Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

 PC
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
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  1. 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 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.
  2. MrKeats
    Sep 7, 2011
    8
    One note: This is a review of the single player game mode, not taking into account multiplayer in the score.

    There's something to be said for sheer scope and scale. In a prior decade, I would have used a word such as "epic" to describe this game, but as that word is so overused as to be deemed meaningless, a substitute is necessary. There are many points in the game where you get so    One note: This is a review of the single player game mode, not taking into account multiplayer in the score.

    There's something to be said for sheer scope and scale. In a prior decade, I would have used a word such as "epic" to describe this game, but as that word is so overused as to be deemed meaningless, a substitute is necessary. There are many points in the game where you get so involved in the combat due to the innovative yet somewhat clunky health regen system which actually encourages you to get right into the middle of the fray and shed some blood.

    I say clunky because there are moments in the battle where you need to execute someone, and if you haven't timed the strength and rate of your attacks, there's a high likelihood that you will not have an enemy who is ready to be executed. This happens most often when you are using the high power/low speed melee weapons. For newcomers, I would stress that you can execute the smallest enemies without having to stun them, so it helps to actually leave a few of them alive for a mid battle health boost.

    Balance between ranged combat and melee is quite well executed. If you choose to run into an open area which is covered by weak ranged enemies shooting down on you from above in order to attack enemies with melee, you will most likely die due to the fact that the weak ranged can still easily take down your shields, leaving you extremely vulnerable. It is gruesome fun to pick off the ranged enemies quickly with a few well placed shots and then quickly switch to melee to finish the job up close and personal.

    It's after moments like this that I found myself surprised. The calm after the storm if you will. I actually walked back through the area to look at the carnage. I couldn't help but think of the line, "and you shall know me by the trail of dead", (now a band and a book). Captain Titus truly is a one man army, and the game does an excellent job of making you feel heroic without making you feel invincible. Comparing this to something like Deus Ex, where if you played on hardmode and put your points into the steath trees early on, the first boss would walk all over you. Towards the end of Deus Ex, though, I found that I was so powerful and virtually invisible to enemies that the fear factor and thus my heightened sense of suspension was dramatically reduced. Space Marine does not suffer from this at all. There is always a sense of potential impending doom and potential heroic glory.

    The visuals are fantastic. Dark and foreboding, the battle damaged word hangs over you like it wants to crush you. Gore is of course one of the selling points to the game, and enough can be read about that elsewhere. It is, to cover the base, wonderfully disgusting. While the art design of the levels was top notch, the level design was lacking. As with all linear 3rd person shooters, there are some invisible walls that prevent exploration; however, I eventually hit enough of these as to be discouraged from hunting down the little red skulls which provide you short snippets of back story. I started off wanting to be a completionist and gave up quickly.

    Last but not least, the sound quality. Probably the best I've heard in a game. The music is rich and deep, with enough martial drum and horn music to maintain the marines-esque feel, while at the same time there is a thumping soundtrack for the most dramatic moments. Gun and explosive noise is very well done. I found myself able to turn, locate, and eliminate ranged enemies very quickly based on voice and weapon sounds alone.

    The length of the single player campaign is certainly short. But I believe that it makes up for this in terms of overall effect. I can't help but feel; however, that it is a bit pricey compared to other titles in the genre which were far longer. There's just enough of that buyers remorse kicking in to push the game overall down a peg. Perhaps if I was more interested in the multiplayer aspects of the game, I would be able to feel better about it at the end of the day.

