After a mixed bag of recent Warhammer video game releases, all eyes are on the highly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 to rejuvenate the iconic franchise’s virtual legacy. With middling receptions to titles like Darktide and Realms of Ruin, the pressure is immense on developer Saber Interactive to deliver a worthy successor to the beloved 2011 original Space Marine.
“The pressure has been non-stop,” admits creative director Oliver Hollis-Leick. “It’s well known that we delayed the release to ensure it launches well and is ready to rock from the moment people get their hands on it.”
Living up to the original’s hallowed 92% Steam rating is no easy feat, but an early hands-on from one of the 2011 developers suggests Saber has captured the essence while expanding the scope. “You’ve really taken it where we wanted…You’ve done all the things that we wanted to do, but couldn’t,” Hollis-Leick recalled him saying.
A major evolution is the new Operations mode, introducing class-based cooperative gameplay with an AI director dynamically adjusting enemy encounters and special events for increased replayability. Six iconic Space Marine classes, each with unique abilities and weaponry, allow for strategic squad assembly as players confront scripted narrative operations.
“Classes are based on the figurines from the original board game, like the Bulwark tank or stealthy Sniper,” explains Hollis-Leick. “You’ll need to adapt your skills to overcome the AI director’s challenges, which ramp up the difficulty in response to your progression.”
Completing Operations earns experience and currency to further upgrade abilities and unlock new gear. Extensive cosmetic customization also lets players recreate their dream Space Marine aesthetic from Warhammer lore.
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The multiplayer Eternal War mode expands options even further, pitting 6v6 Space Marine and Chaos Space Marine teams across classic modes like Annihilation and Capture the Zone. With all six classes available to each side, strategic teamplay is paramount.
After production hurdles for other Warhammer titles, Space Marine 2’s September 2024 launch aims to re-establish the franchise’s gaming prestige with an experience honoring the iconic source material’s over-the-top action and lore. From enhancing the original’s melee combat flow to capturing the Warhammer universe’s unparalleled scale, Saber is going all-out.
“I feel like we’ve created a more vivid, epic version…and a more thrilling, satisfying combat mechanic,” states Hollis-Leick. “Our artists are obsessed with this license.” Now, the studio hopes Warhammer fans and newcomers alike will join their obsession.
