Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

WH40k Space Marine is a very good marriage of third person shooter and hack n slash, and I would recommend the game on that fact alone. The weapons feel great, being a big bulky dude that shoots big bulky guns and swings big bulky swords feels big and bulky, and it is topped off with appropriate amounts of violence that puts chest hair to work. The graphics are great, the sound is fantastic, and the combat fun. However, it is also very linear and on the shorter end. There are hidden collectibles, but it's more exposition that ties the okay story together. The combat is great but ends up being same-y after a while. There's not much that changes up, and honestly, the cutscenes are nice but they constantly interrupt the flow of the game. There's a few gimmick sections, but they're gimmicks. The boss fights are also terrible since they're just gauntlets of enemies. The game's emphasis on melee combat also kind of falls apart when you realize that you can headshot enemies fairly easily with the right loadout, and as the game gets harder, I started to lean on it more and more as being swarmed is a good way to see a game over screen. If you just want a fun romp in the Warhammer 40k universe as a casual fan, I say play this game. If you're not a fan at all and just want to crack some skulls, it's still a good time. I don't think you need to know anything about WH40k in order to enjoy it, but having some passing knowledge is a nice bonus to get what's going on. I think I figured out what the game was going for with its protagonist, but unfortunately the game never got a sequel and probably never will. I bought the game at $10 when it released on GOG, but seeing it at $40 makes me not recommend it at that price. $10 is a fancy sandwich, a drink, and a small bag of chips. That feels like an appropriate price for this game and it being four times that for a ten year old game that's short and linear is just SEGA price gouging at that point.

Hordes of enemies. Hooooooordes, I say! That's the first impression of this game, alongside extremely linear levels. The presentation looks good at first, and manages to get the W40K tone more or less right - but gameplay quickly left me somewhat bored. If you don't mind slaughtering hundreds and thousands of nassty orcses for half an hour to unwind after work, this is the game for you. If you're looking for something to keep you engaged and entertained for longer, this might be too bland.

A pretty solid, but also rather generic third person shooter, the most outstanding thing might be how stompy you are. NGL, I think the gameplay would have fitted an Ork Nob better than a Space Marine, but I still had my fun. The story was overall.......mediocre? Existent? It's not bad in my eyes, but also not really anything beyond serviceable. The visuals are good and for someone new to WH40k probably breathtaking or astonishing at times, which is good! As someone who knows WH40k since the mid 2000s it's......ok? I think it doesn't utilize the setting as much as it could

Loved this game way back on the Xbox 360 and I also played it on PC. Tempted to buy it on GOG, but unfortunately it is not compatible with Windows 11.

First time playing was last week. Pros: Controls are simple. If you want to button mash you can, but there are combos available as you become more familliar. The story is classic 40k and the gameplay suits it. Grimdark everywhere and you as a superpowered space marine! Proportions are almost perfect and you really get a sense of the bulk and weight of a SM as you tromp around. You get to shoot, slice and dice through orcs, and so far hasn't felt like a grind at all. There is enough variant of moves and "power ups" to keep it fresh, and they suit the theme and gameplay well. You find out almost imediately the way you heal is through ramping up your melee, which is interesting, and promotes even more carnage, which is what 40k does well. Gameplay is tight and flows well. you continue to move through the game with clear objectives, and fairly good environmental clues on where you have to go next. Cons: You can tell this was first developed for console. The feel of the game just oozes it. Limited, pre-defined paths so you don't get lost. You can't climb anywhere with more than a 1.5 ft. ledge (which is everywhere), so paths are clear. The random collectibles in each area follows the 40k theme, but are never explained in-game. You are picking up skull servitors, but why? Aiming is kinda janky. Mouse aiming is super easy as PC players know, but this game has some wierd artificial shakes at times which bounces your aiming retical to make aiming more difficult. odd, and it seems to try to justify it as situational, but again it was designed for console, so whatever. Thoughts: If you like the 40k theme, this is a top shelf example and you should get it. Animations are fantastic, character models hold up 13 years after release. It is for sure a console game, but the PC port is not only playable, but enjoyable. Open world? No, but still fun IMO. So sharpen your chainsword and get to the Thunderhawk, you are gonna have a good time.