    So...level design sketchiness and short campaign coupled with a high price per fun ratio for single player focused people. 8 out of 10. If you only plan on playing for a story, I would wait till it comes down in price a bit.    … Expand
  3. TheangryOne
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    Warhammer 40K Space Marine puts you in the armored boots of Captain Titus, of the Ultramarines. Tasked with defending the Forge World Greia (among other things). You are usually joined by your loyal squad Sidonis and Leandros, fighting an innumerable number of orks and eventually chaos forces. Using all kinds of weaponryt, from the humble bolt pistol to the accuratly named devastator, toWarhammer 40K Space Marine puts you in the armored boots of Captain Titus, of the Ultramarines. Tasked with defending the Forge World Greia (among other things). You are usually joined by your loyal squad Sidonis and Leandros, fighting an innumerable number of orks and eventually chaos forces. Using all kinds of weaponryt, from the humble bolt pistol to the accuratly named devastator, to the traditional chainsword to the room sweeping thunder hammer. The game itself is suprisingly smooth and flows rather well on a high end PC, and as far as I can see, the bugs are few and far between. Hit registry is very reliable and you can easily slice through several boyz in a single swing of your chainsword. Of course, you can also sit back and hammer boyz and nobz alike with the bolter; each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses and allow for multiple styles of play,though I suspect most of you will just charge into a massive horde yelling "For the Emperor!". Speaking of charging, I could not write a proper review without mentioning the jump pack. With it, you can soar above your enemies and charge down, causing a truly earth-shaking impact. That was the most fun I've had in a long time; eat it Gears of War! There is a multiplayer, but there's nothing really worth mentioning; we've seen it all before. Environmentally, the game does a good job showing you a war-torn forge world, though hardly to the extent the vox chatter suggests (more dead bodies NOW!). The world never quite drew me in as it should, but its open areas and "ork taint" do a good job of giving you a full view to the extent of the damage the orks invasion has done, and the surviving Imperial Guard really do convey the sense of urgency the environment couldn't. Of course, this game isn't without its flaws. My first complaint is the lack of any kind of cover system; a 7 foot tall power armored soldier is kind of a huge target. I know, Relic and THQ wanted you to feel like a real Space Marine (Who I can remember took cover in the Dawn of War series), but most of the time it makes me feel like a real bullet magnet. There are a few glitches, but nothing game breaking, and many of you might not even notice anything. Of course, as we all saw in the demo, the orks sound more like angry british people than actual orks, and chaos forces sound a little off. Most annoying of all is that your companions, while immortal, do almost no damage to enemy forces, and are only good for distracting a few away while you activate fury mode in the nick of time. Apart from all things mentioned above, this game is definitely worth a try no matter if you're a Warhammer fan, shooter fan, Gears of War fan, or just a fan of games in general. If anything above gets to you too much, then just wait until the price drops.… Expand
  4. Krazkog
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    I didn't had a lot of hope for this game, I was doubting it a lot. But after playing some time, I realised how amazing it is! It seems easy, and simple, but I actually had a lot of fun kicking ass with a Spacemarine. The weapons are devastating in their own, brutal way. The campaign is a bit shorter then I expected, but it has a good plot and gameplay. I also like the difficulty settingI didn't had a lot of hope for this game, I was doubting it a lot. But after playing some time, I realised how amazing it is! It seems easy, and simple, but I actually had a lot of fun kicking ass with a Spacemarine. The weapons are devastating in their own, brutal way. The campaign is a bit shorter then I expected, but it has a good plot and gameplay. I also like the difficulty setting then other shooters these days, both 3rd and 1st. You have to be careful and look around carefully so you don't get your ass beaten. This was the same for the multiplayer. At first I just charged in blindly, which resulted into me dying a lot. Speaking of the multiplayer, I haven't fully done it yet, but I can already tell it seems to be a fun experience. I have great hopes for Spacemarine, and I will certainly be playing it for a long time.… Expand
  5. nah8
