Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2: A Deep Dive Review (Steam Deck & PS5)
For years, many Warhammer 40,000 fans eagerly awaited a sequel to Space Marine. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore the franchise's other titles, including Boltgun and Rogue Trader. This eventually led me to try the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck. The recent reveal of Space Marine 2 heightened my anticipation, especially after extensive playtime with various Warhammer 40,000 games across PC and consoles.
Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Space Marine 2, utilizing cross-progression between my Steam Deck and PS5, and testing both online and offline gameplay. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: thorough evaluation requires testing cross-platform multiplayer and public server stability; and official Steam Deck support is promised by Focus and Saber by year's end.
Space Marine 2's Steam Deck performance piqued my curiosity, given its cross-progression feature. The news is mixed, and this review will cover gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 performance, and more. Screenshots with performance overlays are from my Steam Deck OLED, while 16:9 shots are from my PS5 playthrough. Testing was performed on Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.
Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter that blends brutality, stunning visuals, and addictive gameplay, even for Warhammer 40,000 newcomers. After a concise yet effective tutorial introducing combat and movement, you reach the Battle Barge hub, where missions, game modes, cosmetics, and more are managed.
The core gameplay is superb; controls and weapons feel perfectly balanced. While ranged combat is viable, I favored the visceral melee combat and satisfying executions. The campaign is incredibly fun solo or with friends in co-op, though defense missions are less engaging. My co-op sessions with a friend overseas evoked the feeling of a high-budget Xbox 360-era co-op shooter—a rarity today. It's as captivating as Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to modernize the original game's campaign.
My Warhammer 40,000 experience stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 offers a refreshing experience, ranking among my favorite co-op games in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite Warhammer 40,000 game, the Operations mode's addictive gameplay and class progression keep me coming back for more.
My early co-op experiences have been exceptional. However, a full assessment awaits post-launch testing with random players. The visuals on PS5 (in 4K mode on my 1440p monitor) are breathtaking; environments are richly detailed, and the sheer number of enemies adds to the intensity. The superb texture work, lighting, voice acting, and customization options all contribute to the game's polish.
The single-player photo mode offers extensive customization options (frames, expressions, FOV, etc.), though some effects on Steam Deck using FSR 2 and lower resolutions appear less polished than on PS5. The audio design is top-tier; while the music is good, it's the voice acting and sound effects that truly shine.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options
My Steam Deck experience allows for insights into the PC port. Epic Online Services are integrated, but account linking isn't mandatory. Extensive graphics settings are available, including display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), upscaling (TAA, FSR 2), dynamic resolution, V-sync, brightness, motion blur, and FPS limits. Four quality presets adjust texture filtering, resolution, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, and more. DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned for later. 16:10 support is absent, hopefully to be added in a future update.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Controls
Keyboard and mouse controls are supported alongside full controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts weren't displayed on Steam Deck by default, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive trigger support is present, and remapping options are available. My DualSense controller worked flawlessly over Bluetooth, including adaptive triggers.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance
While technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, performance is suboptimal. Even at 1280x800 with low settings and FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, maintaining a stable 30fps is challenging, with frequent dips. Dynamic upscaling for a 30fps target also results in frequent frame rate drops. The game sometimes fails to exit cleanly.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer
Online multiplayer functions correctly on Steam Deck, without anti-cheat interference. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth, aside from some minor internet-related disconnections. Further testing with random players and in PvP modes is pending.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features
Performance mode on PS5 is generally excellent, though not locked at 60fps, and dynamic resolution seems to be in use. Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Cards are supported. Gyro support is currently absent.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Cross-Save Progression
Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 worked well during testing, with a two-day cooldown period between platform syncs. Confirmation of this cooldown's persistence in the final build is pending.
Solo Play Value
A definitive answer awaits post-launch multiplayer testing with random players. Eternal War (PvP) mode testing is also pending.
Desired Future Updates
Post-launch updates should prioritize improved Steam Deck performance and HDR support. Haptic feedback on PS5 would also be a welcome addition.
Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for Game of the Year. While full multiplayer testing is ongoing, the gameplay is superb, and the visuals and audio are exceptional. I currently do not recommend playing it on Steam Deck, but it's highly recommended on PS5. A final score will be provided after further multiplayer testing and patch releases.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review Score: TBA
