Chris InglisWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment. The game launches on September 9 on PC and consoles, with early access open from September 5 for Ultimate Edition owners. As a Space Marine, you’ll feel like an unstoppable force, mowing down hordes of enemies with satisfyingly brutal combat in solo play or co-op. While Warhammer 40K lore is complex, the game’s premise is well-explained and illustrated, making it accessible even to relative newcomers like me.
The story follows legendary Ultramarines Lieutenant Demetrian Titus a hundred years after the events of the original 2011 Space Marine game. The campaign takes place on distant planets, where you and battle brothers Chairon and Gadriel investigate mysterious disappearances as you uncover a sinister plot involving a powerful Chaos warlord. Outside of the story there are Operations which sees you playing as a separate squad to Titus, and you will complete different objectives to the main campaign missions. Finally, there is an Eternal War 6v6 PvP mode, which I did not delve into within the review period, but story campaigns and co-op are more my focus anyway.
The sheer size of the Space Marines is awe-inspiring. When you first start the game, you’re already in the shoes of a towering soldier, fighting for survival. It’s not until you’re surrounded by Imperial Guardsmen that you truly appreciate their scale. Their admiration and the morale boost they receive from fighting alongside you creates a satisfying sense of camaraderie. I couldn’t shake the comparison to the Gears of War series, but this quickly moved to back of mind as the set pieces, sounds, music and story sucked me right into the Warhammer 40K lore.
The game introduces a new Hive Fleet, a massive swarm of alien creatures known as Tyranids. These creatures pose a grave threat to the Imperium and serve as the primary antagonist of the campaign. You can see the influences of Saber’s World War Z technology on display when swarms of Tyranids poor into an area and clamber over each other trying to get up to the level you are fighting on. A quick grenade or two at each swarm subdues them for seconds before another wave fills their place and charges at you. I was aware of enough 40K lore to get by, but lore enthusiasts are sure in for a treat of the senses with Space Marine 2.
If you stick with the campaign, you will occasionally be prompted to play an operation based on missions you’ve played so far. These have you choosing to fight in a separate squad alongside Titus and play as one of six classes – tactical, assault, vanguard, bulwark, sniper and heavy. I went with bulwark as I tend to play characters that have sword and shield which was great fun. It didn’t feel too defensive and still packed a punch. These operations are a good change of pace from the main story and see you gain experience points and armoury data to level up and further specialise these classes with up to 25 perks to shape your playstyle. Armoury Data will also let you level up your weapons with each new mission to unlock more powerful variants and unique cosmetics.
The audio design in Space Marine 2 is impressive which heavily immerses you in the world around you and the plight of the characters. Voice acting is excellent which brings each character to life, and I must mention the work of fellow Aussie Clive Standen who voices Titus. The soundtrack is epic and atmospheric, adding to the overall tension and excitement of the gameplay.
Space Marine 2 offers a variety of weapons, from powerful bolt guns to devastating heavy weapons like flamers and grenade launchers. Each weapon has its own unique playstyle, allowing players to experiment and find their preferred combat style, and each weapon can be powered up and be painted. The melee combat is up close, visceral and satisfying, with satisfying impact sounds and animations, and so much blood. Visual cues will prompt when you should parry and perform a killing move, or when you need to dodge a heavy attack. Further into the campaign you gain a jetpack, and you can do some devastating aerial attacks, slamming into the ground for AoE effect, and able to get to higher places to take out snipers.
While the AI companions in your group are decent, having real players in your squad would be even more enjoyable. I noticed that the AI companions sometimes left downed enemies for me to execute, which could be frustrating in intense battles. However, executing downed enemies revitalizes your armour which gives you a much-needed boost in the heat of battle. Boss fights were also quite challenging but fulfilling to finally beat with a mix of mechanics to test your skills.
A highlight of the game for me is the worldbuilding which is outstanding. The missions contained such detailed lore and references to the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe, and the game ran well on my ageing RTX3080. The level design is impressive, with both indoor and outdoor areas that are visually stunning. Indoor levels had a similar feel to that in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, while outdoor levels were immersive and begged you to search every side area for weapons or heal packs. Fans of the franchise will appreciate the attention to detail and the way the game immerses players in the grimdark 40K setting.
Customisation is another highlight in Space Marine 2 and allows you to customise your Space Marine with various upgrades and abilities, including new weapons, armour, and special abilities. The progression system is well-designed, with satisfying rewards and a sense of accomplishment as you level up your Space Marine. From a painting point of view, the starting choices for armour and weapon paints are limited, with heaps more options locked behind gameplay challenges. There are also whole character sets that look badass and almost makes me want to get back into model painting.
Post-launch, Saber Interactive has a heap of content on the way, and a lot of it is free for all players. There is an optional season pass which provides cosmetic packs for ultramarines, dark angels and more. However, there is a heap of free content coming too in the form of seasonal updates. Season 2 later this year brings new PvE missions, lethal difficulty, a neo-volkite pistol and new enemy type. In 2025, Season 3 brings a new PvP game mode, prestige ranks and PvP arenas, a new PvE mission and an expansion to the battle barge. Finally, season 4 brings horde mode, a new enemy and a new weapon, so there are plenty of reasons to keep playing beyond the campaign and operations.
Overall, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is an epic game with brutal and immersive gameplay, a compelling story, and amazing grimdark visuals. Missions flow well, you can play operations that provide a different perspective to key story elements, and there is 6v6 PvP for those interested. This game is a must-play for fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and third-person action shooters. There is a tonne of replayability for both PvE and PvP and I am looking forward to regularly returning to the game with the upcoming seasonal content.
This review utilised a PC key provided by Five Star Games and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launched on September 9 on PC, Xbox and PlayStation.
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