Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 review: Is the gory sci-fi action game worth playing?
It feels inevitable that Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 will find a sizeable audience.
After all, Warhammer remains massively popular in all its various forms, and avid fans have been eagerly awaiting this sci-fi action sequel for a long time.
The previous Space Marine game came out in 2011 on PS3 and Xbox 360. That one was made by Relic Entertainment, but the new one comes to us from Saber Interactive (World War Z).
That’s not the only difference, either, with the previous game’s lead actor Mark Strong being replaced in the new game by Clive Standen (who played Rollo in the TV show Vikings).
Standen plays Titus, an elite warrior in the Space Marines, a chunky-armour-wearing military force who are battling somewhat endlessly against some alien nasties called Tyranids.
That is, basically, all you need to know about the story. The Warhammer lore is dense and deep, but this reviewer is a total noob, and I’m pleased to report that this lack of prior knowledge did not stop me from dropping into the game and having a good time.
Action is clearly the main focus here, with Space Marine 2 offering a pretty unique blend of ranged combat and melee.
When your enemies are a decent distance away, you’ll want to use big ol’ guns and powerful grenades to keep them at bay.
The shooting is pretty solid, and the introduction of new weapons throughout the campaign will keep presenting you with new challenges.
For example, you’ll be let loose with a flamethrower at certain points, which offers a nice change of pace.
When your foes get closer, you’ll want to swap into melee mode. For me, this is where the game really shines, with parry timing becoming a critical tool in your arsenal. Time a parry perfectly and you’ll create an opening for a powerful return volley.
In melee mode, you’ll also be presented with opportunities for 'executions', over the top takedown animations that are just absolutely glorious in their gory-ness. As well as looking absolutely epic, these will also refill your
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