Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 feels like a fever dream. Even if you aren't a fan of 40K, it's hard not to admire the raw artistry on display from Saber Interactive here. If you are, I suspect Space Marine 2 will make you very, very happy.

86%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, grinding

89% User Score Based on 86,377 reviews

Critic Score 84%Based on 71 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" is a Sci-Fi shooter game with both single-player and multiplayer modes, including co-op and PvP. Play as Lieutenant Demetrian Titus and fight off the Tyranid swarms in brutal, action-packed battles. Unlock new skills and cosmetics as you jump into endlessly replayable modes and uncover dark secrets in this epic sequel.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 screenshot

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 86,377 reviews

story5.6k positive mentions

stability1k negative mentions

story
17,632 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
65%
4%
The story of "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" is generally well-received, praised for its engaging narrative and strong ties to the Warhammer 40k lore, making it accessible for newcomers while rewarding for veterans. However, many players note that the campaign is relatively short, typically lasting around 8-12 hours, and some find the plot predictable and lacking depth. The addition of co-op missions, which run parallel to the main story, adds replayability but can feel repetitive due to the limited number of missions available. Overall, while the story is enjoyable and immersive, players express a desire for more content and variety in future updates.
- “The story is engaging and immersive, drawing players into the relentless battle against hordes of tyranids, making you truly feel like an unstoppable space marine.”
- “The campaign offers a rich story that shows a passion and respect for the warhammer 40k setting, operations provides a intrinsic challenge of teamwork, and eternal war provides a competitive setting for pvp.”
- “The story is captivating and draws you in instantly, with fantastic pacing and jaw-dropping set pieces that really immerse you in the warhammer 40k universe.”
- “Both the story and end game are painfully short.”
- “The story is very weak, it makes sense but it's not strong, very predictable.”
- “The campaign or story itself is pretty short, you can beat it in 10 hours.”
gameplay
9,309 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
51%
7%
The gameplay of "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging combat mechanics that blend melee and ranged attacks, creating a satisfying power fantasy. However, players have noted issues with repetitiveness, clunky mechanics, and inconsistent parry/dodge systems, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game offers a visually stunning environment and a solid narrative, some players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and variety, particularly in its multiplayer modes.
- “Great combat mechanics both in melee and shooting, and an amazing universe lore that the deeper you go, you can't stop reading about.”
- “Moment-to-moment gameplay is tight and satisfying.”
- “The gameplay loop is engaging and especially fun while playing with others.”
- “Ultimately, this game looks good, but fails in many of the significant gameplay aspects.”
- “Everything feels very staged and unnatural, and gameplay offers zero innovation, just copies what other games have done before.”
- “The gameplay loop can become very repetitive, even though it's fun to kill aliens, as it's not a lot of variation in the enemies for large parts of the game.”
graphics
5,839 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
1%
The graphics of "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and immersive quality, effectively capturing the grimdark aesthetic of the Warhammer universe. Players have praised the game's ability to render large swarms of enemies and intricate environments, with many noting that even on lower settings, the visuals remain impressive. However, some users have reported performance issues, including crashes and graphical glitches, particularly on lower-end systems, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “From the moment the opening cinematic began, I was captivated by its stunning visuals and rich storytelling.”
- “The graphics are simply breathtaking.”
- “The visuals are a testament to the emperor’s divine wrath, intricate and unforgiving, drawing you into the iron-bound depths of the 41st millennium.”
- “Had to play on the lowest graphics settings because the game constantly crashed otherwise.”
- “The graphics engine is not optimized and runs like crap at all resolutions.”
- “Even with lowering graphics settings to under half capability.”
optimization
2,488 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
54%
21%
The optimization of "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" has received mixed feedback from players. While some report smooth performance and impressive graphics on high-end systems, many others experience significant issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and long loading times, particularly on mid-range or older hardware. The game is often described as poorly optimized, with calls for further patches to address these performance problems, especially in multiplayer modes. Overall, while the game has potential, its current state leaves much to be desired in terms of optimization.
- “Optimization at its finest!”
- “One of the best, if not the best game in the past 5 years I've played, very well optimized as well.”
- “One of the main things here are amazing are the stunning graphics and visuals that are really well optimized, I can play the game with no screen tears nor FPS drops which has been a common issue with most newer releases with various developers.”
- “The optimization for this game is fucking awful.”
- “The game is pretty damn good but has downright atrocious optimization that needs immediate attention!”
- “Quite possibly the worst optimized game I’ve ever played, even on low graphics it takes upwards of 20 minutes to load, and the audio cuts out if you attack anything.”
stability
1,231 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
