Over the years, I’ve tried to get into the Warhammer 40k franchise. I’ve always been fascinated by the character designs and concepts at play in the universe. I specifically had a fondness for the Space Marines: the giant hulking men wearing suits of armor that give them enough strength to take on the darkest evils in the galaxy.
I’ve watched lore videos, seen fan-made content, and even played a bit of Warhammer 40k: Darktide recently. Yet, despite my multiple attempts to break through the intimidating wall of this deeply specific niche, I’ve never been able to. That changed after I played Warhammer 40k: Space Marine II. I went into the game completely blind, only knowing the basic information about the universe of a franchise that initially started as a tabletop experience based around miniatures.
After almost fifteen hours of playing Space Marine II‘s campaign and multiplayer modes, I am astounded by this game. Regardless of whether you’re a Warhammer fan or not, Space Marine II is an experience that will instantly make you want to explore the series.
Experience the Dark, Twisted, and Thrilling World of Warhammer 40k
In the Warhammer 40k universe, the entire main conflict can be boiled down to two major factions: those who are loyal to the Emperor, a borderline God to humanity who is slowly rotting away unless he is fed hundreds of souls on a near daily basis, and the Heretics, those who worship the forces of Chaos inside a mysterious Warp. In Space Marine II, you play as a member of the former, Titus, a returning character from the original Space Marine released in 2011.
At the end of the last game, he was accused of heresy and reported to the Inquisition, a dark and mysterious faction dedicated to rooting out and destroying heretics by any means necessary. When the sequel begins, Titus is serving with the Deathwatch, a group of Space Marines who are akin to pariahs. However, after a deadly encounter with the insect-like Tyranids, Titus is recruited by a religious Chaplain and accepted into a new faction of “Ultramarines,” who are among the deadliest Space Marines in the galaxy.
From the outside, it can easily seem like way too much information is required just to play a PvE shooter. However, Space Marine II does a great job of distilling information to someone unfamiliar with the lore. The dialogue and the world-building go hand in hand to ease newcomers into the universe of Warhammer 40k. This is especially true since the villains you have to fight aren’t anyone complicated but are, instead, the aforementioned Tyranids. This massive army of swarming bugs who sometimes wield guns may seem cliched, but the game does a great job of easing you into the power and menace of the Tyranids.
Of course, there are many twists and turns along the way, but none of these are too out there to leave players confused. It was enough to keep me engaged as I became an Ultramarine. Throughout the story, you are joined by a small group of allies who accompany you on every mission. Beyond the twists in the narrative, this element also offers engagement, while the rest mainly comes from the gameplay and the incredible environments offered in Space Marine II.
During my time with the game, I tested the PlayStation 5 version, which looks incredible. The visuals are some of the most impressive I’ve ever seen in a PvE third-person shooter ever. Each world and area looks completely different and distinct, with jaw-dropping environments to discover. From the swamp-like jungles of Kadaku to the cityscapes of Avarax to the shadowy wasteland of Demerium, there were countless moments where I would simply stop and stare at the skybox in pure awe.
The scale is immense as well. There are moments when you’re fighting hundreds of bugs at a time, and there were very few instances where the game lagged as a result. This is largely due to Saber’s in-house Swarm Engine, which can render hundreds of enemies in real time. Additionally, it’s worth noting that there were very few frame drops, with Space Marine II running at a near-consistent 60 frames-per-second for the entirety of the campaign.
Warhammer 40k: Space Marine II manages to capture the lore, story, and worlds of the original tabletop with a phenomenal level of detail, but how does it approach gameplay? I am delighted to say that Space Marine II‘s gameplay is just as expertly executed as its story and level design.
Tearing Down Bugs Has Never Felt So Good
As discussed, you will be fighting hordes of Tyranids, the bug-like creatures from Warhammer 40k‘s lore, for most of Space Marine II‘s runtime. These bugs swarm you in the dozens, sometimes in the hundreds. There are small variations, bigger variations, variations that wield guns, and some that burrow underground or turn invisible. Thankfully, as an Ultramarine, you have a massive arsenal to pull from in order to wipe out any and all Tyranids in your path.
Each weapon feels like a joy to handle. There are bolters (essentially machine guns) that fire multiple rounds within seconds, work at a longer range, and even ones that shoot fireballs. On the flip side, some pistols fire small, bigger, or plasma rounds that can be charged up for higher damage. If that wasn’t enough, there are also a wide variety of melee weapons to choose from, such as the devastating chainsword or the brutal hammer.
As such, Space Marine II‘s gameplay is brilliant fun. I never got old of moving from area to area and mowing down any Tyranids that dared cross my path. Some of the other mechanics, like the ability to execute enemies to regain shields or parrying and dodging just in time to counter with a well-placed pistol shot to your enemy, add to that feeling of satisfaction.
