Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine tells the story of Captain Titus and the Ultramarines; a specialist force from the heroic Space Marines. The game kicks off with a rather simple mission to clear a Forge Planet of a small gang of Orcs, thus liberating the world and allowing the Space Marines a strategic advantage in the ongoing war.
Things quickly get more complicated however as the Ultramarines realise there are considerably more Orcs than they first thought, a situation made far worse by the arrival of Chaos Space Marines and the discovery of a powerful new energy force housed on the Forge Planet. A huge battle for the planet ensues, with Captain Titus right in the thick of it.
Unfortunately, that’s about the entirety of what turns out to be a rather weak storyline, and although things pick up slightly towards the end, the narrative of the game was clearly not a priority for the developers. Throw in a terrible cliffhanger at the end of the game and you’ve got one of the laziest, most linear storylines in recent gaming history – this wouldn’t have been an issue a few years ago, but considering the exceptional narratives in recent blockbusters such as Heavy Rain, Gears of War and LA Noire you might expect better from a game with such narrative potential.
Still, as many fans will tell you, Warhammer 40,000 is far more about the action and authenticity than the storytelling, and fortunately these are two areas where the game certainly delivers.
The combat elements of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marines is brutal and satisfying in equal measures, as you switch seamlessly between melee combat and firepower. You can use the variety of guns you’ll collect throughout the game either as a ranged weapon (which is more than necessary if you want to survive) or as a close-quarters technique in combination with your brutal melee attacks. A clever button configuration and control system allows you to utilise both combat elements during close-quarters fighting, meaning you can chop up an Orc with your chainsword shortly before despatching his comrade with a few swift bullets to the face.
During melee battles you’ll also have the opportunity to annihilate stunned enemies with visceral finishing moves, which vary depending on the opponent you’re facing and the melee weapon you’re using. These finishing moves are gory, excellently animated and particularly satisfying, although you’ll regularly find it frustrating that Titus can still be damaged by enemies while you’re performing them.
Unfortunately however, the gunplay and ranged combat in the game is seriously let down by the lack of a cover system; something I can’t help but feel they left out to prevent comparisons to the much-loved Gears Of War series. When you’re dealing with enemies from a distance you’ll be unable to shield behind anything, due to the combination of no cover system whatsoever and a deliberate lack of anything to hide behind. As a result, avoiding gunfire becomes a case of rolling left or right, or simply zig-zagging forward until you’re close enough to fight back effectively; two techniques that are woefully inadequate.
Fans of the Warhammer 40,000 legacy will be pleased to learn that the different factions in the game have been lovingly created, with a huge amount of attention to detail (both in the way they look and sound, as well as in the weapons they’re wielding). The same can be said for the world you’re fighting in, with everything looking nothing short of stunning throughout the game. Unfortunately however you won’t get too much time to enjoy the beauty of the game, as the campaign feels incredibly short, taking around 4-5 hours to finish. Whilst there is multiplayer to keep you coming back, I really would have expected more from a major 2011 release.
This review wouldn’t be complete without covering the multiplayer, which is surprisingly good fun, if a little repetitive. You’ll get to choose between three different classes as either an Ultramarine or Chaos Marine, all with their own perks and benefits (Assault/Raptor, Tactical/Chaos and Devastator/Havoc). Whilst this should make for varied gameplay, my experience of the multiplayer was that far too many people chose the Assault/Raptor class, making the whole system a little redundant and the matches a little too similar on each play.
In the end, whilst the game does suffer from a poor storyline, incredibly short campaign and frustrating lack of a cover system, the melee combat and incredible authenticity (and graphical brilliance) of the world you’re fighting in make this a game well worth your time (and money).
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