84%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant issues such as frequent crashes, freezes, and long loading times, particularly during the opening cinematic and multiplayer sessions. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay with minimal bugs, the overall consensus indicates that the game is currently plagued by numerous technical problems that hinder the gaming experience. Players recommend waiting for patches and optimizations before fully committing to the game.
- “I had a bug-free gameplay throughout the entire campaign that took me 9 hours.”
- “One of the first games in a long time to be mostly bug-free and complete at launch - still play it from time to time when I want to slaughter nothing but bugs and heretics.”
- “The game launched with a huge amount of content, impressively bug-free for the most part, an insane roadmap, and some of the most downright inspiring visuals and audio.”
- “This is why I am marking this review as negative; you can't enjoy the game because one crucial bit of it decides to malfunction and boots you to the desktop (in most cases) or hard-freezes your entire PC.”
- “I've literally never played a game more buggy than trying to play this game with a friend.”
- “The game freezes during the cut scene right after you launch the orbital virus bomb.”
replayability
902 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
58%
10%
The replayability of "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while the campaign is engaging, it is relatively short and lacks significant replay value. However, the operations mode and multiplayer features provide a more robust replay experience, with various classes and difficulty levels enhancing the gameplay. Overall, while the game offers some replayability through its co-op and PvP modes, many reviewers express a desire for more content and variety to sustain long-term engagement.
- “The multiplayer modes are surprisingly well-done, adding even more replay value to an already fantastic game.”
- “A well-told campaign, solid customization combined with straightforward progression wrap up into a package that is highly replayable across its 3 different modes.”
- “The operations mode has that much more, even if you do each operation only once, though they are clearly designed for replayability, and there's a fair bit of post-campaign class grinding to keep you serving the emperor.”
- “Not much replayability after 10-15 hours since all the weapons and cosmetics is quite the grind.”
- “The game does have its shortcomings; it lacks in replayability, and the combat mechanics can be divisive; some players will find it engaging, while others may see it as lackluster.”
- “The campaign is short but good enough action packaged burst of testosterone that has been sorely lacking in modern games; it doesn't overstay its welcome even though, as a Warhammer 40k lore fan, I would have preferred more; the multiplayer operations keep scratching that story itch while keeping replay value for the whole game for a very long time.”
grinding
895 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
11%
88%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it can be excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some enjoy the grind for character and weapon upgrades, others find the limited number of missions and repetitive gameplay to be a significant drawback, leading to feelings of boredom and frustration. Overall, players suggest that the game requires a substantial time investment to unlock content, often feeling like it demands "a second life" for grinding.
- “Unlike games like Helldivers 2, there’s no suffocating grind to unlock weapons or upgrades.”
- “The grind for leveling up is simple and not too grindy.”
- “The operations play into the campaign nicely, and the progress to unlock new things for your weapons and armor is fair and not too grindy.”
- “Unfortunately, all the customization options are locked behind a grind that either requires you to replay the same (not that great) co-op missions over and over again, or grinding away in the extremely mediocre multiplayer mode that clashes with the core design elements of the game.”
- “With the story mode as short as it is, it feels kind of scammed or cheated since you can't progress without grinding for days just to get one weapon perk.”
- “The campaign is really short and honestly I don't feel like grinding operations with the exact same feel as the campaign, just for gun and cosmetic upgrades on something that just seems like a mediocre mash-up of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Gears.”
atmosphere
823 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The atmosphere in "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2" is widely praised for its immersive and gritty representation of the Warhammer 40k universe, capturing the dark, oppressive tone that fans expect. Reviewers highlight the stunning visuals, detailed environments, and atmospheric sound design, which collectively enhance the feeling of being a space marine in a war-torn galaxy. While the gameplay has received mixed feedback, the overall ambiance and fidelity to the lore are considered standout features, making it a must-play for fans of the franchise.
- “The atmosphere is beautifully gruesome, the gameplay keeps my fingers tired and thirsty, the storytelling is of a class worthy of the 40k epic.”
- “The visuals and atmosphere really pull you into the grim, war-torn universe.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive all throughout.”
- “It is unfortunate that this atmosphere is taking place in a boring, clunky game with an uninspired plot that is just a repackaged rehash of stuff that was already done earlier and elsewhere.”
- “While the game creates a decent setting through environmental design and atmosphere, it completely breaks apart when the keyboard starts clacking.”
- “The atmosphere feels too dark and dreary, and I’ve had to restart the game a few times just to join multiplayer sessions.”
music
627 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
49%
5%
The music in "Space Marine 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it decent but largely forgettable compared to previous Warhammer titles. While some praise the soundtrack for complementing the game's atmosphere and action, others criticize it for lacking memorable tracks and emotional impact, often describing it as generic or underwhelming. Overall, the sound design is generally well-received, but the music does not consistently meet the high expectations set by earlier entries in the franchise.