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    Game is freaking awesome! MP is a blast, as it's different than the regular FPS MP. This is definitely the sleeper hit of the year as it didn't get the exposure of some of the other games being released. Combat from melee to range is seamless and tonnes of fun hacking at Orks and then blasting them with your bolter.
  6. 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 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'tAlot 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.… Expand
  7. mystrunner
    Sep 6, 2011
    8
    I had my doubts, after playing the demo; it seemed like it was just another repetitive, 3rd-person button-spam fest. And, let's be honest, at its most basic level, it is. But there's a significant amount of depth to the button-mashing, and very quickly you discover you've got to be mindful of your surroundings, or you'll quickly wind up dead. It's the multiplayer where things have startedI had my doubts, after playing the demo; it seemed like it was just another repetitive, 3rd-person button-spam fest. And, let's be honest, at its most basic level, it is. But there's a significant amount of depth to the button-mashing, and very quickly you discover you've got to be mindful of your surroundings, or you'll quickly wind up dead. It's the multiplayer where things have started to shine the most, however. The true beauty of the visual and audio work put into this game shine, and you'll find yourself marveling as bolter rounds tear through the air above the heads of you and a few other battle-brothers, as your Devestators provide withering cover fire as you charge the enemy's strongpoints...… Expand
  8. janabimustafa
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    Adrenalized gun-play, twisting and weaving plot-lines, overwrought character development and a bombardment of on-screen displays, Warhammer 40K Space Marine is a magnificent piece of art.
    Game of the year.
  9. Shamrock
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    This game frigging rocks!!! I'm totally not a 40K fan boy but the shooting and melee mechanics combined with the violence blood fest is a brutally brilliant combo. This game definitively gives Gear of War 3 a run for its money.
  10. Porkenstein
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    Before you leap into this game, keep two things in mind: YOU CAN MUTE PLAYERS and the campaign gets much better as it progresses.
    Overall, Space Marine is a good game... I'd recommend playing it on Hard mode and with multiplayer customization in mind. While the content is currently kind of limited (only a few multiplayer maps), the character customization and combat options are endless.    Before you leap into this game, keep two things in mind: YOU CAN MUTE PLAYERS and the campaign gets much better as it progresses.
    Overall, Space Marine is a good game... I'd recommend playing it on Hard mode and with multiplayer customization in mind. While the content is currently kind of limited (only a few multiplayer maps), the character customization and combat options are endless. If you're a fan of 40k, it's a must-play. If you're not... well, if you like Third-Person Shooters, Hack-n-Slashers, or Arcades, you'll probably like this game.    … Expand
  11. Grobak
    May 13, 2012
    10
    When i first played the demo i was amazed. The combat system is fast, full of adrenaline, and the melee and ranged combat is just perfect together. It feels absolutely good to blow a head of an orc off or slice him in two. The weakest point in the game is the single player with an average story and weak boss fights, but the multiplayer is the best out there. Its quite balanced, very fastWhen i first played the demo i was amazed. The combat system is fast, full of adrenaline, and the melee and ranged combat is just perfect together. It feels absolutely good to blow a head of an orc off or slice him in two. The weakest point in the game is the single player with an average story and weak boss fights, but the multiplayer is the best out there. Its quite balanced, very fast paced, and very unique. The exterminatus game mode offers you the joy of slaughtering hordes of enemies, and a hard challenge at the same time. Buy the game, get out there with a heavy bolter, shoot some orcs, and u will know what I was talkin about.… Expand
  12. JamesHead
    Apr 24, 2012
    9
