Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – PS5

Space Marine II is gory, relentless and unapologetic in its old-school game design that focuses purely on fun.

Saber Interactive understands the over-the-top nature of the Warhammer 40K universe. Significantly improving Space Marine II over its predecessor in every way, which is no mean feat, even for a game that came out 13 years ago. This long-awaited sequel fully immerses you in the role of an Ultramarine fighting through the grim-dark future of 40K.

Picking up over a century after the first game, you once again slip into the power armor of Demetrian Titus. Who has been serving in the Deathwatch as penance for his transgretions in the first game. Titus is called upon to defend the jungle planet Kadaku from a Tyranid invasion. Mortally wounded by a Carnifex, Titus is saved by undergoing the Rubicon Primaris, receiving the full Daft Punk treatment. Emerging harder, better, faster and stronger. His thirst for redemption leads him back to the Ultramarines’ 2nd Company and Kadaku. Here he must help repel the Tyranid threat while facing the unrelenting (and at times, annoying) suspicion from his new comrades, who distrust the secrecy surrounding his past.

The narrative kicks off with the Fourth Tyrannic War. Your squad will continually push for answers about Titus’ past as you push through the hordes of Tyranids and other heretical threats across the main campaign’s six missions. There’s rarely a dull moment across the campaign and side missions, you’ll forgive the cliches.

As you’d expect, Space Marine II shines in its combat – a satisfying and bloody blend of third-person shooting and hack-and-slash melee. Ripping through Tyranids is gratifying. Melee combat is much more refined compared to the first game. Switching between ranged and melee attacks is seamless. The guns are fun, but merely tickle the enemy hordes, especially on harder difficulty settings. Personally I didn’t feel like my guns were doing anything until the Instigator Bolt Carbine, which fires in three-round burst, much like the Battle Rifle in the legendary Halo series. Either way, combat is still fun. The enemy hordes, built on the same engine as World War Z, provide epic, swarming battles that capture the very essence of Tyranids’ with their overwhelming numbers. Chainswords (and my personal preference – Power Swords) tear through the masses with ease. Mixed with successful parries and dodges, close quarter combat is strategic, fast paced and tense. With bloody and beautiful executions giving you a chance to breathe before diving straight back in.

The handful of enemy types will also force you to think on your feet. From the burrowing Ravener to the psychic Zoanthropes. The need to adapt, helps maintain excitement through the campaign’s roughly eight-hour run time. Although the action-heavy focus never gives you more than A-to-B objectives, the absolute spectacle of the battles and the grand, detailed environments more than make up for its linear nature.

Space Marine II visually brings the Warhammer 40K universe to life. From sprawling, war-torn cities to gothic burial worlds, every level is overflowing with detail. Although the game’s world-building only scratches the surface of the 40K lore, it does an excellent job of giving players a flavour of the universe they’re in.

After completing the campaign ‘Operations’ continues the carnage, with missions that run concurrently to Titus’ campaign. Although these can be played at any time during the campaign, the game advises you to wait until you’ve completed the main story to avoid spoilers. In Operations, you control a secondary squad of Ultramarines, embarking on missions to aid Titus, such as blocking a Tyranid advance or destroying a refinery. The cooperative experience here is enhanced by six distinct playable classes, each with unique weapons, abilities and perks.

Cosmetic customisation also plays a role, allowing you to deck out your Space Marine in various armor styles. At the time of writing progression could do with being faster with customisation currently feeling like more of a grind and less accessible than it should be.

Space Marine 2’s PvP mode, Eternal War, offers simple and satisfying competitive gameplay. Six Space Marines face off against six Chaos Marines in modes like team deathmatch and zone control. The class system ensures balanced matches. The melee-heavy combat feels different than it does in the main campaign, but it provides a high-risk, high-reward alternative. Sadly the maps in multiplayer are fairly bland and, when playing as Chaos Marines, you’ll be given even more limited customisation.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II is a worthy successor to the original. Its gory, intense and feels much more refined. The linearity of the campaign and lack of variety in the multiplayer (no doubt being held back for the Season Pass) stop this title from reaching the heights it could. For 40K fans, it’s a thrilling adaptation of the tabletop universe, the story and lore are engaging without being overwhelming for newcomers… unlike the Tyranids.