- “The music perfectly complements the visuals, creating an immersive experience.”
- “Everything from the music, to the visuals and sounds, setting and atmosphere, etc. was just so top-notch.”
- “The soundtrack, filled with ominous chants and orchestral swells, perfectly complements the game's dark tone.”
- “The soundtrack is very disappointing and unimpressive, at odds with the rest of the game which reduces the suspension of disbelief when playing Space Marine 2.”
- “The music is barely noticeable as it's more the background effects you are listening out for, the quick one second warning that ambush is here and for you to do something about it before you are hugging a lictor!”
- “The soundtrack is nothing special, it feels like generic background music and doesn't have the energy level I'd expect from a fast-paced PvE shooter.”
monetization
367 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
46%
43%
The monetization model of *Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2* has received mixed feedback, with many players praising its lack of aggressive microtransactions and battle passes, which are often prevalent in modern games. While some reviewers express concerns about potential future monetization strategies, the current state is seen as a refreshing return to a more traditional gaming experience, offering a complete package without the burden of pay-to-win mechanics or excessive in-game purchases. Overall, the game is commended for prioritizing player enjoyment over profit-driven practices, with cosmetics being the only paid content available, which can be earned through gameplay.
- “This game renewed my faith that developers can still make fun AAA quality action games without filling it with useless bloat and predatory monetization practices.”
- “In a sea of monetization schemes disguised as games, this is a breath of fresh air; it feels downright luxurious to have the player's enjoyment be the main priority in a title like this.”
- “No microtransactions: in an era where microtransactions are all too common, Space Marine 2 stands out by offering a complete experience right out of the box.”
- “While I love Warhammer and 40k, I think the game developers made this as a cash grab.”
- “The amount of cosmetic microtransactions after one month is frankly nauseating.”
- “This game feels like a cash grab and the DLCs are not worth the money.”
humor
283 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is described as a chaotic blend of dark and absurd comedy, with players finding joy in the ridiculousness of battles, quirky character interactions, and unexpected bugs. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke laughter through its over-the-top action, memorable quotes, and the absurdity of its mechanics, making it a fun experience, especially in multiplayer settings. Overall, the humor resonates well with fans of the Warhammer universe, enhancing the enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “It feels superficial and they have these ridiculous quotes that my friends and I repeat over and over to each other now because they are so funny.”
- “The main campaign is really well done, story is epic, and the characters are hilariously accurate to the universe.”
- “This game is a chaotic, over-the-top action game that blends quirky humor with fast-paced combat.”
- “The PvP is an unfunny joke; don't ever expect any effort to be put into it.”
- “So many issues it's not funny; how are these patches approved and sent live when things are constantly broken?”
- “Also, if you ever thought about joining a circus of unhinged, out of control, and unfunny monkeys, feel free to take a look at the forum.”
emotional
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of the game has garnered mixed responses, with many players expressing a sense of nostalgia and empowerment reminiscent of classic titles like Gears of War and Halo. While some appreciate the intense narrative and character dynamics, others criticize the story for lacking depth and emotional payoff, particularly for those unfamiliar with the Warhammer 40k lore. Overall, the game evokes strong feelings of nostalgia and excitement, though it may not deliver a deeply emotional experience for all players.
- “The narrative pulls you in with its intensity and emotional depth, making you care about the characters and the battles they face.”
- “This game made me feel what brought me to playing video games in the first place, all those years ago.”
- “The storyline is well-crafted, offering a gripping and emotionally charged experience that keeps players invested in the fate of the characters and the broader conflict.”
- “Limited content, boring story. I mean, it's like Titus was accused of heresy, pardoned for the heresy of the previous chaplain, and his current chaplain was probably promoted from the heretical chaplain. Like, what the heck?”
- “A masterpiece of gameplay and visual fidelity mixed with a short and boring story.”
- “The campaign is boring story-wise and very short.”
character development
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
4%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its depth and relatability, particularly in the protagonist's journey and the arcs of supporting characters. While some players appreciated the nuanced writing and emotional stakes, others felt that the character development was occasionally overshadowed by repetitive gameplay and a lack of exploration in the narrative. Overall, the game is noted for its strong character design and voice acting, which enhance the immersive experience within the Warhammer universe.
- “The character development is exceptional; each character feels real and relatable, making their journeys resonate on a personal level.”
- “The character development is rich, and the dialogue manages to balance gravitas with moments of dark humor, adding layers to the experience.”
- “The voice acting and character development breathe life into our brothers in arms, making each victory feel personal and each loss a solemn reminder of our sacrifice.”
- “The main character should be called Constipatus instead of Titus, because he is just grumpy all the time without any character development at all.”
- “The devs definitely could have fleshed out the story and character development a bit more, and made the combat less repetitive.”
- “I might have slogged through it if the story or environment were more interesting, but after several hours there has been no significant character development of any form.”