    This game defies third-person-shooter and brawler mechanics. First things first: If you are a Warhammer 40k fan just like i myself am you will love every tiny little detail they put into it. The atmosphere, the level design with it's vast and huge buildings is near to perfect. And then you have to take this Scenario and put in highly aesthetic close combat which is even enhanced by one ofThis game defies third-person-shooter and brawler mechanics. First things first: If you are a Warhammer 40k fan just like i myself am you will love every tiny little detail they put into it. The atmosphere, the level design with it's vast and huge buildings is near to perfect. And then you have to take this Scenario and put in highly aesthetic close combat which is even enhanced by one of the best control settings i have seen so far (if you are using a xbox 360 controller). Blending shooter Elements in an third-person-hack'n'slay is pretty hard to do but Relic did the job fairly well. So what else to tell you about this? the campaign is kind of short, i must agree, but that does not influence the incredible fun this game actually makes. if i had to write a review on the singleplayer mode only it would definetly get a 10 out of 10 since i only paid 20 Bucks for it. But there is also a multiplayer mode. Unfortunately this mode is stricken with balance-issues and a lack of internal match-options. If you are playing PvP you will most likely discover that player level and equipment matters. some weapons are plain overpowered others prove themselves to be obviously useless. And of course the level and the perks you have equipped will make you either inferior or highly superior to your enemies. Then there is also an PvE mode where u find yourself in an arena and slaughter waves of orcs. Problem with this mode is, that it is made for 4 players. And you can't even adjust the options to make it any easier when you are playing with 2 players. Nevertheless if you have 3 or more people and you are able to survive in the arena this mode provides a ton of fun. So to sum this up: 9 out 10 and one of the best third-person-action-games i have ever played. And it is even pretty cheap by now (~ 20 bucks on steam) so you should consider buying it.… Expand
  13. Bjornishigi
    Apr 25, 2012
    9
    I'm a fan of sandbox games, and never enjoyed any game with a scripted story or campaign except Gothic(1). I wouldn't have liked this game either because the story is pointless and your on very tight rails.. but!, the combat is just so over the top with your space marine dishing out the most supreme ass-whoopings by the bushel. They nailed the most important thing they needed to, theI'm a fan of sandbox games, and never enjoyed any game with a scripted story or campaign except Gothic(1). I wouldn't have liked this game either because the story is pointless and your on very tight rails.. but!, the combat is just so over the top with your space marine dishing out the most supreme ass-whoopings by the bushel. They nailed the most important thing they needed to, the melee mechanics, making this hands down the best hack n' slash money can buy. The guns have some nice diversity and pack plenty of punch, no complaints. The health mechanic of regenerating only on melee fatalities is a perfect fit for a space marine, no cover required. They also throw in a bonus power that refills as you get kills called fury. Fury seriously augments your normal powers and generates health while attacking which allows you to take out the elite orcs and bosses. I never got a chance to play Gears of War which this has been likened to but I've played a ton of games, fps's etc.. but this sets a new standard for virtual violence which I can't at the moment imagine how anyone is going to top. Multiplayer has been a bit of a letdown so far, didn't enjoy the maps I've seen or starting at a huge disadvantage to seasoned players who have the good gear. Regardless, I can't wait to see what they do next with this series. Believe the hype.… Expand
  14. 5hassay
    Jun 3, 2012
    8
    Not worth more than $20 USD. Exceptional programming (besides occasional audio blips). Conventional, fun Warhammer 40k story. Entertaining, novel gameplay, i.e. combat system. Poor online multiplayer support (no servers, just peer-to-peer, so almost always laggy games); possibly sucks up lots of bandwidth! Wonderful environments. Unfortunate take-your-money DLC; game has been tossed awayNot worth more than $20 USD. Exceptional programming (besides occasional audio blips). Conventional, fun Warhammer 40k story. Entertaining, novel gameplay, i.e. combat system. Poor online multiplayer support (no servers, just peer-to-peer, so almost always laggy games); possibly sucks up lots of bandwidth! Wonderful environments. Unfortunate take-your-money DLC; game has been tossed away by developers. If you are a War. 40k fan, definitely get it.… Expand
  15. blazeline
    Dec 7, 2012
    9
    Ripping through hordes of orcs is a totally satisfying experience. The visuals and sound are amazing. If you want a little mayhem this game totally delivers. The story is B-movie style but the visceral action is what counts in this game. It is totally worth the sale price on Steam.
  16. The-Crow
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    I Got the boxed retail copy of this on release day installed and registered on steam, I actually tried multiplayer first and well.... lets just say I never manged to get to the single player within the first few weeks so I will just review the multi to begin with.

