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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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. 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 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 gloriouslyThis 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.… Expand
  12. 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
  13. mm12
    Jun 20, 2012
    6
    A very fun game up to about halfway, then the game starts losing a lot of charm. Some great detail went into the game, but there's still something missing. The chaos enemies are boring mostly, the orks only have about one or two shining moments, the flight sequences are not good, and the combat becomes tedious at about half way through. Overall, the game has very little replayability evenA very fun game up to about halfway, then the game starts losing a lot of charm. Some great detail went into the game, but there's still something missing. The chaos enemies are boring mostly, the orks only have about one or two shining moments, the flight sequences are not good, and the combat becomes tedious at about half way through. Overall, the game has very little replayability even for warhammer 40k lore fans.… Expand
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. 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!
  21. 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
  22. SoulSurgeon
    Feb 5, 2012
    6
    Felt a lot like Gears of war..which my girlfriend loved, and I disliked greatly. GOW is big hulking soldiers with big guns aimlesly walking around stupid and pointless maps killing masses of bad guys. What makes this game MORE interesting is is Dawn of War element. I really enjoyed DOW and it was neat to see the races that I played with in that game. Tired of hearing all the ImperialFelt a lot like Gears of war..which my girlfriend loved, and I disliked greatly. GOW is big hulking soldiers with big guns aimlesly walking around stupid and pointless maps killing masses of bad guys. What makes this game MORE interesting is is Dawn of War element. I really enjoyed DOW and it was neat to see the races that I played with in that game. Tired of hearing all the Imperial Guardsmen in the game tell me over and over "hurry, get over to this place, you must stop the orcs!" Poor Plot. You can't jump until you get jumpjets...so cracks in the ground and rubble slow you down a lot. Also, I felt like I just wanted to get past the level I am on so I can get to the next level so I can start to have some fun. Finding new weapons was fun..running out ot ammo was not. Felt like I was always having to use the crappy pistol until I found ammo..and ammo is everywhere...it has to be because you aren't allowed to carry enough and you go through it so quickly.. Terrible drama element to get excited to find basic ammo so you can use your basic weapons.

    Played for about 4-5 hours...single player and Multiplayer....it was fun until now. Could have been so much more.    … Expand
  23. metalmat
    Feb 27, 2012
    6
    As a big fan of the WH40k universe, a game like this is long overdue. Outside of dawn of war, most wh40k games have been mediocre at best. The biggest strength of the game is how you really do feel like a giant genetically engineered superhuman in power armor (aka space marine). I felt like a super bad mofo ripping through orks and chaos in hand to hand combat. Graphics and sound are alsoAs a big fan of the WH40k universe, a game like this is long overdue. Outside of dawn of war, most wh40k games have been mediocre at best. The biggest strength of the game is how you really do feel like a giant genetically engineered superhuman in power armor (aka space marine). I felt like a super bad mofo ripping through orks and chaos in hand to hand combat. Graphics and sound are also very good. Now to the stumbling blocks...... Story is pretty forgettable and predictable. For a world that is under massive attack it sure can feel empty most of the time, you will stomping through empty environments through a good portion of the game. Why could they not have more parts where you fight with other imperial guard units? Hell the best part of the game is the fight on the bridge with fellow space marines and it is SO SHORT. There is no co-op through the campaign which is very disappointing! The multi player is so laggy and broken at times I wonder what the point is? There are no dedicated servers and you will find that the host migrates so much that it can be unplayable. When it does work it is pretty fun, when it works...... Finally all the pointless DLC is a real slap in the face when the multiplayer issues are so glaring, the only DLC worth anything is the chaos unleashed pack. For a game that could have been so much, it is a tad on the disappointing side. While I highly recommend the game for WH40k fans, I can't really recommend it to other people which is the vast majority.… Expand
  24. 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.
  25. 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
  26. 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.
  27. 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.
  28. 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!
  29. Foam
    Jul 18, 2013
    3
    Warhammer 40,000 meets Gears of War gameplay? Hell yeah! That's what my initial reaction was years back when the first in-game footage was released on youtube. Space Marine had an extreme amount of potential to be a rich RPG with lots of depth. It failed nearly in all aspects.

    Was it because of time constraints? Lack of experience from Relic for building this kind of game? Not enough    Warhammer 40,000 meets Gears of War gameplay? Hell yeah! That's what my initial reaction was years back when the first in-game footage was released on youtube. Space Marine had an extreme amount of potential to be a rich RPG with lots of depth. It failed nearly in all aspects.

    Was it because of time constraints? Lack of experience from Relic for building this kind of game? Not enough staff? We may never know. But what we do know is what the result is. Average trash.

    A great introduction of the 40k "there is only war" motto into this type of gameplay. Massive (though empty) environments. Lots of different art assets used. Excellently captures 40k gothic feel. Animations average to above average. Sound quality above average. Character models are accurate to the lore and look fantastic.

    Unfortunately the good things stop there. One of my biggest gripes about modern RPG's is they usually start you off as a total badass, warrior of the universe from the very beginning. From second one you literally walk around & have people stare in awe at you when in reality the player has done nothing to earn this feeling yet. Space Marine does this.

    Relic had a good chance at RPG lore-friendly elements like character progression, armor/ability upgrading, vehicle combat and more but failed miserably. Instead the entire game is a grind your teeth on-rails experience with unlimited ammo. After every encounter there is ammo boxes everywhere & all weapons available. One wonders why they even put ammo boxes there in the first place and instead just give you unlimited ammo, it would be the same thing.

    Next up is enemies. There is less than a dozen enemy types in game. It ranges from a few ork types to chaos guardsmen, marines & deamons. You would think the different enemy types forces you to change tactics but it doesn't. For example some 'Ard Boyz orks carry big metal shields. A grenade will take care of them but if they get too close just spam melee attacks and you'll be able to finish them off just like any other.

    Melee attacks literally have 1 chain animation for each weapon and although cool at first, gets boring fast when it is all that's available. Melee weapons range from chainsword, power axe & thunder hammer. I couldn't tell much difference between them except sword is fast/weak, axe is medium/medium and hammer is strong/slow. It really doesn't make much difference in the end.

    The only way to regain health is by executions, but you can still be damaged during the animation. This leads to unnecessary frustrating events especially on the hardest difficulty which I played twice through on where you die while trying to regain health.

    The story was weak & uninspiring. Captain Titus or the other two marines we're boring & stale. Some of the things they said made sense but I felt no attachment to them. I guess its hard to make likable characters based on warriors engineered for combat.

    Ranged combat is fun and visceral. Melee combat is very simplistic & spammy. They had great opportunities to really make an incredible 40k game but in my opinion its a fail. The recently announced Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade mmo says they are using Space Marine as inspiration. I can only hope they take the good things (which are few) from this game and leave out the bad.

    All in all Space Marine is an average game. It is simply an on-rails linear shooter that does not come close to matching the standard set by Gears of War 3. Only the most hardcore fan of the 40k Universe could play this game and walk away saying it was a great game. I'm a huge fan of 40k but I can see that this game was not made to it's full potential.

    It's worth a torrent if you're bored one afternoon.    … Expand
  30. 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
prev
Page:

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]
See all critic reviews »