A Deep Dive into Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – A Steam Deck and PS5 Review in Progress
For years, many Warhammer fans eagerly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore the broader 40k universe, including titles like Boltgun and Rogue Trader. Intrigued, I sampled the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck months ago. The recent reveal of Space Marine 2 heightened my anticipation, prompting a thorough review across both Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and online multiplayer testing.
This review is ongoing for two key reasons: a complete assessment requires comprehensive cross-platform multiplayer testing, and official Steam Deck support is slated for release by year's end.
My eight-day playthrough, totaling approximately 22 hours, spanned both platforms. The initial experience on Steam Deck was intriguing.
Gameplay: Brutal, Beautiful, and Fun
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers a third-person action shooter experience that's simultaneously brutal, visually stunning, and incredibly fun, even for 40k newcomers. The tutorial effectively introduces combat and movement mechanics. The Battle Barge serves as the central hub for mission selection, game mode choices, cosmetic adjustments, and more.
Combat is exceptionally fluid, with weapons and controls feeling perfectly balanced. While ranged combat is viable, the visceral melee combat is particularly satisfying. The campaign is enjoyable solo or with friends in co-op, although defense missions are less engaging.
Co-op and Comparisons
Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on Xbox 360-era co-op shooters – a rarity these days. Its addictive quality is comparable to Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I hope the developers consider updating the original game's campaign with modern visuals.
My 40k knowledge stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 is a refreshing and enjoyable co-op experience, ranking among my favorites in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite 40k game, the Operations mode, class variety, and steady progression have me hooked.
Online Multiplayer: Early Impressions
While full online multiplayer testing awaits the official launch, my initial co-op experience was excellent. I eagerly anticipate testing cross-platform play with random players and friends upon release.
Visuals and Audio: A Masterclass
On PS5 and Steam Deck, Space Marine 2 is visually impressive. The 4K mode on PS5 (tested on a 1440p monitor) is breathtaking. Environments are detailed, and the sheer number of enemies, coupled with excellent texture work and lighting, creates a dynamic and immersive world. The voice acting and character direction are top-notch, further enhanced by extensive customization options.
The photo mode (available in single-player) offers extensive customization, although some effects appear less polished on Steam Deck using FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 implementation is superior. The audio design is equally impressive, with exceptional voice acting and sound design. While the music is good, it lacks the memorability to stand out beyond the game itself.
PC Port Features: Graphics and Controls
The PC port (tested on Steam Deck) features extensive graphics options: display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets, upscaling (TAA, FSR 2), dynamic resolution, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and detailed quality settings for textures, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, and more. DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. Full 16:10 support is also hoped for in a future update.
Controller support is comprehensive, including keyboard and mouse, and full controller support with PlayStation button prompts (disabling Steam Input is necessary on Steam Deck). Adaptive triggers are supported wirelessly on PC, a notable feature.
Steam Deck Performance: A Work in Progress
While technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, performance is currently suboptimal. Even at 1280x800 with low settings and FSR 2.0, maintaining a stable 30fps is challenging, with frequent dips below. Dynamic upscaling helps, but frame rate drops persist. The game occasionally fails to exit cleanly.
Steam Deck Multiplayer: Seamless Online Play
Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck, with no anti-cheat interference. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth, aside from minor internet-related disconnections, likely due to pre-release server instability.
PS5 Experience: Smooth Performance, DualSense Support
On PS5 (performance mode), the game runs well, although a locked 60fps isn't consistently achieved, and dynamic resolution/upscaling is evident. Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Cards are supported. Gyro support is currently absent.
Cross-Save Progression: Seamless Transfer
Cross-save progression between Steam and PS5 functioned well during testing, although a two-day cooldown period exists between syncs.
Solo Play Value: To Be Determined
A definitive assessment of solo play value awaits full launch and more populated servers. Eternal War (PvP) mode remains untested.
Desired Future Updates: HDR and Haptic Feedback
Post-launch updates are anticipated, and I hope to see HDR support added to enhance the already stunning visuals. Haptic feedback would also be a welcome addition to the DualSense experience.
Conclusion: A Strong Contender
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong Game of the Year contender. While a full review awaits complete online multiplayer testing, the gameplay is exceptional, and the visuals and audio are superb. I currently recommend it for PS5 but not Steam Deck due to performance issues. A final score will be provided after further testing and post-launch patches.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review Score: TBA
