Rev up your chainswords and reload those bolters, because after 12 long years, it’s time to slide into the hulking power armor of a Space Marine and crush some Xenos!
The original Space Marine came out back in 2011 and was a bit of a cult classic, which is a nice way of saying it reviewed well but nobody bought it. Still, the Warhammer 40K fanbase is nothing if not vocal, and after many years of clamoring for a sequel, our prayers to the Emperor have finally been answered and then some.
Space Marine 2 is an old-school third-person action game — the kind of thing we saw all the time during the Xbox 360 era that spawned its predecessor, but that has dropped out of favor in recent years. Having played Space Marine 2, I really can’t understand why because it’s bloody brilliant fun and a contender for one of the best Warhammer 40K games of all time.
Related: Want to get into Warhammer 40K? Here’s everything you need to know before playing Space Marine 2
Back in Action
The campaign picks up a few centuries after the end of the original Space Marine (Space Marines live a very long time). Captain Titus has escaped the grasp of the Inquisition and is serving a penance in the Deathwatch. His Kill Team is deployed on planet Kadara with orders to detonate a virus bomb to delay the Tyranid Invasion.
It goes… poorly; his squad is killed and he gets a Carnifex’s scything talon through his chest for good measure. Luckily, before the beast can finish the job, the Ultramarines swoop in to save the day. Titus’s injuries are severe though, and the only way to save him is the “Rubicon Primaris” — basically upgrading him into an even better Space Marine. He rejoins the Ultramarines (eating a demotion down to Lieutenant), gets a new squad, and is tasked with helping to halt The Great Devourer’s advance.
From there, the plot mirrors the original Space Marine, with various missions to protect key facilities and rescue important personnel before the heretical Chaos Space Marines of the Thousand Sons turn up halfway through and reveal themselves to be the real villains. While a lot of the story beats are the same, it’s done in service of telling a different tale. It’s a well told story, and there are enough twists and turns to keep you intrigued as to where it’s heading.
There are some nice cameos (that I won’t spoil)…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Space…