Space Marine 2’s Eternal War is a multiplayer throwback we need more of

thesixthaxis.com:

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Eternal War was always going to be a little out of place compared to the game’s stellar campaign and online co-op Operations. One of the major ways the game has evolved since THQ’s 2011 original is the emphasis on dynamic melee combat that rewards well-timed parries and dodges, all while gunning down waves of swarming enemies, but Eternal War is a mode with its heavily armoured foot stuck in the past.

Eternal War isn’t a score chase to see who can kill the most Tyranids: it’s a small spread of PvP modes that put two teams of six players in direct opposition, the God Emperor’s elite warriors going up against their Chaos-tainted brethren. Space Marine 2 offers a trio of game modes including Annihilation, Seize Ground, and Capture & Control. In Call of Duty speak, that’s Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint.

If you’ve spent hours Chainswording your way through Tyranids, Space Marine 2’s PvP gameplay will give you a bit of a shock. Despite being clad in Ceramite Power Armour, Space Marines are surprisingly squishy when caught in the crosshairs of their fellow superhuman soldiers and in those first few matches you’ll no doubt find yourself obliterated within seconds of entering a firefight. The TTK (time to kill) will feel jarring at first, though the more time you spend in Space Marine 2’s competitive multiplayer, the more it makes sense. It forces strategic play through cunning ambushes and tactical retreats, preventing teams from locking down areas of a map for too long.

Much like Operations mode, Eternal War offers six playable classes. Each has their own unique ability, weapon loadout, and armour stats with bulkier, less mobile Space Marine archetypes being tougher to kill. The abilities attached to each class aren’t quite as powerful or disruptive as ultimates are in Overwatch, but they can help turn the tables if used effectively while also giving each class their own distinct flavour. For example, the shield-wielding Bulwark