I’m not the biggestWarhammernerd. I couldn’t tell you what a T’au is without checking a wiki, or what the hell an Adeptus Mechanicus is aside from sounding vaguely like a discardedMonty Python joke, but I have dabbled. My first exposure to the ever-iconic Space Marines was, and I’m very sorry, a skin for aGarry’s ModTrouble In Terrorist Town server. Their armour alone sparked enough of an interest that a friend put me onto the Dawn of War series which Iadored –especially Dark Crusade, because I still listen to MCR in my 20s.
It was a messy intro that ultimately spiralled into an obsession withCivilizationandStarCraftrather than what I assume is the deep and interesting lore of Warhammer 40,000. But there’s so much more choice today to get people hooked on the series, from Rogue Trader to Darktide. But nothing screams ‘beginner’ to me more thanSpace Marine 2.
Built on the back of the ever-impressive World War Z with hordes so overwhelmingly huge that they blend together into a tsunami crashing against the shore, Space Marine 2 is all about the vibes. You’re a big bruiser with a chainsaw sword — achainsword—tearing apart the equivalent of xenomorphs (I’ve come to learn they’re called Tyranids), before returning to your gothic cathedral spaceship where the Brotherhood of not-Steel worship your prowess. It’s pure power fantasy with, frankly, one of the coolest aesthetics in sci-fi.
Being the 24-year-old emo (and proud of it) that I am, I was immediately drawn to the ‘Death Guard’. The name alone is incredible, let alone the gruff man in the armour wearing that title. I went straight to Google to find out more in the hopes of being recommended a game or novel all about this edgy chapter of the Space Marines. I found a dedicated Death Guard subreddit, which led me to the Dark Imperium and The Lords of Silence books — again, the namescall to me.The edgier the better.
There are so many casually thrown-out nuggets of lore in Space Marine 2 that are left to sit, never bombarding you with too much information as to push you away, and that air of mystery and intrigue does so much to entice you into wanting to see more of this world.
It especially helps that Space Marine 2 is a social game that doesn’t require you to be a Warhammer fan to appreciate what it’s doing. LikeWorld War Zbefore it, the mere idea of tearing through some of the most technologically impressive hordes we’ve ever seen in games is going to be enough for most people. But once you’re through those pearly blue and gold gates, fighting back entire armies of bugs with your friends, the backdrop will lure you in like a buff eight-foot-tall siren.
Not to bemoan the tabletop game that birthed this franchise, we wouldn’t be here without it, but it’s a much tougher sell starting with ‘paint some miniatures’ than ‘smash an army of aliens to bits with a giant power hammer’. The aesthetic has a chance to speak for itself here and will do a much better job at enticing those who would otherwise turn their nose up at a tabletop game like Warhammer to finally dig deeper.
I haven’t felt this Warhammerpilled since way back when, when I was just a kid with Dark Crusade. After a few hours stomping on Tyranid skulls, I’m ready to dive in and finally get a taste of this world that has eluded me for far too long. And who knows? Maybe I’ll even bite the bullet and get some Death Guard miniatures.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II
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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 again sees you battling for the Emperor, against armies of Tyranid aliens. You must fight to ensure the Imperium’s survival in the face of extinction.