    Multiplayer: Um... this is what an infantry based wargame should be all about. Intense firefights where things like picking    I Got the boxed retail copy of this on release day installed and registered on steam, I actually tried multiplayer first and well.... lets just say I never manged to get to the single player within the first few weeks so I will just review the multi to begin with.

    Multiplayer: Um... this is what an infantry based wargame should be all about. Intense firefights where things like picking your spot & useing overlapping fields of fire actually mean something and running off on your own will usually get you mutilated, fortunately VOIP is built into the game itself. before we get to that the mechanics in Multiplayer work differently to single player. Probably the biggest difference is that Armour & health recharge/recover when you are in cover (like most squad based shooters) moving the game to a slighly more strategic cover based shooter.... sort of. We have the fairly standard multiplayer leveling up and unlocking system with their own tweaks and flairs, killstreaks unlock new armour customizations faster and so on. There are 3 classes to choose from and each as their strengths and weakness.

    Basically there is something for every occasion and I am sure there is a class there that appeals to everyone, although there is no support class. Thats because ammunition can be picked up from fallen foes and fallen battle brothers alike. At level 4 you unlock the armor customizer (before that you are stuck as an Ultramarine or a default chaos space marine) which lets you pretty much make your marine on either side look however you want using the armor components you unlocked, there are a lot of insignias & loads of colours to choose from and each individual armour piece can be coloured in multiple parts and individual armour pieces changed out as you see fit (so you can have Mk4 armour on 1 leg and Aquila armour on the other leg if you really want for example) they give you 8 slots on each team to make custom looks if you like to switch between them as you see fit & there are also a ton of Space marine chpters with preset armour sets you can then customize ontop of that (first 2 I made were Blood Angels death company and Blood Angels veteran squad armour). The level of customization is impressive and means lots to unlock later on. You can customize the loadouts of the 3 basic class slots & as you unlock the custom slots they let you decide which class to put in each of the 5 custom slots and let you configure the loadouts for each based on the class you picked.

    The weapons are fairly balanced although I found the default boltgun felt a bit weak at times in the begining but maybe I just took a while to master it. The unlockable weapons are not really more powerfull just different & usefull in different situations.

    It is not another COD or BF game nor is it meant to be, But it does feel like a squad based wargame and everything about it screams epic battles even though you are only playing with 16 people. If you ever played Dawn of war/ DOW 2 and thought "man it would be so awesome to be in that combat in a first/third person shooter" then Relic have granted your wish. Single player: its a gore fest and a lot of fun, the story and gameplay moves along at a breakneck speed for the most part & I found myself pushing further & further to see what would happen next. Around the middle of the game I found it getting repetitive with the same enemies over & over and I was glad when the story finally took a turn and presented new enemies to overcome.

    I found the last third or so of the game more challenging and fun although the format of the final boss battle was quite a letdown.

