Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Review

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment, brings players back to the grimdark universe of the 41st millennium, where the galaxy is at constant war. As a sequel to the 2011 Space Marine, this new installment lets you once again step into the power-armoured boots of Lieutenant Demetrian Titus, now reinstated as a member of the Ultramarines. With the relentless Tyranid swarms threatening to consume entire worlds, Space Marine 2 offers epic, visceral third-person action where the fate of humanity rests on your shoulders.

This game amps up the action with Saber Interactive’s Swarm Engine, allowing you to face down hundreds of enemies on screen, turning each battle into a chaotic, gory spectacle. Whether playing solo or diving into multiplayer PvE or PvP modes, Space Marine 2 promises to deliver brutal combat and endless replayability with customizable classes, weapons, and skills.

But does this sequel live up to the legacy of the original? Let’s march into the heart of the battle and find out.

Setting and Story

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 plunges players into the heart of the dark, war-torn universe of Warhammer 40K, where humanity’s survival hangs by a thread amidst constant threats from alien races, heretical factions, and cosmic horrors. Like in most Warhammer 40K games, the setting is grim, filled with gothic architecture, industrialized landscapes, and far-flung planets that have become brutal battlegrounds. The game captures the essence of this dystopian future, where war is the only constant, and the Imperium of Man is fighting a desperate battle for survival against numerous enemies.

In Space Marine 2, you again play as Lieutenant Demetrian Titus of the Ultramarines. Following the original game’s events, Titus has been reinstated after facing trial for suspicion of heresy. This time, the story focuses on his efforts to protect the Imperium from one of its most terrifying foes—the Tyranids. These vicious, bio-engineered alien creatures operate as a relentless hive mind, swarming planets in vast numbers to consume all life. Titus is tasked with leading the Ultramarines in defending human worlds from these nightmarish foes, raising the stakes.

The Tyranids are perfect adversaries for the Ultramarines in terms of story and gameplay. The overwhelming swarms of these creatures, driven by insatiable hunger, contrast sharply with the Space Marines’ precision, discipline, and honour-bound nature. As the Tyranids descend on human colonies, it falls to you to push back the tide of xenos filth, battling through vast armies of these alien monstrosities. The narrative captures the overwhelming desperation of the Imperium’s fight for survival, with Titus once again proving his loyalty to the Emperor through brutal combat and sacrifice.

Space Marine 2’s story balances large-scale galactic warfare with more personal moments of heroism and loyalty. Titus once questioned for his methods and motivations, now steps back into command, reclaiming his position as a champion of the Imperium. The storyline also introduces new characters and enemies, with hints of internal intrigue and dark secrets beneath the surface. As you fight across various war-torn planets, you’ll uncover hidden truths about the Imperium’s allies and enemies and the deeper nature of the threat posed by the Tyranids.

The game is set across multiple planets, offering distinct environments and visual variety. From industrial war zones to desolate outposts and alien-infested wastelands, the battlefields in Space Marine 2 are massive and brimming with detail. Each location serves as a battleground and a piece of the universe’s lore, showcasing the grandeur and decay of humanity’s far-reaching empire. The story also weaves in elements of Warhammer 40K’s larger mythos, with references to the Imperium’s rigid hierarchy, the influence of the Emperor, and the constant threat of corruption and heresy.

In addition to the overwhelming threat posed by the Tyranids, there are suggestions of deeper conspiracies and dark secrets within the Imperium itself. Titus’ return to duty after his controversial past adds an element of tension and intrigue to the story. The narrative hints at internal power struggles, with Titus’ reinstatement as a Space Marine raising questions about loyalty, purity, and the unforgiving nature of the Imperium’s command structure.

While the story is steeped in Warhammer 40K lore, it remains accessible to newcomers. You don’t need to be an expert in the series’ vast universe to understand or appreciate the narrative, as the game focuses on delivering a straightforward tale of survival, loyalty, and brutal combat.

