Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – The Final Preview

ign.com:

Warhammer 40K has spread so far and wide from its humble tabletop origins that I would almost consider the fantasy of being one of the Adeptus Astartes – a Space Marine – as being on-par with being Batman or a Jedi Knight at this point. And Space Marine 2 brings me closer to that fantasy than any previous game has. At its best, it's practically 40K nirvana, mowing down disorienting numbers of Tyranids with a heavy bolter or cutting a path through them with a chainsword. At times, the controls can get a little clunky – especially on a controller. But I suppose some of that comes with being an eight-foot-tall juggernaut coated in ceramite.

I had access to the first little bit of the campaign, which has Clive Standen (aka Rollo from Vikings) giving an inspired, gravely performance as Captain Titus from the first game, who is immediately embroiled in some interesting drama with his new squadmates due to his checkered service record. They ultimately set that aside, though, to do battle with the Tyranid hive fleet threatening the soaring gothic spires of the imperial world of Avarax.

What's immediately striking is how detailed and well-animated everything on the ground is, from the humble Cadians who will often kneel and talk in a whisper as the Emperor's Angels approach, to the smallest gilded details on the architecture. I don't think I've ever had the feeling of standing on the ground in the Warhammer 40K universe to this level of satisfaction before. The graphics are gorgeous, the chaotic soundscape is spot-on, and no expense has been spared filling every square inch with the kinds of small touches that delighted me as a long-time fan.

As far as nailing the experience of playing as one of the Emperor's Finest, Space Marine 2 generally does a respectable job there as well. Titus and his buddies' Primaris armor is rendered in gleaming fidelity, with lots of moving parts, managing to feel imposing and maneuverable at the same time. Any time I got to remove an obstacle