------ENCRYPTED ASTROPATH TRANSMISSION------
ATTENTION: Adepts and Initiates of the Holy Imperium of Man
SUBJECT: Call to Arms, For the Emperor!
Well met brother (and sister) Grrrbians...
Now I have to put a disclaimer on what is obviously a rant of optimism, because I am a Warhammer 40k fan and completely crazy about the Space Marine concept. But freeeeeeak me it's awesome! I have always felt this universe provided such a great sci-fi foundation for the universes that spawned after it, who often received widespread mainstream support - something Games Workshop have never been too concerned with. Until now, hold onto your data slate initiate.
Around the world, geeks reading WH40K novels from the Black Library could no longer bear the heresy of the absence of a Space Marine game. They pleaded Games Workshop for more than just RTS (DOW), they wanted RPG and FPS. To be entombed in the power armour of the great Astartes warriors and be sent forth to safeguard humanity in the cataclysmic and never ending battle against the forces of Chaos and Xeno alike.
A game where they could fight and die for the glory of the Emperor - or Khorne, the Blood God or any of the other 3 Chaos Gods depending on where your corruption takes hold. After many years of umming and arring... untold numbers of psykers were sacrificed, the litanies of hate spoken and the holy rites conducted - the geek's prayers were answered.
Campaign
Space Marine sees you, Captain Titus, lead a small squad of Ultramarines to investigate an Ork attack on a forge world in the Ultima sector. Upon arriving in the system, you realise the Ork attack is a full fledged planetary invasion led by the big and very nasty Ork Warboss, Grimskul. The Waaaaaaagggghhhh! is on and you dive head first into it on wings of fire (your jump pack).
You fight through Ork lines to reinforce and be a vanguard for the local Planetary Defence Forces (Imperial Guard). It's not long, however, till you realise there is something much more sinister than Ork lootas afoot on the beleaguered planet as you uncover the notorious Inquisition testing a mysterious power source which they claim is a weapon.
Battle wise, you will have loads of fun with this campaign. There is so much ammo every where and you never run short of Orks to kill, krush and destroy! From your standard bolter and chainsword loadout, you go through plasma rifles and vengeance launchers (that sounds promising) to jump packs and thunder hammers (ooooooh). Trust me, you will love the sheer win of the rewarding combat engine (CLICK SPAM!!!!).
The single player is amazing but does not include CO-OP yet - I heard some vox chatter on Relic forums that this could be coming soon. It is quite linear, but the enamies are tough even on normal difficulty and there are plenty of interesting cutscenes. The story is great, although as a fan I still want to see them grow that aspect in the game. I can tell they dumbed down the universe a bit to make it palatable for Call of Duty junkies.
The environments are huge and at some points I just stood around gawking at the sheer scale of the Emperor's realm (a Warlord Titan was one of those moments). The unexpected waves of enemies and the odd boss makes going tough; so you absolutely have to master your skills to survive. I give this campaign a solid 4 star rating. There was so much gore, I couldn't give it anything less.
Multiplayer
Now this is where things get interesting, wowzers trouzers. Instead of crushing weakling boyz and the odd 'arder ork (you see why I didn't say nob), you either play Loyalist (Space Marine) or Renegade (Chaos) so every player on your average 8 a side map (16 in a game) sports customized power armour and epic relics of destruction. The gameplay is very similar to Gears of War, although there is no snap to cover sysyem - you don't need it with a suit of adamantium and ceramite.
At the moment there are only two game modes, seize ground and annihilation, both played on a whopping total of 5 maps. There is no squad system either. Again, vox chatter suggests these follies will be rectified in the next patch, but true servants of the God Emperor know Chaos occasionally taints vox channels too and not all prayers will be answered. The in game VOIP is really great, although it seems to take a few by surprise because you have to mute each player or hear them all.
There are three classes: Tactical, Assault and Devastator. Tactical Marines are your typical ranged unit and are extremely versatile. Assault marines use jump packs to disrupt and Devastators, well, devastate. Your loadouts are shared, so they're the same when you fight for the dark or light - but you do get unique challenges for each army. As you progress in rank, you unlock new weapons and offensive/defensive traits specific to each class.
The weapons are so awesome and the challenges keep you pretty busy chasing down the next piece of armour or weapon unlock. There is no weapon customization, but that's easily forgiven when you get combat this visceral and action packed. Shoulder charge and execute your stunned enemies, or ground pound them to dust with your jump pack from height. It's heart thumping stuff! For those with a tickle for heavy weapons, slake your thirst with the heavy bolter, lascannon or plasma cannon for total destruction.
I give the multiplayer an optimistic 3 and 9/10ths stars. It's missing some crucial win components, especially when it comes to matching you with local players, but its bone crushingly fun!! At this point I also want to reassure you guys that the graphics look pretty good from where I'm sitting. Not BF3 good, but that's hardly a fair comparison...
So far the servers have been jam packed (the game has been out 2 days or so) day and night, which I take as a good sign.
The Verdict
I think a lot hinges on the next few patches as to whether this game will receive support locally and from clans. It certainly has great potential for a clan game as there are huge payoffs for tactical coordination. And what true fan could laugh off the chance to have Chapter versus Warband battles?
For a "toe in the water" effort from THQ, this game certainly hit the money. Sure as a fan I could have asked for more to represent what is an enormously complex universe, but realistically speaking, I am happy with their effort and the quality of the game. A game I hope will be the first of a series that shakes the old testament down.
Space Marine is a jump in and enjoy game that offers some good replay value. If you know of WH40k and like it even in the slightest, BUY THIS GAME. If you're new to WH40k, well, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD (AND MILK FOR THE KHORNE FLAKES) should be enough to peak your interest!
It's ~$50 (~R370) on Steam and well worth it to fund this universe.
Some hasty screenies to keep you ADD folks busy!
I play with dark colour schemes for camouflage, but you can go pink whatever...
LOL - I pooned the guy with the best score/KPD while capping a flag and taking a screenie! I love the sight of grrr tags in a manufactorum!
------TRANSMISSION COMPLETE------
Thought for the day:
Life is the Emperor's currency, spend it well.