In most other games, the gameplay loop of “enter area, shoot everything you see, leave” would get repetitive, but I did not experience this in Space Marine II. This is partly due to how satisfying the gameplay is, but also because Saber Interactive makes an effort to switch up the traditional pattern from mission to mission.
At some points, Titus and his “brothers” must face down giant Tyranids in some of the game’s thrilling boss fights. In other cases, Titus is given a jetpack to add a sense of verticality to specific levels. Halfway through the game, Space Marine II even introduces a new faction. As someone who didn’t follow the game’s marketing campaign, I was blown away by the addition and delighted to use my tools of destruction and fight once more for the “Emperor.”
That really is where the magic of Space Marine II comes into play: how it immerses you into the world of Warhammer 40k. I started playing with no true understanding of the appeal of the universe, yet halfway through, I began to feel like an Ultramarine. Thanks to the outstanding DualSense features, such as how the controller rumbles in correspondence to Titus’ shooting and movement, I couldn’t help but feel like I was an unstoppable force tearing through monsters in service of a higher power.
When I rolled credits, that adrenaline still coursed through my veins, and I couldn’t help but want to jump right back into the action. Thankfully, that’s where the multiplayer modes come in, and, save for a few issues here and there, I was once again elated by how good these modes were.
Fighting For the Emperor Alongside Your Brothers-in-Arms
Before I played Warhammer 40k: Space Marine II, I had heard rumblings about how good the multiplayer offerings were. So, once I beat the main campaign, I figured I’d give it a shot. Immediately, I was stunned by the customization menu alone. While you can’t customize how your Space Marine looks underneath the armor, you could completely change the way the armor itself looks.
More than that, you could also base the armor on the many Space Marine factions from the original Warhammer 40k tabletop game. I had only just learned about some of the factions in an hour-long lore video, and I was astounded to see each of them on the menu, ready to be selected. You can customize your Space Marine based on the factions loyal to the Emperor or pick the more heretical organizations. There are even a few extra options that I’d never even heard of.
I wish that the same level of customization was applied to the campaign or that there were unique armor options depending on the faction you picked, but just being able to have different colors represent your Space Marine of choice is enough. It almost feels like you’re taking part in one of the most iconic Warhammer 40k tabletop traditions: painting a miniature for your army.
I was already impressed when I entered my first lobby for one of the PvE Operations. Essentially, these are missions that show other perspectives of the main campaign that are parallel to Titus’ own journey. However, once I entered the lobby, I was immediately disconnected. So I tried again, and I was once more impressed by how Saber managed to change up the gameplay formula for the multiplayer modes.
Not only do you have the traditional weapons you have in the campaign, but you can also pick a class that reflects your playstyle. Each class gives you access to a unique ability, like the aforementioned jetpack. Some of these abilities aren’t even available in the main campaign, such as the grappling hook and projectile shield. They’re a great way to make every player’s gameplay experience in multiplayer feel personalized.
This further extends to the PvP modes like team “Annihilation,” “Capture and Control,” and others, which are essentially both Team Deathmatch and King of the Hill. Each mode allows you to play as either the Imperium of Man (the faction that Titus is a part of) or the Heretics loyal to Chaos. Both PvP and PvE options were exciting and a great way to get more action out of Space Marine II if you’ve already beaten the main campaign.
I will say that the only problem I noticed with the multiplayer is that the servers are a bit unstable at the moment. I already mentioned the few times I disconnected, but there were also a few cases where a loading screen would go on forever after the end of a match. In one particular instance, the loading screen stretched on for a staggering fifteen minutes before the screen went black and completely froze.
Hopefully, this issue will be fixed after the game properly releases on September 9. As it is now, however, Warhammer 40k: Space Marine II is a near-masterpiece that stands as one of the best PvE games I’ve ever played.
For the Emperor!
Warhammer 40k: Space Marine II took me entirely by surprise. I went into it expecting a Gears of War-esque shooter with an interesting story that I wouldn’t be able to understand since I wasn’t a Warhammer expert. Instead, I got an incredible shooter that’s both fun and addicting, with a great story that appeals to both experts and newcomers like myself. Plus, there’s a fantastic selection of modes and customization options after you’ve beaten the main campaign.
Space Marine II has finally completed my transformation into a full-fledged Warhammer 40k fan. Now, I’m genuinely considering purchasing some of the miniatures, getting into the tabletop game, and doing a deeper dive into this rich and dark universe. If you’ve ever been curious about Warhammer 40k and wondered, as I did, why so many people love it so much, Space Marine II is a fantastic jumping-off point.
I can’t wait to jump back into Space Marine II and both its campaign and multiplayer once the servers are a bit more stable. I’m also excited to continue my journey into understanding the ins and outs of a universe that has already captivated me, thanks to this brilliantly designed game. Regardless of your knowledge of the Warhammer 40k universe, Space Marine II is a fantastic experience – one that I cannot recommend enough.
Disclaimer: Focus Entertainment provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 5 copy of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II for review purposes.
