Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II is the much awaited sequel that was announced for all platforms bar the Nintendo Switch was first announced in December 2021 at the Game Awards and since fans have been eagerly waiting for the game’s release.
The game was initially slated to be released in August of last year but unavoidable circumstances pushed its released date to the current one of September, 2024.
What’s so Hype About It?
The question should be what isn’t, the game looks phenomenal from the number of gameplay demos shown and demos reviewers could get their hands on. The gameplay showed the protagonist who we control in the midst of war against the Tyranids with bullets going everywhere, explosions near and afar, the unapologetic brutal melee finishers on said tyranids and the ensuing gore from using high weapons to reduce these giant arachnid looking monsters to bubbling green spatters.
Those wanting the wanton destruction and mayhem can expect this game to more than satisfy their cravings as from the get-go it’s pretty clear how much destruction and combat each mission will have. The gameplay will be in third person and aiming down sights will zoom the camera forward to make it easier to shoot farther away enemies, those who have played gears of war, Doom or the more recent Helldivers 2 can expect to see some similar shooting gameplay.
Where it differs for Space Marine 2 is the up close and personal brutality when executing melee attacks, expect your character to dish out swords swings to amputate limbs, heads and torsos when initiated. There are no colored drops signifying which is better, unlike the shooters of today, if your gun runs out of ammo mid conflict, you pick up the next one that has bullets remaining, plain and simple.
The gameplay shown really makes it clear who your protagonist is and his purpose which is to face impossible odds against the war with the Tyranids and to not only win it but to also obliterate every single tyranid off whatever planet you land on. It is clear to see that Saber Interactive have poured their soul into this game; the details rival that of Ghost of Tsushima by Sucker punch, there are always a ton of enemies flying around the screen at any given time, they perfected showing hordes of enemies climbing over each other to tear you limb from limb as you try to mow them down with water minigun or rocket launcher you can get your hands on. Their experience from crafting World War Z is clearly being shown in its full potential here.
Why the Sad News?
Saber Interactive had announced before that there will be a public beta test for multiplayer of the game but on the 29th of June they had announced that they are canceling this test as they made the decision to focus on the full launch of the title for September. Players were eagerly waiting since August of last year and the anticipation had built more after a delay was announced for the game. To compensate for this turn of events Saber Interactive have said that those who registered to play will receive a limited edition Bolt Pistol skin when the game goes live.
Some were supportive of the comments but there is now a veil of doubt surrounding the decision and as always there are unsubstantiated rumors going around that the game isn’t as impressive as marketed or shown. Some gave proper complaints as they don’t feel sure about putting down 60 dollars for a game they couldn’t play.
Conclusion
The gameplay they showed was very compelling and early reviewers who could play a demo did speak highly of the game. We can’t be sure why Saber Interactive chose to for-go the public beta test but the gameplay does speak for itself. Its guaranteed to be action-packed, its guaranteed to be gory, the level of detail shown rivals top AAA games and veteran warhammer players who could play the early demos praised how the game really made one feel like the legendary, sacred Space Marine warriors that are the wildcard soldiers sent to single handedly destroy armies and defend the empire against those who would do it harm.
Now comes the long wait till September to experience the action and gore showcased, to defend the empire and do so in the bloodiest manner. Space Marines 2 will release on September, 2024 and it will no doubt release to raving reviews, hopefully close to Warhammer 40k:Darktide and the surprise hit of Boltgun.
