Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 just released a little bit ago, and it looks awesome. I’ve wanted to play it, but unfortunately my CPU is too old. So, I decided to go back and replay Space Marine 1.
I’ve always been interested in the WH40k universe, but never really dove into it. Lately, I’ve been engaging with it way more. Not only did I replay SM1, but I also decided to play through Dawn of War 2. That, alongside watching lore videos and ogling Ork miniatures, I’m pretty sure the Warhammer universe has its hooks in me.
Something that struck me about both games though, is how each is streamlined in their own way. Making both Space Marine and Dawn of War 2 good entry points into the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Space Marine
Brutal, and to the point
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a straightforward experience filled with brutal action. It drops you onto a planet with a single mission, evacuate a titan as the world succumbs to an Ork WAAAGH!
You then proceed to eviscerate Orks with chainswords, thunder hammers, meltaguns, and the classic bolter. It’s a satisfying experience to fend off hordes of enemies, and the pacing never edged into dull. There isn’t an upgrade tree, but the game managed to keep things unique by slowly introducing new weapons throughout the experience. Meaning there’s always something new around the corner. Combine that with the temporary jump pack upgrade sprinkled throughout key moments, and it keeps combat engaging.
It was refreshing to play something that’s straightforward. Space Marine nails its core gameplay, creating a satisfying experience that can be repeated over and over. It doesn’t need superfluous mechanics or mini games, if anything that would likely mire the pacing. We drop into an Ork horde and get to let loose. The guns feel impactful, the melee weapons visceral, all coming together for an adrenaline-fueled bloodbath.
One of the ways Space Marine facilitates this is with executions. There’s no cover system here, instead you’re encouraged to get in the thick of it and lay waste with melee attacks. This provides opportunities for you to initiate context sensitive executions, which when performed regenerates your health. This is a brilliant way to encourage an aggressive playstyle, as you benefit from taking risks. It’s also incredibly satisfying to land executions, making you feel like a rampaging juggernaut.
I think Space Marine is a phenomenal game. Its satisfying, brutal, and straightforward. This is the second time I’ve played through it, and I doubt it’ll be the last. I also think it’s a good introduction to the world of Warhammer 40,000, as it gives a good foundation of the tone, and a few of the galactic actors. It doesn’t infodump an overwhelming amount of information, nor does it rely on an expectation of you already being knee-deep in WH40k lore. All that said, I definitely recommend it.
Give us an Ork game
Listen, I can’t be the only one that wants this. I know there are a smattering of other Ork games, but I think we need one in the style of Space Marine. Let us control a Nob or Warboss and go ham on the Astra Militarum. Space Marines might be the most popular faction, but our Ork boyz need some time in the spotlight.
At this point, I’m just trying to will this into reality. I’m sure there’s an audience for an action oriented Ork game. Give us an excuse to WAAAGH!
Dawn of War 2
RTS, but not really
Dawn of War 2 has been in my steam library for years. I’ve bounced off it twice before, for whatever reason I just wasn’t connecting with it. But this time around, it got its hooks in me. Maybe because I’d been going deep into lore videos and genuinely engaging with the world of Warhammer 40,000.
DOW2 is structured like an RTS, but doesn’t quite play like the ones I’m familiar with. The biggest difference is a lack of base building, DOW2 is squad based. Instead of hunkering down to harvest trees and gold, your squad drops into a map and goes straight for the objective.
At first, I found this jarring. I was used to the base building of Warcraft and StarCraft, but this squad-based gameplay ended up being much faster and more engaging. Each one of your squads, led by a named Space Marine of the Blood Ravens, has unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. There’s a scouting squad that can go invisible and plant explosives, one that’s melee based with jump packs so they can get in and out quick to be disruptive, and so on. Each of your Space Marines has a talent tree, and can change loadouts with new weapons, armors, and accessories. All of this makes DOW2 more akin to an RPG than a traditional RTS.
Each mission feels more like loading into a dungeon, with a faster pace than hunkering down and building a base. My only complaint is that in the original campaign it’s not always clear what weapon types are effective against which enemy types. But the subsequent expansion, Chaos Rising, improved this by providing more info in the mission briefing. I also think Chaos Rising is where DOW2 really shines, as the missions are paced better, and structured in such a way that really forces you to take advantages of your squads’ strengths.
I’m glad I gave Dawn of War 2 another try. This time around I’m really enjoying it, and much like Space Marine, find it to be an engaging and straightforward experience that prioritizes intense action. DOW2 also doubles as a good entry point into WH40k. Overall, I’d highly recommend it, just don’t expect a typical base building RTS.
Conclusion
Both Space Marine and Dawn of War 2 streamline their respective genres into a satisfying laser focused experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with each, and plan on trying out the other two Dawn of War games. I’m also looking forward to eventually getting to play Space Marine 2, when I finally upgrade my CPU. Hopefully by then we’ll finally have an Ork game in the style of Space Marine, WAAAGH!