21 Sep, 2011
Title: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Platform: Windows/PS3/Xbox 360 (reviewed on 360)
Developer: Relic Entertainment
Publisher: THQ
TL;DR: A gory romp in the shoes of a Space Marine
Family Friendly: M for Mature
It must be tough being a Space Marine; lumbering around in heavy armour, carrying a multitude of weapons, and kicking arse twenty-four hours of the day.
Taking a huge step for the franchise, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine moves you away from the popular RTS-esque style and into a new third-person view, straight into the gargantuan boots of Captain Titus from the Ultramarines chapter. Straight off the bat I should tell you that this game is one for existing fans and curious newcomers alike. Fans will appreciate the rich storyline wonderfully woven in to the Warhammer 40,000 universe, whereas those not so familiar to the franchise will appreciate the brilliant hack-and-slash/shooter gameplay. Let’s see how well it fares…
The campaign itself is Space Marine’s crowning achievement. Orcs have invaded the Forge World, home to a huge battle-bot named The Titan. Initially you find yourself wading through wave after wave of Orcs, but then the Chaos show up and that’s when it all starts to really kick off. The campaign unravels itself at a comfortable pace, and big events or cut-scenes come at natural and sensible intervals. The more you play the thicker the plot gets, and although players may occasionally feel that Captain Titus has all the personality of a brick, the character development feels well thought-out and intriguing … though in all fairness, when a gamer is given a chainsword and a ton of enemies to slaughter, does it matter if you’re interested in character motivations?
The graphics here are very impressive, with cut-scenes and gameplay almost indistinguishable from each other. The gore is pretty over-the-top, with limbs flying here there and everywhere, but it surprisingly never feels totally out of place or ridiculous. My one complaint would be the level design; areas look very similar and very expansive, but with unique set-pieces a rarity once you’ve seen one metal corridor, you’ve seen them all.
At its heart, Space Marine is a hack and slash game. The combat is incredibly intuitive, and melee fighting can be mastered with just a few buttons. Yet in spite of the repetitive button-mashing, the action on screen never becomes monotonous affair, and I found slashing my way through waves of enemies just as satisfying after a few hours of play as it was when I first pick up the controller.
In order to replenish you health you must precisely execute a finishing attack on an enemy as prompted. These attacks are incredibly satisfying to watch, especially with the slight slowdown in time and – of course – the obligatory gorefest. The downside? The can leave you vulnerable for attack; essentially mitigating the health you just gained …
Space Marine also does ranged combat very well. Captain Titus can equip up to three ranged weapons at one time (with a pistol being used alongside melee weapons). Ammo-drops and armouries allow the player to choose which type of ranged weapons to take with them, and your gameplay style can vary greatly on these choices. Players will rarely get bored with Space Marine’s gameplay -especially with the arsenal at your disposal throughout the game -as there is always more than one way to kill an enemy. And there’s fun to be had, trying as many different options as possible.
At certain intervals throughout the game, Captain Titus straps on his Jet-pack for some aerial action. The controls in these sections can initially feel very clunky and imprecise, sending you flying about in all sorts of directions. With a bit of practice, once control is gained, these Jet-pack sections become some of the best moments in Space Marine. Dropping in from above and sending enemies flying in all sorts of directions is thoroughly enjoyable.
The multiplayer is an interesting beast. The customisation here is brilliant, with every aspect of load out and armour available for change. Obtaining the next upgrade or armour-piece for your character can become rather addictive, and keeps a player coming back for more. There are three classes to choose from – Assault, Tactical, and Devastator – and each offers a unique playing experience. Devastators wield powerful but heavy guns, Assault classes are equipped with a Jump Pack but are weak in ranged combat, and Tactical Marines excel in a multitude ranged combat options but suffer at close range. Each class appears to have been balanced enough in order to make sure none offer an undue advantage, and any of the three classes offers an enjoyable experience. And while the game types are fairly standard fare – think team death match and ‘capture-the-area’ – Space Marine multiplayer rarely feels anything other than a sheer killfest, with players often ignoring objectives just to improve their kill count. Is this the developers fault? Certainly not. But it does detract from the overall experience, meaning that – when it matters – it’s the single-player campaign that will keep you coming back for more, not the multiplayer … no matter how detailed the customisation.
As a fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe I was slightly sceptical to see how Space Marine would fare in such a diverse genre. Fortunately (well, for me at least), Space Marine excels in third-person combat, and is competently matched with a fantastic story and enjoyable multiplayer. Relic have triumphed with this accessible title that serves both fans and newcomers alike – despite the admittedly occasionally repetitive gameplay, it’s the engaging narrative and fresh combat in Space Marine that has players coming back for more – and defines it as a solid and enjoyable third-person experience.
Family friendly?
Space Marine is rated for mature audiences for good reason. Waves of enemies means buckets of blood, and not one enemy exits a battle without being short of at least one limb. It’s worth pointing out that there aren’t any swear words or overly sexual activity, but the amount of blood clearly compensates for this. Not one for the kids.
The Good
Solid third person action Fun multiplayer Buckets of blood
The Bad
Repetitive set-pieces Clunky jet-pack controls Button bashing
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