Overall, Space Marine 2’s story and setting immerse players in a desperate, all-out war for survival against the Tyranids. The game captures the grim, gothic atmosphere of Warhammer 40K while balancing epic-scale battles with moments of personal heroism and darker, more introspective themes. The return of Titus, the new enemies, and the ever-present threat of galactic annihilation keep the stakes high throughout the campaign.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers a brutal, fast-paced third-person combat experience that is both visceral and strategic. The gameplay revolves around intense, large-scale battles against the relentless Tyranid swarms, using a combination of devastating weapons, melee combat, and deadly abilities. Players step into the power-armoured boots of Lieutenant Demetrian Titus, armed with iconic Warhammer 40K weapons and abilities that make you feel like an unstoppable force on the battlefield.

Combat System:

At the core of Space Marine 2‘s gameplay is its brutal, satisfying combat system. Combat flows smoothly between ranged gunplay and up-close melee attacks, allowing players to seamlessly switch between mowing down hordes of enemies with bolters, plasma rifles, or flamethrowers and then wading into the fray with a chain sword, power axe, or hammer. The weapons feel weighty and powerful, each delivering a sense of impact crucial for a Warhammer 40K game. You can decimate groups of Tyranids from a distance before charging in to finish off survivors with savage melee executions.

The real strength of Space Marine 2‘s combat lies in the sheer number of enemies on screen, made possible by Saber Interactive’s Swarm Engine. The Tyranids come in waves, creating chaotic and overwhelming battlefields where players are constantly under pressure. The swarm behaviour makes these battles tense and relentless, with hundreds of enemies attacking simultaneously, forcing you to prioritize targets and manage your space effectively. The engine ensures that combat never feels static, with enemies constantly adapting and swarming, creating new threats in real time.

Combat is fast-paced and fluid, with dodging, blocking, and countering moves that allow you to remain in the fight even when overwhelmed. The melee mechanics are responsive, with brutal takedowns and finishers that highlight the brutality of the Space Marines. The game emphasizes forward momentum, encouraging players to stay on the offensive and keep moving rather than hiding or retreating.

Weapon Variety and Abilities:

Space Marine 2 offers an arsenal of iconic Warhammer 40K weapons that players can upgrade and customize as they progress through the game. From heavy bolters and flamers to plasma guns and lascannons, the variety of ranged weapons allows for different combat styles. Whether you prefer to engage enemies at a distance or rush in with heavy firepower, there are plenty of options to suit your playstyle.

Melee combat is just as varied, with chain swords, power axes, and thunder hammers available for dealing devastating blows in close quarters. The executions you can perform with these weapons add a layer of satisfaction to combat, rewarding players with health or ammo for taking down enemies in the most brutal ways possible.

In addition to weapons, Titus also has access to powerful abilities that enhance combat. These abilities, unlocked and upgraded as you progress, allow you to unleash devastating attacks, such as area-of-effect ground slams or targeted ranged strikes, turning the tide of battle in your favour. These abilities also provide opportunities for tactical decision-making, as timing their use correctly can be vital to surviving overwhelming encounters.

Customization and Progression:

One of the standout features of Space Marine 2 is its deep customization system. As you progress, you can unlock new weapons, armour sets, and abilities, allowing you to tailor Titus to your preferred combat style. You can choose which weapons to upgrade, adding new perks to each one that enhance their damage, range, or special abilities. The same applies to armour, which can be customized for aesthetics and gameplay advantages like increased durability or improved mobility.

As you fight and complete missions, you’ll gain experience that unlocks new perks, further adding depth to your progression. With up to 25 perks available per class, there are plenty of ways to fine-tune your character for different challenges. This adds replayability, as experimenting with various combinations of weapons, perks, and abilities keeps gameplay fresh.

Multiplayer:

Space Marine 2 introduces PvE and PvP multiplayer modes, allowing players to experience chaotic, large-scale battles with friends or against other players. In PvE modes, you can team up with other players to face endless waves of Tyranids, combining your skills and strategies to survive against increasingly difficult enemies. These co-op missions are endlessly replayable, with different challenges, rewards, and customization options.

The PvP modes offer a more competitive experience. Players can face off as Space Marines across various objective-based modes. Whether defending strategic points or launching attacks on enemy positions, the PvP mode emphasizes teamwork, coordination, and class synergies. The six unique classes in multiplayer each come with their own set of skills and perks, allowing for diverse gameplay strategies depending on team composition.

