Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

 PC
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
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  1. GameStar
    Sep 8, 2011
    74
    If you like pure action, just add another 10 to 15 points because of the atmosphere. Everybody else should prepare for a extremely linear action game, but it's still a lot of fun.
  2. ActionTrip
    Sep 23, 2011
    71
    It feels fun for a while, but it never gets exciting or particularly rewarding.
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 31, 2011
    70
    The campaign requires an interest in 40K, while the basic multiplayer modes are fun for all. [Dec 2011, p.67]
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  5. DarkStation
    Sep 29, 2011
    70
    The game doesn't really have a whole lot of content to go along with its full retail price but the single player campaign is extremely fun and is worth playing.
  6. Bit-Gamer
    Sep 13, 2011
    70
    When you consider the accomplished start of the game, it feels like a shame that Relic hasn't been able to carry this quality throughout.
  7. GameSpy
    Sep 13, 2011
    70
    By the end of my roughly eight-hour, straight-forward Space Marine adventure, I couldn't help but feel Relic Games missed out on a golden opportunity to take what is a good game – and a strong debut for the Space Marine franchise – and elevate it to great.
  8. Gamereactor Denmark
    Sep 12, 2011
    70
    Space Marine is a Hollywood blockbuster as a game: entertaining but lacking in depth. It offers a satisfyingly brutal mix of ranged and melee combat, but you become accustomed to the entertaining shocks of the violence. The genre mix turns into an ordinary shooter as the game goes on, when increasingly difficult enemies turns melee into certain death. The game essentially forces you to play against its own space marine-nature, as it enters and stays inside the confines of a shooting gallery like so many other shooters. In comparison, multiplayer is a liberating experience. It smartly adapts the gameplay elements from singleplayer, and emerges more well-rounded.
  9. Eurogamer Italy
    Sep 9, 2011
    70
    Space Marine is a missed opportunity, a game too simple to be a challenge appropriate to hardcore gamers, and a world too deep to be understood by casual gamer. Funny, but boring.
  10. GameSpot
    Sep 8, 2011
    70
    Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is on the shallow side, but it still serves up plenty of "waaagh!"
  11. Absolute Games
    Sep 18, 2011
    62
    Warhammer 40.000 is a glorious celebration of military minimalism. In this universe, they cut off your hands, burn your legs, drown your head in plasma and then ask questions. But the official slogan, "There Is Only War", is not an excuse to make a game without a good story, memorable characters and varied gameplay situations.
  12. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 30, 2011
    60
    The only thing rising Space Marine from the grey pool of mediocrity is world of Warhammer 40.000 itself. Rich story background deserved more than a linear hack'n'slash game. [Oct 2011]
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  13. CD-Action
    Sep 29, 2011
    60
    A boring, repetitive and generic action game that's just a shadow of what I believe it should have been. I can recommend it only to Warhammer 40,000 maniacs. [October, p.56]
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  14. Gamekult
    Sep 9, 2011
    60
    Quotation forthcoming.
  15. Games.cz
    Sep 18, 2011
    50
    Any potential for an entertaining and brutal third-person action game set in a popular world of Warhammer was killed right at the start with primitive level design and boring fighting. On a paper, this game had a lot of potential which sadly remained unfulfilled except one thing: very solid multiplayer. Right now, multiplayer is the only reason to play this game or at least think about it.

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best PC Game of 2011
32
#32 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
79
#79 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 708 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 440 out of 708
  2. Mixed: 191 out of 708
  3. Negative: 77 out of 708
  1. syrik
    Sep 7, 2011
    3
    This is a bittersweet review because on some levels this game succeeds like no other, but it also fails at some pretty crucial points. The PvEThis is a bittersweet review because on some levels this game succeeds like no other, but it also fails at some pretty crucial points. The PvE campaign was the most fun I've had in gaming probably since Halo. This game is hands down the best combat I've played. The controls are responsive, the transition from melee to ranged is flawless and the enemies are plentiful, deadly and gloriously fun to kill. There is an attention to detail to the combat in this game rarely seen anywhere. Explosions will make your ears ring, the camera slows down for executions so you can see all the action in its furious bloody glory, enemies taunt you, weapons sound deadly, it all looks fantastic and it's fast paced. Quite simply, best combat ever and it looks spectacular. But, it can't all be good. The campaign is an old school hallway shooter, linear with no freedom or variety. You constantly pass places which prevent you from going backwards and it's a one way trip to the end. Hallway shooters are dated and overly simple for todays gaming market. The story is likewise pedestrian and has already been told if you ever played any other Warhammer game. Xenos are attacking some planet, gonna steal the big guns, big tough Space Marines stomp everyone into paste, the end. It doesn't help the story's case when the game ends with the worst boss fight ever either. The dev team either forgot they released this on PC, or they didn't care but doing it with a mouse and keyboard is just dumb. The kicker for the whole thing is the PvE part will only last you 10 hours max, even looking into every nook and crannie (of which there aren't many). $50 for 10 hours is a bit steep, but wait, there's multiplayer. Well, kinda....currently there are issues with MP where the matchmaking system doesn't always work and it forces microphones on by default and won't allow push to talk. So you end up with a game full of open microphones that you can't set to off (there is a quick window where you can mute everyone individually if you catch it, but there are no settings for voice in game, NONE). Also there are only two game types, hold an area and death match...that's it. In a month they are supposed to release a multiplayer vs. PvE survival mode, but in reality no one will be playing this game in a month so you'll never find a game. So when it's all said and done, despite it being a lot of fun fighting orks and chaos marines, I'm wondering where the other half of the game I paid for is.… Full Review »
  2. green_81
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    Alot better than I expected. The combat system with the range system works as well as I would hope, and there was enough diversity in theAlot better than I expected. The combat system with the range system works as well as I would hope, and there was enough diversity in the weapons that it kept me interested. It gets pretty overwhelming at times with the onslaught of enemies on you, and gets pretty challenging. It is really satisfying when you get the hang of the stunning and destroying the enemy to gain health. I haven't played the Multi-player yet, but I have a feeling it's going to be pretty awesome! I like this type hack and slash game, and it's a good break from a stressful week! I recommend it.… Full Review »
  3. Theg0dSlayer
    Jan 28, 2012
    9
    Taking in the objective way in gaming without doubts space marine deserves a 9/10, inmersive campaign and very well done co op andTaking in the objective way in gaming without doubts space marine deserves a 9/10, inmersive campaign and very well done co op and multiplayer. I wont say it is a perfect game cause, most of the time the camera is a bit tricky so you must to get experienced with that. Overall Space Marine is a game that is worth every penny.… Full Review »
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