherworldly realms. Some of these are framed by truly awesome set pieces, which convey the incredible scale of the battles taking place. You may have seen a certain gigantic beast in gameplay videos by now, but again we won’t spoil it here.

All of the above looks phenomenal, and the hordes of xenos that can swarm you at times are so darn cool. Those are often of the Tyranid variety, though there are other enemies contained within the game’s tale, and battles often include multiple kinds of foes. They all look as good as the various worlds that Space Marine 2 takes place on. The game’s models truly shine, from Hormagaunts to menacing Tyranid Warriors and more.

Also worth noting is that the player characters look just as great. Titus and crew are massive and imposing, yet look diminutive next to an Imperial Dreadnought, one of which appears in a key moment. Then there are the Cadians, which are fairly common throughout the campaign.

Players will find the Guardsmen at multiple turns in some missions, and it’s always cool to see. Yes, Space Marines are awesome, but seeing normal humans taking the field and defending their positions is a particular kind of cool, and one that conveys the sense that there’s a way bigger war going on than features many more of the Emperor’s finest, outside of his angels.

As I hinted at too, the voice work is just terrific. Actor Clive Standen is perfect as Titus, bringing a sense of calm and assuredness to what’s essentially a somewhat fractured character. Miles Yekinni is great as Brother Chairon too, a character whose support of Titus never wavers. Then there’s Arthur Lee as Gadriel, a doubting Thomas who has arguably the best arc in the game.

The trio work wonderfully together to bring a story to life that, together with the rest of the terrific cast, is an unforgettable addition to the Warhammer 40K universe.

Overall

I wish I could have gotten this review up sooner, because Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a true gem of a title. I hope every action fan reading this has had the chance to play it by now, but if you haven’t, then I wholeheartedly recommend that you go check it out.

It’s rare I think a game gets everything right, from a tightly scripted narrative that’s framed with excellent cast performances, to terrific gameplay and a gorgeous overall look, but Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 hit all the notes perfectly for me.

Saber Interactive has crafted a symphony of action, and I can’t wait for part three.

A copy of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was provided by the publisher for this review

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Release date: September 9th, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S (reviewed), PS5, PC
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Developer: Saber Interactive
MSRP: $59.99 USD