Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, an upcoming action game from Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment, is shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest hits. The last look we had at the shooter was in 2023, where we glimpsed a short mission on Kadaku. This time, I went hands on with two Operations mode missions, as well as the Voidsong mission, where I primarily took part as a solo player.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is quite unlike its predecessor, which only offered a single-player campaign. This sequel allows for online campaign co-op for up to three players. Players take control of former Ultramarines Captain Titus, flanked by squadmates Chairon and Gadriel, who are controlled by the AI in case you’re unable to invite friends. With thrilling gameplay that creates a genuine “against all odds” feel, Space Marine 2 has the right ingredients for an engaging co-op shooter — you’ll just want to make sure you have some friends to play with.
Of bots and boltguns
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 puts players in the heavily armored boots of a titular Space Marine, a gene-enhanced superhuman soldier at the frontlines of millenia-long wars. As a selectable class in Operations mode or as Captain Titus in the campaign, you make use of a plethora of weapons in pulse-pounding third-person shooter gameplay. These armaments include Melta Guns with their fiery projectiles, rapid-firing Carbines, reliable Boltguns and Bolt Pistols, massive Power Fists, and energy-infused Power Swords.
Based on what I’ve played so far, it’s safe to say that Voidsong will be one of the more memorable campaign missions. Taking place at the midpoint of the story, Voidsong sees the Ultramarines making their way through a Tyranid-infested city to aid a Cadian regiment. After braving numerous dangers, they encounter a Thousand Sons sorcerer named Imurah. This leads to one of Space Marine 2’s challenging boss fights, as the Imurah battle itself has two phases. The first sees Imurah creating a portal that summons Rubric Marines and Tzaangors, while the second is all about avoiding his teleport strikes.
That fight highlights one of the game’s most notable problems: poor squadmate AI. While my AI bot companions did assist me at times, such as reviving me whenever my character was incapacitated, it’s clear that some additional tweaks are needed before launch. A good example of that issue can be seen in how squadmates suddenly become more passive, as though they’re waiting to see the enemy’s next action. This was evident in the Imurah boss fight, where Chairon stood by waiting for Imurah to reappear just so he could strike him in melee. Gadriel, meanwhile, barely shot at the target with his weapon; I started to wonder if he was corrupted by the Chaos God of Relaxation and Inactivity.
I noticed this problem in Operations missions, too. In these runs, my allies barely did anything when facing flying units, such as the Tyranid Zoanthrope. The creatures just happily buzzed above us, performing psychic and bio blasts, while teammates ran around holding their Thunder Hammers and Chainswords and acting as if they were hesitant to switch to their secondary firearms.
Raw power
Operations missions in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 are replayable romps, allowing groups of up to three players to earn XP and requisition, the currency used to unlock perks and cosmetics. The two stages that were available as part of the preview build were Inferno and Decapitation. The former is set in a promethium refinery near a jungle, where the goal is to lay down explosive charges to destroy the Tyranids and the facility. The latter takes you back to the city to hunt for a Hive Tyrant.
These activities showcase the sheer spectacle that is Space Marine 2, which features numerous panic-inducing sections whenever Tyranid hordes appear. In these instances, I watched in awe as dozens of ferocious creatures – from annoying little Hormagaunts to melee and ranged variants of Tyranid Warriors – swarmed my squad’s position. I’m reminded of exhilarating sequences from other team-based games, such as Left 4 Dead, Vermintide, and Darktide, with a dash of World War Z and Starship Troopers thrown in. There were portions where I could only stare mesmerized as soldiers mowed down countless hostiles, only for enemies to continue climbing up the corpses of the fallen to reach the battlements.
The action is further complemented by a class system, where I could choose from six different options with their own loadouts and abilities. These include the Assault class, which has high mobility and verticality with its Jump Pack; the Sniper, which can stay hidden with its Camo Cloak before firing a deadly shot; and the Heavy, which casts an Iron Halo barrier that blocks all ranged damage. Note that only one of each class is allowed in your three-person squad, so it’s not possible to have multiple Snipers just staying cloaked throughout a mission.
In my case, I initially picked the Tactical class. I charged up my Plasma Incinerator to blast packs of enemies, before revving up my Chainsword to slash and slice more mobs. Then, as the Bulwark, I happily punched everyone with my Power Fist, plopping down a Chapter Banner to restore armor and increase my squad’s survivability. I also performed Gun Strikes, a critical shot that can trigger (pun intended) after performing perfect parries and dodges. I made use of execution maneuvers whenever enemies were stunned; these takedowns are absolutely brutal, gory, and made for moments that had me shouting “Blood for the Blood God — I mean — Emperor!”
Prepare for the grind
As with other team-based PvE games, solo play in Space Marine 2 can be frustrating. Apart from the AI issues, human players are the only ones who can perform context-sensitive actions related to mission objectives. If the task is to scan multiple dead Cadian soldiers or retrieve and plant a couple of explosives, squad commands/pings won’t force bots to perform these tasks (they mostly just follow the player around). Similarly, I did not see AI teammates automatically pinging medical supplies or ammo, complete with callouts, something that’s extremely useful in games like Vermintide.
In addition to the above, there’s no way for a player to choose the classes of their AI companions. One example came in a round where I picked the Bulwark, a class that can only wield sidearms and melee weapons, but not primary firearms like Bolt Carbines or Melta Rifles. I couldn’t select from the five remaining classes manually, so I ended up with the Vanguard and Sniper as bot teammates. In another round, my squadmates were the Vanguard and Tactical instead.
Upon completing matches in Operations mode, I earned XP for my class’s loadout, as well as requisition currency to spend on talents/perks and cosmetics. The cosmetics themselves include chapter insignias and color schemes, so you can have your character look like a battle brother from the Dark Angels or Black Templars. Even Chaos Space Marine options are available, such as designs for Alpha Legion, Night Lords, and Death Guard. And, yes, there are heraldries for unknown foundings like the Carcharodons, Omega Marines, and the vaunted Blood Ravens from the Dawn of War games.
XP and currency can only be earned if you’re online. Choosing to play offline or getting disconnected could hamper your progress. For instance, there was a lull before the final battle in the Decapitation mission. I decided to use the bathroom and was disconnected due to inactivity, losing all potential rewards in the process. Failing a mission would have been better since it still granted a bit of XP, as opposed to getting disconnected and receiving absolutely nothing. Since all class perks and heraldries/cosmetics cost requisition to be unlocked, it can turn out to be a grindy and exasperating affair.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 seems like it’ll be an exciting multiplayer game, but solo players may want to temper their expectations for now. Problems like poor AI seem like they could kill the party for players like me. Space Marine 2 clearly offers unrivaled action that will make players feel like one of the Emperor’s angels of death, but I hope to see those kinks worked out before I rev up my Chainsword again.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 releases for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on September 9. Those who purchase the Gold Edition or Ultra Edition can play four days early.
