Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 Review: This is 40K Alright!

After a gruelingly long wait, it’s finally here! Space Marine 2: the long-awaited sequel to 2011’s Space Marine is finally upon us! And after playing through its campaign and co-op missions, I can confidently say that it was worth the wait.

The Story (Spoiler Free)

As a long-time Space Marine fan, one of my biggest concerns was how Focus Interactive was going to continue Titus’ story in the sequel after his less-than-ideal fate at the end of Space Marine 1. My interest only grew after the game’s 2021 announcement when it was revealed that he would be returning as the protagonist of the second game as well.

Sufficed to say, they did it. Not only did they do it, but they did it in such a way that the explanation stayed true to the character and to the world of 40K. I’ll avoid the spoilers of the whole thing and only talk about the widely available information.

Yes, Titus is back, and yes, he’s the leader of a new squad. However, he’s not a captain anymore but a humble lieutenant. On the plus side, he’s also a Primaris now, so it isn’t all bad for the man. Instead of fighting Orks, Space Marine 2 has you fighting the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons, who make a return in this game as well.

The main campaign takes place across three planets and can be completed in about 10 hours. The game also has co-op missions that tie into the story and that can be replayed for EXP and resources, but more on those later.

Everything Has Been Turned Up to 11

The gameplay in Space Marine 2 is practically the same as Space Marine 1, but with everything turned up to 11. Combat encounters are larger, there are more enemy types than before, and there are new guns to play around with. That’s just the main campaign though, the co-op and multiplayer game modes are where the real fun lies.

Both co-op and multiplayer have been completely remade from the ground up to ensure that the game has a longer lifespan than its predecessor. That was the main issue with its predecessor and why its popularity ultimately subsided a few months after its release.

The key rework for both of these game modes is the inclusion of the new class system which expands on the previous system and actually gives you a reason to keep playing after beating the main campaign. The new system has six classes in total, all with their own unique upgrade trees to look forward to.

Customization also plays a big part in Space Marine 2. There are 20+ chapters that you can unlock and hundreds of items. Seeing as kitbashing is one of the most fun things you can do in Warhammer, this will probably be the mechanic that a lot of players will spend the majority of their time with.

Focus Interactive’s New Approach With Space Marine 2

For many staunch Warhammer fans, the words I’m about to say will sound like utter heresy, but hear me out first. Space Marine 2 is a live service game. Now, before you go and pick up your heavy flamers, let me explain how the system works.

Instead of a “traditional live-service model” where the game tries to milk every last bit of attention and money out of its players, Space Marine 2 uses a “light live-service” model. The game is scheduled to have content updates every few months that will add new co-op missions, new game modes, and new items.

These content updates will have a “paid for” aspect, but only in the form of cosmetic champion packs. Basically, if you want to have your favorite chapter’s relic items, you can buy the skins for them via the champions packs. Everything else will be completely free.

Realistically, this is the best possible model for Space Marine 2. Not only will it ensure that the game will remain relevant for longer, but it will also be a great way for the developers to earn some extra cash along the way.

In terms of Space Marine 2’s strengths, the presentation stands out. There’s no denying it, it’s Warhammer 40K through and through! Everything from the scenery to the action, to how the characters interact with each other screams 40K. If you had to introduce someone to Warhammer 40K, then Space Marine 2 is probably the best way to do so.

Secondly, the content variety. The game has three game modes, two of which have infinite replayability. What’s more, because the game is scheduled to receive new content every few months, the content variety will only get better as time goes on.

Last but not least, the customization. One of the most fun things you can do in Warhammer 40K is come up with your own character backstories, and Space Marine 2’s customization system is built with just that in mind. It allows you to make your own lore-accurate characters with no-nonsense items straight from the pages of the Codex Astartes.

There’s not much to dislike about the game, as everything feels “just right.” My only issue with it is how short the main campaign was, as it only took me about 10 hours to beat. In the end, I was left with a deep desire for more, but alas.

The only real issues I encountered while playing the game were a few minor visual bugs and one audio bug that made the background music cut off for a short time, but that’s about it. In general, I found Space Marine 2 to be a polished experience with minimal bugs and almost no performance issues to speak of.

Final Assessment

All in all, I believe Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 to be a great experience worth every single penny. The developers took everything that was great about its predecessor and improved upon it all. If they had stopped there, it would have already been a great game but they didn’t just stop there. In fact, they went above and beyond to add new mechanics to ensure that the game feels fresh.

That’s why I can confidently say that this is the ultimate 40K experience, at least as far as action-adventure games are concerned.