Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 [Xbox Series X] | REVIEW

I was a big fan of the first game, so I’ve been quietly hyped for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 ever since it was revealed. And you know what? It has managed to exceed all of my expectations, with this easily one of the best third-person shooters that I’ve played for some time.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Taking place around two-hundred years after its predecessor, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 puts players back in the role of protagonist Demetrian Titus, who returns to the Ultra Marines after being made to serve time within the Deathwatch. His purpose? To help stave off an ever-growing Tyranid threat, all whilst leading a new Squad – albeit as a lieutenant, after seeing a demotion during his time away.

I’m putting the tale into a nutshell there, because there’s a surprisingly deep narrative to see unfold in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. It doesn’t just revolve around the Tyranid threat either, with the time Titus spent in the Deathwatch, his branding as a heretic, and his allies’ perspective of him explored throughout your journey. It makes for an intriguing narrative that brings with it plenty of action and twists, but it’s also one that’s easy for those unfamiliar with the Warhammer 40,000 universe to understand (and that includes me).

The meat-and-bones of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 comes with its thrilling third-person action, and believe me, the excitement rarely comes to a standstill in the campaign. You’ll face seemingly endless hordes of enemies in raging battles across your adventure, with chaotic set-pieces aplenty as you deal with what would typically seem like an insurmountable threat. Honestly, the sheer volume of enemies that appear on the screen at any time is absolutely staggering, with it all adding a brutal sense of grandeur to every battle you find yourself in… I loved it.

“Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a wonderful third-person shooting escapade that’ll keep players thrilled from start to end.”

Fortunately, you’re well-equipped to face off against these overwhelming odds, with players armed with a ridiculous array of powerful weaponry to deal with each foe that would dare step into your path. Whether keeping enemies at bay with the bolt rifle, charging up explosive shots with the plasma incinerator, burning Tyranids to a crisp with the pyreblaster, or simply getting up close and personal with the chainsword, it’s ALWAYS satisfying to go on a killing spree. You’ve got re-chargeable armour to keep you safe in-battle too, and whilst you might have to slow down the pace at times to recover, you’re certainly an imposing force that can deal with anything that comes your way. There are other cool mechanics at play too, such as parrying enemy attacks to insta-kill some foes, being able to execute staggered enemies, and even a special ability that sends Titus into an overcharged mode that sees him heal up with each kill. Sure, they’re ideas you’d have seen plenty of times before, but it all helps ensure that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 feels incredible to play and that you’ll always feel unstoppable.

Well… ALMOST always. Whilst Titus is a brutal killing machine, the enemies you face off against are no push-over, with a strong variety of foes to encounter that bring with them varying tactics to try and bring you down. Besides the fact that there are just so many of them to overwhelm you, they also try to outsmart you, with attacks coming from all angles as you lean in and out of cover to stay clear from harm’s way. It can actually make for a pretty tough experience, especially during the back end of the campaign where things really heat up, but never in an unfair way that’ll leave you frustrated… well… unless you’re on the harder difficulty settings.

It all comes together to make for a thrilling campaign that was a real treat to complete. Don’t get me wrong, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is guilty of feeling linear in design and its rare that you venture off the beaten path, but it works PERFECTLY for this kind of game. You’ll constantly find yourself in firefights and chaotic set pieces that keep the frantic pace of the experience going, whilst the thrills that each battle bring will keep a big smile on your face when playing. It’s definitely one of the best third-person shooter campaigns that I’ve played for some time, and I’m excited to go through it again on the higher difficulties – especially since it has online co-op. I haven’t had a chance to try that yet, but after loving playing in single player, I just know it’s going to be a real treat with two friends joining me along the way.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The action doesn’t end with the campaign either, with the game’s Operations mode seeing players tackle a variety of side missions based around the main game. However, you’ll play as different characters here, with each made up of varying classes that bring with them different abilities and loadouts to spice up the experience. There are plenty of customisation options, you’ll unlock new upgrades, whilst the variety offered within each class adds an extra element of strategy that makes the mode all the more interesting if playing in co-op. The Tactical class can scan the area for enemies for example, whilst the Assault class has a jump-pack to dash across areas with ease. A personal favourite is the Vanguard that can latch onto enemies with a grapnel launcher, though the Sniper’s camo-cloak was certainly handy when keeping out of harm’s way. With six classes in all, there’s a lot to play around with, with Operations adding an extra element of strategy and variety that isn’t always present in the main campaign. The team at Saber Interactive can certainly build upon this mode to keep the game alive in the future, so here’s hoping we see more additions in the coming months.

Prefer fighting against others? The PvP Eternal War mode is for you, with players facing off in three-versus-three showdowns across three different game modes (which basically consist of Team Deathmatch, Domination, and King of the Hill, albeit with different names). Honestly? I haven’t tried this yet, so I can’t really say how fun it’ll be. However, given how satisfying the action of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been, I’d imagine it’ll be pretty cool… I do think that the game is really at its best when you’re facing off against the Tyranid threat, though.

Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platform(s): Xbox Series X|S (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PC
Website: https://www.focus-entmt.com/en/games/warhammer-40000-space-marine-2