Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Game Review

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a third-person science fantasy shooter hack and slash video game developed by Saber St. Petersburg and published by Focus Entertainment. It’s the sequel to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and continues the story of Titus while maintaining online gameplay. Based on the popular tabletop games, the Warhammer video games have received generally positive reviews and continue to develop a strong community. This review will break down the content, gameplay, and my overall thoughts on the game. This is NOT a spoiler-free review.

Titus, a member of the Deathwatch, is fatally wounded in battle and recovered by the Ultramarines who make him into a more powerful Primaris Space Marine, offering his chance at redemption within his Chapter. He is given command of a squad, which includes Sergeant Gadriel and Brother Chairon, and is told to keep his past a secret so as not to taint his current leadership role. Fighting off both the Tyranids and the forces of Chaos, Titus maintains strong leadership despite some doubts from his brothers and displays incredible skill and knowledge during battle. His age is marked by the four silver studs on his forehead, indicating he is over 200 years old. After much struggle, the Chaos is defeated and Titus receives high commendation for his victory, being invited to a new mission elsewhere.

The story mode for the game is quick, roughly 8-10 hours depending on your skill set, and is fast-paced with non-stop action and battles. Weaker enemies can be combatted from a distance while stronger ones require a mixture, focusing more on hack and slash. Only during cutscenes are there still moments, the rest you are on the go or fighting enemies to get to the next area. This form of gameplay is intense but enjoyable, making it easy to discern what the mission goals are and complete them. There are also plenty of weapon caches available so you can switch out during different missions.

Following this, the game prompts you to join online play where you can battle alongside your brothers and defeat the Tyranids, or test your skills against each other. There are several competitive multiplayer modes, such as Annihilation, Seize Ground, and Capture and Control, for 6v6 games. You can choose from six different character classes and customize your character based on each class. They encourage online games with friends for better coordination in battle and community bonding. In the name of the Emperor, it is time to gather your brothers and company the Tyranids or Heretics for the sake of humanity.

Overall, for an extremely violent game that’s battle-driven over story-driven, it was an extremely enjoyable game to play! It shows that you don’t need a 40-hour-plus campaign to tell a story and dives deeper into what being in constant battle really is. It does require skill in terms of aiming and quick reaction time during intense battles, but offers the opportunity to blast away at enemies. If you decide to play, finish the campaign first before jumping into online games!

The Tabletop Game

Warhammer started as a tabletop game in the 1980s and was the first commercial miniature wargame designed to use proprietary models. It was originally based on the Forces of Fantasy, later adapting science fiction into the story with the Tyranids who are inspired by the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise. With such a huge community, stores sharing the game, and celebrities like Henry Cavill sharing their passion for the game, Warhammer continues to grow its community and bring in new players. While it is an expensive game, there are simplified starter kits for under $100 for people who want to try it out. Many shops will teach you how to play and offer painting classes with a free miniature!