The games industry definitely goes in cycles, with the game of the moment getting far too many clones, some good, some bad.

Right now, you could say we’re in a bit of a Vampire Survivors boom period. There’s definitely a lot of love for crafting games. And it feels like we’ve seen more Souls-likes than ever.

But many years back, we definitely had our fair share of Gears of War likes. It’s understandable, that original trilogy really put Xbox on the map (alongside Halo) and really blended the perfect combination of story and multiplayer action.

Most variations on the series weren’t a touch on what Epic had been able to achieve, but there was one that really stood out from that crowd – Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. And it wasn’t just because of the vast Warhammer license, this one felt good, played well and offered something a bit different.

In fact, the game very much started to carve its own niche and a decade on is still remembered very fondly by gamers. So much so, there’s been calls for a sequel ever since. And for a long time, we thought those days were past, especially in an age where sequels need to go through a lot more red-tape. Until finally Focus and Saber banded together to give us what we’ve been asking for.

Fortunately, Space Marine 2 has been worth the wait. While the original was great for its time, this is on another level aesthetically. The budget is bigger, the Warhammer license is healthier than ever and the appetite has never been more palpable for a third person shooter in this universe.

Just gazing out across the planets, looking at the stars and the battles happening in the distance, or wandering through your home base, admiring the use of lighting and observing construction, looking at the scale of ships and the mood setting, this is so perfect and you just wonder what could be done with a full-blown remake of the original.

That might just be for the best, as I imagine there’ll be a few people who haven’t got into the first game being a 360/PS3 era title and this game picks up directly where the first left off. That’s not to say you can’t play SM2 without having tried the first, but if you’re already a bit out of the loop on your Space Marine lore and you’re missing the direct context of the first game, there’s going to be a lot happening that might go over your head.

Warhammer lore, as you’ve probably determined by now – whichever game you’ve played – is vast. And ultimately, the core focus and aim of SM2 is shoot lots of baddies with harmonious, chorus centric, epic music in the background, set against beautiful backdrops and get to team up with your buds while doing it. I’ll get to that in a bit. But there’s a deep story here and a few twists and turns, especially towards the latter end, that really bring things full circle from that first game.

The story is a good one, though, once again focusing on Titus from the first Space Marine, but this time he’s with a whole new unit, with a brand new set of orders, and will planet hop from one place to the next, really diversifying his destinations, but also his equipment.

You’ll get to blast Jetpacks to get around, but also use a wide range of weaponry, such as sniper and auto rifles. There’s a series of different grenades available to you, and even unique powers that can give you an edge in battle. And all throughout, you’ll have your small unit of allies to help you deal with the endless stream of enemies that are unrelenting in their approach.

These allies can pick you up and revive you when you’re down – remember this Gears fans – but they also stand by your side when the battle is thick and fast, and obviously are there for ongoing conversation throughout the mission, ensuring you don’t miss out on key context.

And your friends can also join in and play as your comrades, with them, at times, actually hearing different conversational pieces during key cut scenes and even getting different ways to play.

The story, as said, is a continuation from Space Marine 1, though it is mostly self-contained, and it really is the centerpiece of the game, lasting around about 8-10 hours and really creating a fun blend of action and adventure. There’s grand bosses to down, cutscenes on a level of Blizzard in terms of drama and effect, and enough variation in your arsenal to keep things interesting, while also maintaining a decent enough challenge throughout.

But Space Marine 2 also gives you and your friends other options, even when the credits roll on the base game, which really expands upon what we got in the original game and creates some real longevitiy, particularly with the upcoming DLC packs as well.

In between customising your armor sets to have fun, fanciful effects, there are fun one off multiplayer missions you can tackle with friends via the Battle Map, some of which actually offer alternative events to the ones that happened in the story – maybe focusing on another unit at the same time. This is such a smart way to keep content fresh while reusing it, but also to give players even more context on some of the game’s biggest, grandest moments.

The Operations Mode puts you into a series of missions, with varying objectives and provides you rewards at the end of it, including money, XP and discoverable data. You and your online team need to work together to fight back the chaos and find success on the other side. Your rewards can then be spent to get new armor cosmetics and upgrade the various classes in the game.

There are 6 to choose from and each gives you a slightly different way to play, with a heavy being more tanky and the Bulwark which is a real all-rounder.

Then there’s the other mode in Space Marine 2 – Eternal War, which is essentially PVP across a series of different modes – those being Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill and Domination. These are often the most popular multiplayer modes these days in the likes of COD, so it makes sense they’re the focus point here.

I did find the game’s combat a bit restricting when trialling this mode, though. Space Marine 2’s combat definitely feels more optimised for PVE with the style of weapons, the actions you perform and the way you execute. This is certainly a passable, entertaining mode if you’re looking to prolong your time in Space Marine 2 and it seems the game’s future content is set up to support it, but for me, the most fun came from Campaign and Operations.

All in, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a more than worthy sequel. In fact, it’s better than the original in just about every conceivable way. The action is more heart-pounding, the environments are gorgeous, the respect given to the lore and story is first-class and there’s so many fun and memorable moments to be had here that you’ll be eager for more. There’s even a hint at a Space Marine 3 in here. Let’s hope we’re not waiting so long for that one.

Verdict

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been worth the very long wait and is an incredible worthwhile sequel that betters the original in just about every conceivable way. From the visuals, to the story, gameplay and additional modes on top, it not only continues a story that was set out a decade ago, but it carves a way for a much brighter, more elaborate future for the franchise. Full of epic moments, it’s a game you and your friends will love fully and completely.

Pros

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is out now on PC, PS, and Xbox

Played on PlayStation 5

Code Kindly Provided by Focus for review purposes