Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Preview – Better the Boltgun you know
02.09.2023 - 05:47
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Titus is back. The unyielding Ultramarine captain from the original Space Marine was a huge part of its success, and now, despite things looking less-than-positive for him at the end of the last game he’s returned. In the interim he’s clearly been through a few trials. He’s been demoted to lieutenant, he’s now a Primaris – an even bigger, stronger and taller breed of Space Marine – and he’s now well over 200 years old. He’s still, however, just as firm and fearless as before.
After Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide it already feels as though we’re in a Warhammer 40,000: Golden Age. And now there’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 coming along with the potential to be the mainstream hit that can stretch even further beyond its tabletop roots. We were lucky enough to go hands-on with an early portion of the game at Gamescom, and if you were a fan of the original it’s safe to say that you’re going to be well served by its sequel.
As you make landfall on an Imperial planet, you’re met by Major Sarkaana of the Cadian Guard who tells you of the punishing situation they’re suffering. They’re beset by the Tyranid, an extra-galactic race of vicious chitinous beasts arriving in vast swarms to try and consume the nougat-y goodness of our Milky Way. This finds Space Marine 2 matching the narrative of the latest edition of Warhammer 40,000, a fact that’ll no doubt please fans of Games Workshops’ real-life tabletop game, which is currently ramping up the stakes surrounding the arrival of Hive Fleet Leviathan.
The first thing that strikes you coming from the original game – I’ve recently replayed it on Steam Deck – is how lush and green this jungle environment is. It’s teaming with life, though a large part of it wants to slice you to ribbons so it’s not all a sightseeing trip. The jump in generations has meant a huge increase in detail, texture and colour – Space Marine shipped on the 360 and PS3 and was resolutely brown and grey – and it’s really a feast for the eyes. Well, so long as you like alien viscera splattering around the place.
Combat in Space Marine 2 is unapologetically gritty, focussing on the risk and reward of executions to renew your ability bank. Blood flies out of everywhere, which is little surprise when the Space Marines are packing swords with chainsaws built in and boltguns with ammo the size of your fist. There’s a cool parry move to utilise, and you have to mix up your approaches as you deal with ever-larger Tyranid enemies. They behave as you’d expect, like a flood of alien locusts that swarm towards you, intent on turning you to mulch. Better you do it to them first, then!
There’s a frantic fight to hold back the swarm as you try to get a