    Overall this is a great and while I enjoyed the multiplayer Vs gameplay significantly more the Single player & Co-op postions other people will find the opposite.    … Expand
  17. ECPatterson
    Dec 24, 2012
    9
    MUST play for WH40K fans. Thriling set battles, great visuals and some of the best sound effects. Sure it's linear to the extreme but it's fun. This game did not get a fair shake. I hope they make a SM2.
  18. mromih
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    I enjoyed this game from start to finish. Great story, great game mechanics. You will never get bored with this game (just talking about the single player campaign). The multiplayer aspect of the game, I see it as a bonus. And those who say this game ain't hard or too easy.. you choose which level of difficulty you want to play the game. Great game even for a year old game! Loved it!
  19. jimplunder
    Feb 5, 2012
    8
    The game is what it is, an action movie masquerading as a computer game. If you like point-and-click hack-and-slash games, then this game is for you. It's not innovative, it's not ground-breaking, the graphics aren't spectacular, but you can have a ton of fun if you don't put a lot of hopes on it being the next big thing in third-person shooters.
    To be honest, I was kind of hoping for an    The game is what it is, an action movie masquerading as a computer game. If you like point-and-click hack-and-slash games, then this game is for you. It's not innovative, it's not ground-breaking, the graphics aren't spectacular, but you can have a ton of fun if you don't put a lot of hopes on it being the next big thing in third-person shooters.
    To be honest, I was kind of hoping for an action RPG, but basically you just find all of the items you can use in the game and the game decides at certain points to make various items available to you (as if to say, "Hey! You'll need these items in the upcoming mob/boss fight!"). The story is typical Warhammer 40,000 fare: an ork invasion leads to something more sinister! If you've played either Dawn of War game, you'll see the story coming. But once you get the jump pack and the hammer, you'll wish that was the whole game experience. There's nothing like flying up into the air and then swooping back down into a group of orks and then pounding their skulls into mush with the hammer. Unfortunately, the jump pack sequences are too short and too few.
    I don't really play multiplayer, so I'll leave those reviews for those who've tried it, but it seems like it's getting upgrades. It's pretty much Space Marines vs. Chaos Space Marines in death matches and capture points. They also have a dreadnaught add-on that seems like it could offer a new aspect of gameplay for people (but it's a DLC add-on, so you'll have to pay for it). If the game's on sale, go ahead and get it. It's good for the lower price.    … Expand
  20. Jacksgotskills
    Jul 16, 2012
    10
    The single player is awesome, but the multiplayer is also really good with extras not just tacked on. The first time you go in to brace stance with a Heavy Bolter you KNOW you're in WH40K.
  21. grazr
    Sep 13, 2012
    9
    Repetitive environments, but high replay value. Very fluid combat in MP and enjoyable canon SP storyline. -1 point for lacking MP maps; although the control point mode is very enjoyable/replayable. DLC is acceptable but the lack of players means you'll need some good luck or a STEAM sale weekend in order to actually experience it fully. Exterminatus is excellent for non-competitiveRepetitive environments, but high replay value. Very fluid combat in MP and enjoyable canon SP storyline. -1 point for lacking MP maps; although the control point mode is very enjoyable/replayable. DLC is acceptable but the lack of players means you'll need some good luck or a STEAM sale weekend in order to actually experience it fully. Exterminatus is excellent for non-competitive players, but most perks can only be unlocked in PvP which is disappointing for those non-comp players.… Expand
  22. Mordread
    Oct 10, 2012
    9
    Good game, has a fun single player campaign and online is very fun. You can just jump into games with other players and play both vs. or co-op. Really underrated game, got it off steam sale and have since bought quite a bit of the DLC.
  23. malediction
    Nov 28, 2012
    10
    If you are a Warhammer 40K fan you have to play this game. If not I still recommend trying this game out.
    Not your typical shooter. I find it pretty innovative on many levels.
  24. No1livesforever
    Jan 1, 2013
    10
    Early couple of playing hours I was really annoyed and felt dizzy by the un/intentional camera slow motion, and game story was forgettable. And then intense hack-and-slash combat sparked the game and I mmediately started second play-through. My character was killed quite lot and even though I felt frustrated I kept going back to beat the game. For $7.46 this game is worth playing!
  25. dannyhl2
    Feb 21, 2013
    10
    An obviously fantastic game Imagine that when Gears of War meet with the Warhammer 40K All the gore and blood spreading around with it's brilliant combat controls.....and also with the masterpiece soundtrack!
    What else could i say This game is awesome! By the way,there is a totally FREE DLC Exterminatus mode(Survival mode) download in this awesome game How can anyone refuse it Just    An obviously fantastic game Imagine that when Gears of War meet with the Warhammer 40K All the gore and blood spreading around with it's brilliant combat controls.....and also with the masterpiece soundtrack!
    What else could i say This game is awesome! By the way,there is a totally FREE DLC Exterminatus mode(Survival mode) download in this awesome game How can anyone refuse it Just go buy it and love it     … Expand
  26. RiverMonster
    Dec 27, 2012
    10
    ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This game is amazing--I had passed it over sale after sale but finally went for it. I regret all the time I've lost that I could be playing this game.