Multiplayer progression works similarly to the single-player campaign, with players unlocking new skills, perks, and cosmetics as they participate in matches. This system ensures that multiplayer remains engaging long after the main story is completed, with steady rewards to chase as you build your ultimate Space Marine.

Swarm Engine and Large-Scale Battles:

The Swarm Engine is a standout feature of Space Marine 2 and is responsible for the game’s ability to generate hundreds of enemies on-screen at once. This engine brings the Tyranid threat to life, with their hive-mind behaviour creating relentless waves of enemies that swarm in unpredictable patterns. The sheer scale of these battles, combined with the chaos of hundreds of enemies charging toward you, creates a sense of constant danger that keeps the adrenaline pumping.

The Swarm Engine makes the combat feel larger than life. Every battle becomes a desperate fight for survival as you try to thin the herd before getting overwhelmed. The engine’s ability to render these massive battles without sacrificing performance ensures smooth gameplay even in the most chaotic situations.

Replayability:

Between the customizable load-outs, unlockable perks, and multiplayer modes, Space Marine 2 offers plenty of replayability. The different classes, weapons, and strategies available in single-player and multiplayer modes encourage experimentation, giving players a reason to return to the battlefield long after completing the campaign. PvE modes with friends, PvP competition, and constantly unlocking new gear and abilities provide endless challenges for players to sink their teeth into.

In summary, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 offers a thrilling blend of fast-paced, brutal combat, deep customization, and large-scale battles. The seamless transition between ranged and melee combat, coupled with various weapons and abilities, keeps the action dynamic and engaging. Multiplayer modes add further replayability, ensuring players enjoy endless battles against AI-controlled enemies and human opponents. The Swarm Engine adds scale and chaos to the battles, making each encounter a spectacle of destruction and strategy.

Graphics and Sound

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers a visually stunning and aurally immersive experience that captures the epic scale and brutality of the Warhammer 40K universe. The game’s graphical fidelity and sound design ensure that every battle feels visceral and cinematic, enhancing the overall experience of being a superhuman Space Marine locked in an endless war against the Tyranid swarms.

Graphics:

Visually, Space Marine 2 is a feast for the eyes. The game’s environments are richly detailed, drawing from the gothic and industrial aesthetic that defines the Warhammer 40K universe. Whether you’re fighting in crumbling urban war zones, industrial complexes, or desolate alien landscapes, each environment has visual details that make the world feel alive and immersive. The dark, grim, and foreboding atmosphere of the Imperium is captured perfectly, with towering statues, crumbling spires, and decaying cities providing the backdrop to the action.

The level of detail in the Space Marines and Tyranids is equally impressive. The armour of the Ultramarines is painstakingly detailed, with scratches, wear, and other battle damage, giving a sense of history and weight to their power armour. The Tyranid swarms, in contrast, are grotesque and terrifying, with their insect-like forms and overwhelming numbers creating a feeling of dread as they swarm the battlefield. The animations of the player and enemies are fluid and precise, with each swing of a chain sword or shot from a bolter delivering a satisfying sense of impact.

The battle scale is one of the game’s most visually striking elements. Thanks to the Swarm Engine, hundreds of Tyranids can be on screen simultaneously, and the game handles this chaos beautifully. The sheer number of enemies rushing toward you, combined with explosions, gunfire, and melee combat, creates chaotic yet exhilarating visuals that never feel overwhelming or cluttered. Even in the heat of battle, the game maintains a strong sense of clarity, with distinct visual cues helping players stay oriented amidst the chaos.

Lighting and particle effects are used to significant impact, particularly during combat. The muzzle flashes from bolters, the sparks from chain sword strikes, and the explosions of grenades are all rendered with impressive detail. The dynamic lighting adds to the atmosphere, with shadows stretching across gothic architecture and the glow of energy weapons lighting up the battlefield.

Character Models and Animations:

The character models, especially for the Space Marines, are meticulously crafted. Titus and his fellow Ultramarines look every bit the hulking warriors they are meant to be, with bulky power armour and intricate detailing that showcases the craftsmanship of the Warhammer 40K universe. The armour feels like an extension of the characters, with its weight and power reflected in every movement. The attention to detail in the textures, from the battle-worn metal of the armour to the glow of energy fields, adds to the overall immersion.

