TechRadar Verdict
Space Marine 2 is a well-crafted power trip elevated by stellar combat and awe-inspiring visuals.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2is a lovingly maintained relic of a bygone era.
However, this is not to say thatSpace Marine 2rejects the advantages of modern design approaches either.
Awe-inspiring vistas come almost every minute inSpace Marine 2.
Looming gothic structures loom across busy battlefields populated by swarms of enemies.
That said the game occasionally bites off more than it can chew.
The scale of its ambitions cause some sections of the campaign to feel rushed.
Allied tanks stay quiet, their massed machine guns pointing at the enemy seemingly never to fire.
This alone is an exceptional achievement.
Brutal automatic rifles stand alongside deadly plasma weapons and precision laser snipers.
While the selection in melee is a little more limited, it is no less captivating.
Warhammer 40,000s iconic chainsword (thats a sword thats also a literal, actual chainsaw) is captured lusciously.
Its blades roar with each attack as the weapons side radiators billow with excess heat.
Instead, Space Marines recover health by slaying enemies in dramatic executions.
These brutal over-the-top animations elicited excited shouts of bruh!
from myself and anyone else who chanced into the living room at the time.
Space Marine 2builds on its predecessor in every conceivable respect.
Throughout the roughly 12-hour-long main campaign, you play as Demetrian Titus - the star of the first game.
You want it darker?
Die-hard fans will notice references to significant events throughout thecanonwhich help to placeSpace Marine 2in a wider context.
That said, the title remains remarkably accessible for a newcomer.
While you shouldnt expect hyper-developed characters, these Space Marines feel well-rounded.
This is especially true in softer moments of conversation.
This sort of hidden depth is a hallmark ofSpace Marine 2.
Accessibility
Space Marine 2offers bare-bones accessibility features, sporting a colorblind mode and adjustable subtitles.
Players can also toggle off-screen markers allowing for clearer gameplay - useful for those with visual impairments.
There are also a range of difficulty modes.
Unfortunately, the title offers little else when it comes to accessibility.
An adjustable parry window or an option for automatic parries would have been most welcome.
An option for colour cues to distinguish between heavy and light melee attacks is also conspicuously absent.
Should you play Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2?
For that, youll be better served byWarhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
I reviewed the game in performance mode on PS5 using aDualsense Wireless Controlleron a 48-inchLG C2 OLED4KTV.
