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Space Marine 2 appears to be the current hotness. It’s popped off on Steam, hitting an impressive player count entirely with early adopters before smashing that figure once again as soon as the gates were thrown open by the game’s public release. The result is multifaceted. Not only do 40K fans get a loving send-up to the world they’ve invested much time and money into, but a new group of 40K fledglings have been given a bombastic welcome to the far-flung future British artists and game designers created in the 80’s.
Reactions have been wonderful to see as a longtime 40K dork. One such example, Forbes writer and Destiny 2 know-it-all Paul Tassi posting his reaction to seeing cyborg cherubs and candle-lit rooms, is a lovely reminder of all the dark and rich flavour that floods the senses in 40K media. Space Marine 2 is a full of that, and I hope it opens the door for brave journeys into even stranger depths found within the canon.
Make no mistake, Warhammer is full of all sorts of dope, intriguing stuff. Saber Interactive did an excellent job introducing us to a slice of the IP through the lens of the Ultramarines, which is a smart choice. Not only are they the most vanilla of space marine chapters, they’re also the poster boys. Big blue dudes that are jacks of all trades. But there are other chapters that make them seem bland in comparison. The Blood Angels are space vampires. Dark Angels are space knights, and the Space Wolves are, you guessed it, space vikings that may or may not turn into wolves themselves.
One critisism that Ultramarines get is that they’re a bit bland. Whether this is totally true is up for debate, especially given the recent lore bombshell with Guillerman when he was re-introduced to the 40K setting on the tabletop game. But it’s certainly true that they lack a bit of the edge or distinct style of other chapters. You get a taste of this diversity in Space Marine 2’s opening mission too! Players new to the IP may not have spotted it, but members of Titus’ Deathwatch squad are clearly from other chapters. The Space Wolf marine with the axe you see for mere seconds has a bloodthirsty aura not present anywhere else in the game. This isn’t a fault of Space Marine 2 in any capacity, but a window into wilder waters.
The game is great at this, teasing those in the know with little morsels of wider worldbuilding. Just hop in the PvP and look at the heretic skins. Just look at ’em. Yes, in the review I hoped for a wider quantity of content in an excellent game, and the multiplayer follows suit by being a tight but brilliant package, but what’s present in these characters is wonderful. The characterisation is on point, both visually and with the voice lines. There’s a likely possibility that a player with a fresh intrigue into 40K will look at the World Eaters or Night Lords marine and be like, I want some of that.
And so do I. Space Marines have had plenty of love over the years, and I’d love to see games venture further out. There’s an obvious reasons why they get that much love mind, space marines are incredibly popular. That’s why they get the most models on the tabletop, after all. But there’s gotta be a balance surely. Somewhere between Space Marine 2 and, let’s say, Kuju Entertainment’s Fire Warrior. That game was a first person shooter focused entirely on the Tau, and while it was a bit shite, had a lot of heart behind it. It also was brave enough to step away from the big armoured blokes that permeate pop culture.
Space Marine 2 is an excellent wedge in the door for that kind of stuff. We’ve seen the Tyranids and how cool they are (as well as how they’ve inspired loads of other alien races in gaming like the Zerg), and it’s good timing for them to show up in a big way given they’ve only recently gotten a big refresh on the tabletop. But let’s get some really weird stuff. Let’s see more Dark Mechanicum stuff. Follow Rogue Trader’s path and gimme the Dark Eldar. Show me the Tau, the Necrons. On the Imperium side let’s get the Sisters of Battle in here, or some Imperial Agents. Or go totally into the Chaos side of things with a deeper dive into the warp and renegade chapters. What’s Huron Blackheart up to these days?
There’s so much here, and so much more to explore as the years go on. I understand the realities of running a business and selling big video games demands a degree of sticking to the popular stuff, but the real hook of Warhammer is how vast it all is. So here’s a message for future game devs working on a 40K game – give us the weird stuff! Shove a space marine on the cover, sure. Just make it a Salamander or something.