    It's fast, vicious, and DAMMED FUN! I play with an XBox 360 controller on my PC and this game controls GREAT! The graphics are astounding, the combo system a blast, I love the mechanics of the game, the story-line, the    ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This game is amazing--I had passed it over sale after sale but finally went for it. I regret all the time I've lost that I could be playing this game.

    It's fast, vicious, and DAMMED FUN! I play with an XBox 360 controller on my PC and this game controls GREAT! The graphics are astounding, the combo system a blast, I love the mechanics of the game, the story-line, the true to WH love. The animations and gore are just BRUTAL and totally fulfilling for any gamer who's fond of some hardcore combat action.

    I can't advise people enough to at the VERY least play the demo--you'll be hooked and curse these ridiculous meta-critic scores that skewed such an amazing game down.    … Expand
  27. TheTownDrunk
    Feb 5, 2021
    9
    WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE is a blast of pure testosterone and the WARHAMMER universe has thankfully not been invaded by the cancer of wokeness yet. Space marines are men, real men, not the liberal man bun wearing beta boys of today. If you're one of those, stay away from WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE as it will most certainly offend you. SPACE MARINE celebrates genocide (ofWARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE is a blast of pure testosterone and the WARHAMMER universe has thankfully not been invaded by the cancer of wokeness yet. Space marines are men, real men, not the liberal man bun wearing beta boys of today. If you're one of those, stay away from WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE as it will most certainly offend you. SPACE MARINE celebrates genocide (of greenskins aka orks). Space Marines (and generally most of the humans in the Warhammer universe) are religious fanatics (and no, not moslems, so another thing that will offend the woke crowd). You play a white male (yes, I know, how horrible!). No customizing.
    WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE is a power fantasy that is fun despite being simplistic. This 3rd person shooter is not an open world game, but rather has you maneuver levels that are much like the airport mazes, the game won't let you stray off course, but does not take you from A to B in a straight line, which is fine. It keeps the action going, there's no BS like crafting or leveling (don't get me wrong, I LOVE RPGs, but RPG elements really have no place in games like this).
    Combat is simple but fun. Like I said, it's a power fantasy that combines shooting with melee hack and slash. Most of the time you will be shooting and slashing (or hammering) hordes of orks to bloody paste. Yes, it is very violent. The WARHAMMER weapons are all here, the chain-sword, the power axe, the thunder hammer, the bolter rifle, even the melta gun. Hell, you even get to toss grenades into crowds of orks. Later you get a jetpack that lets you fly up and slam down onto enemies either stunning them or killing them outright. There's a fury mode that is charged up by hitting enemies. Fury mode is a sort of berserk mode that increases damage output and slowly regenerates health (no there is no automatic generating health outside fury mode).
    There is a great variety of enemies, with increasingly tougher enemies introduced with the occasional cutscene. After you run out of orkish cannon fodder, chaos creatures are introduced.
    SPACE MARINE doesn't overstay it's welcome either, the campaign runs about 4 - 5 hours and ends on a high note without getting boring. There are no "fillers" or drawn out objectives. It does not have the superb atmosphere and environment that SPACE HULK DEATHWING has, which is why it's second to that game.
    The story and the campaign is really good without being dragged out with hours of cutscenes, just enough for a breather in between combat with good writing for a game of this type. SPACE MARINE even mops the floor with DOOM (2016) and of course DOOM ETERNAL, as there is no platforming (and NO JUMPING!). ID Software, take notes: NO JUMPING! And guess what, not once did I think, "dayum, I wish there was jumping and platforming", not once!
    The graphics are good (for a 2011 game) and character models look amazing for it's age (sure beats DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION and MASS EFFECT ANDROMEDA's ugly models). I love the voice acting, especially the orks who have Cockney accents. That is just awesome! This is a game done RIGHT!    … Expand
