Space Marine 2 appears to be the current hotness. It’s popped off on Steam, hitting an impressive player count entirely with early adopters before smashing that figure once again as soon as the gates were thrown open by the game’s public release. The result is multifaceted. Not only do 40K fans get a loving send-up to the world they’ve invested much time and money into, but a new group of 40K fledglings have been given a bombastic welcome to the far-flung future British artists and game designers created in the 80’s.
Reactions have been wonderful to see as a longtime 40K dork. One such example, Forbes writer and Destiny 2 know-it-all Paul Tassi posting his reaction to seeing cyborg cherubs and candle-lit rooms, is a lovely reminder of all the dark and rich flavour that floods the senses in 40K media. Space Marine 2 is a full of that, and I hope it opens the door for brave journeys into even stranger depths found within the canon.
Make no mistake, Warhammer is full of all sorts of dope, intriguing stuff. Saber Interactive did an excellent job introducing us to a slice of the IP through the lens of the Ultramarines, which is a smart choice. Not only are they the most vanilla of space marine chapters, they’re also the poster boys. Big blue dudes that are jacks of all trades. But there are other chapters that make them seem bland in comparison. The Blood Angels are space vampires. Dark Angels are space knights, and the Space Wolves are, you guessed it, space vikings that may or may not turn into wolves themselves.