Every now and then, I take a good long look at my humongous Steam library and pick apart what games I bought years and years ago and have never gotten around to playing. This is compounded by the beneficial “Play Next” that is present whenever I open the Library tab on Steam, giving me several viable options based on my play history. Warhammer: Space Marine stuck out to me, so I installed and went in with no Warhammer 40,000 knowledge.

Way back in the day, I watched YouTuber TotalBiscuit’s series “WTF is” that gave a very good first look at PC games. I recalled his Warhammer: Space Marine video as one with much enthusiasm involved, as his Steam curator review mentions “aka the game that made me fanboy on video for 30 minutes“. It’s been a long while since I’ve played a third-person shooter of this variety, but with that background knowledge I knew I was in for a strong game that I wouldn’t regret installing.

Warhammer: Space Marine takes place on the fictional Forge World of Graia, where an intense invasion of Orks has left the human population in tatters. Enter the Space Marines, the best of the best and revered as such, to cleanse the heresy en masse in the name of the Emperor. You take the shoes of Captain Titus and lead two Ultramarines to tip the scales in the favor of the fledgling Imperial Guard that doesn’t stand a chance. The game does a great job at making you feel powerful, whilst Titus operates with grace and justice at the forefront of his duties.

This game combines a wide arsenal of both firearms and melee weapons, to deal with the Orks at range and up close and personal. It’s you three versus massive waves of Orks that are truly relentless. On-screen at all times is your health bar; You’re outfitted with a buff suit of armor, but you aren’t invincible. If you lose health, the only way to regain it is to perform executions after stunning an Ork, making for tense situations that demand the best of players.

The story takes twists and turns, but is quite dedicated to its source material and lore, with all characters feeling completely natural inside the Warhammer universe. I know that it’s one of the most complex, long-running stories ever formed, but new players like me can get a decent-enough understanding after playing for a little while. You do not need to be a Warhammer fan to enjoy Space Marine‘s solid gameplay.

The only problem with the game is that it could be reskinned as a Gears of War title with minimal effort. It’s true that Relic Entertainment acquired help from past Gears developers, but it’s quite on-the-nose at points, from some bleak environments to enemy types. Nevertheless, imitation is flattery, and Warhammer: Space Marine stands on its own two massive feet strongly. While the $29.99 price tag is daunting for a 10-year-old game, it typically hits $7.49 on sale, a worthy price for this excellent TPS.

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Warhammer: Space Marine

29.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Dedication to Warhammer 40K
• Weapon Variation
• Immaculate Character Design

Cons

• Too Similar to Gears of War
• Repetitive