  28. applethin
    Sep 7, 2011
    8
    Warhammer 40,000:Space Marine is a pretty good game. As a warhammer 40k series fan, I gave no second thought when I purchased this. The combat is fun and engaging. Space marines look badass and I love how the ground quakes as you charge. Although the single player is rather short by hardcore standards, you can get many more hours out of multiplayer which was unexpectedly decent. (Honestly,Warhammer 40,000:Space Marine is a pretty good game. As a warhammer 40k series fan, I gave no second thought when I purchased this. The combat is fun and engaging. Space marines look badass and I love how the ground quakes as you charge. Although the single player is rather short by hardcore standards, you can get many more hours out of multiplayer which was unexpectedly decent. (Honestly, singleplayer missions got pretty repetitive and I feel like it ended just when it was about to get old) You will get your money's worth, but it is not a GREAT game. I saw much room for improvement. For example, the environment is really dull, story line has absolutely no depth to it, (although this is expected with most warhammer 40k stuff) and overall audio quality is just bad. The last one was the part that got me the most. Most warhammer 40k fans are used to the Dawn of War II style intense, and loud battlefields filled with units shouting battlecries such as "FOR THE EMPEROR", or "PURGE THE HERETIC". Combined with spectacular combat gore. those sounds really made the game feel alive. This trait continued for most of the relic releases, then suddenly they decided to not do it for space marines. Seriously, the multiplayer audio team must've been not given a budget because you hear NOTHING. You just hear some grunts and that's it. Not even a cheery 'Victory!" when you win. This game also has its fair share of technical issues. I absolutely abhor developers that force check point saves with no manual saves, then doesn't even make sure that there's enough checkpoints. There are parts in the game where if you die, you get rolled back 10 mins worth of fighting. If you die on the last boss fight, you have to watch unskippable cinematic all over again. The multiplayer is on peer to peer basis and lags like a mofo half of the time. This game also appears to have been made with consoles in mind as it has no push to talk. You have to mute every person in the lobby unless you want to hear background noise from 7 different people. Chat in lobbies slowly fade out for no **** reason when there's plenty of room. But hey, I'm nit picking at it at this point.… Expand
  29. Thefallenhun
    Sep 7, 2011
    9
    Its not going to win any awards for voice acting, story, or overal originality/replayability but it is more fun than half of the huge studio releases I've played this year. It is amazing goddamn FUN. You are slaughtering your way through thousands and thousands of Orks, smashing their heads, disemboweling them, vaporizing them. If you love warhammer at ALL you will be thrilled with this.Its not going to win any awards for voice acting, story, or overal originality/replayability but it is more fun than half of the huge studio releases I've played this year. It is amazing goddamn FUN. You are slaughtering your way through thousands and thousands of Orks, smashing their heads, disemboweling them, vaporizing them. If you love warhammer at ALL you will be thrilled with this. On a side note, the graphics are actually quite excellent, with fully rendered backgrounds in most of the environments, and a complete lack of annoying "invisible walls". Just wait till you get your hands on a jetpack, the game gives you a TON of mobility. The multiplayer is absolute hilarious chaos, and worth checking out even if it won't hold your interest like a COD or Battlefield title might. Overall an excellent buy.… Expand
  30. Heaviermetal
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    I know when a game is good, and its when I have a hard time putting it down. Space Marine is a game that does this for me. The story, locations, music, and action just keep pulling me in.
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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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. 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]
  2. 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]
  3. PC Games (Russia)
    Oct 27, 2011
    75
    A solid debut in action genre for Relic and a must-buy for any Warhammer 40k fan. [Nov. 2011, p.61]
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