On the other hand, the Tyranids are horrifyingly detailed, with their insectoid bodies and nightmarish features rendered with grotesque precision. Their movements are fluid and animalistic, with each swarm feeling alive as it rushes toward the player. The sheer variety in the Tyranid forms, from smaller, fast-moving creatures to towering monstrosities, makes each encounter unique.

Sound Design:

The sound design in Space Marine 2 is nothing short of exceptional, contributing significantly to the game’s immersion and intensity. The roar of bolter fire, the hum of power weapons, and the crunch of armour meeting flesh in melee combat all sound powerful and impactful. Every gun in the game has a distinct sound, whether the rapid fire of a bolter or the thunderous crack of a plasma cannon, and each shot feels weighty and deadly.

The melee combat is particularly satisfying from an audio perspective. Chainswords whirr and tear into enemies with a visceral buzz, while thunder hammers deliver bone-shattering impacts that reverberate through the battlefield. Executions are accompanied by gruesome, squelching sound effects that drive home the brutality of the combat.

Environmental sounds also play a crucial role in building the atmosphere. Whether it’s the distant clang of machinery, the hum of energy fields, or the eerie silence of a battlefield before the Tyranid swarm arrives, the ambient audio adds to the game’s oppressive and grim tone. Hundreds of Tyranids screeching as they rush toward you is terrifying, amplifying the sense of being constantly overwhelmed.

Voice Acting:

The voice acting in Space Marine 2 is strong, with performances that capture the Ultramarines’ grim resolve and martial pride. Titus, voiced by Clive Standen, delivers a commanding performance, perfectly embodying the stoic and duty-bound nature of a Space Marine. His dialogue is filled with the weight of experience and battle-worn wisdom, and his interactions with fellow Ultramarines and NPCs reflect the seriousness of the mission.

The voice lines during combat are well-executed, with Titus and his fellow Space Marines delivering battle cries, orders, and comments as they fight the Tyranid hordes. The Tyranids do not speak, but their screeches, roars, and chittering create a menacing and relentless presence on the battlefield.

Music:

The soundtrack of Space Marine 2 is fittingly epic, blending orchestral scores with driving, adrenaline-pumping themes that enhance the intensity of combat. The music swells during large-scale battles, adding to the sense of urgency and chaos as you fight through waves of enemies. It also takes on a more sombre tone during moments of reflection or when exploring quieter environments, reinforcing the oppressive nature of the Warhammer 40K universe.

The musical score complements the action without overwhelming it, providing a backdrop that drives the player forward while allowing the sound effects and environmental audio to take center stage when necessary. The balance between music and sound effects is carefully managed, ensuring the game’s atmosphere is maintained throughout.

Performance:

Even with the massive scale of the battles, Space Marine 2 runs smoothly across platforms. The Swarm Engine ensures that large numbers of enemies can be rendered without sacrificing performance or visual quality. The frame rate remains stable even in the most chaotic battles, allowing players to focus on the action without distraction. Load times are minimal, and the game seamlessly handles transitions between large environments.

In summary, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers a visually stunning and audibly immersive experience. The detailed environments, character models, and fluid animations make every battle feel epic, while the sound design and music add layers of intensity and atmosphere. Whether it’s the roar of bolter fire, the screech of Tyranids, or the booming orders of Titus, every sound and visual element contributes to the overall immersion, making Space Marine 2 a genuinely cinematic experience.

Final Thoughts

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers on its promise of fast-paced, brutal action while staying true to the grimdark essence of the Warhammer 40K universe. It successfully brings back the exhilarating third-person combat that made the original game stand out, but with significant graphics, sound, and scale upgrades. With its iconic Space Marines, hordes of Tyranid enemies, and epic-scale battles, Space Marine 2 is a worthy sequel that fans—and action games in general—will thoroughly enjoy.

In conclusion, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 excels at what it sets out to do—deliver an epic, action-packed experience set in one of the most iconic sci-fi universes. Whether you’re a fan of the Warhammer 40K franchise or simply someone who enjoys intense combat and large-scale battles, Space Marine 2 is a thrilling and rewarding game. The combination of stunning visuals, visceral combat, and replayable multiplayer modes ensures that this game will keep players engaged for many hours.

We prepared this review with a digital copy of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 for the PS5 version provided by Focus Entertainment.