Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 reviews are in — here's what critics are saying about this co-op shooter

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 big battle.

Grab your ceramite armor and trusty Bolter, because it's time to beat back the Tyranids.

The reviews are in for Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, a third-person shooter that lets players annihilate alien hordes by themselves or in three-player co-op. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is currently sitting at an 84 on Metacritic, indicating that a lot of critics enjoyed their time with the game. Below, I've pulled out a selection of outlets, scores, and quotes to help give an overview of opinions on what players can expect.

• Pure Xbox (9/10): "We are fully in the zone with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. You don't need to know anything about the tabletop boardgames, or painting wee minifigures or spilling paint all over your kitchen or anything like that to get involved. This is a spectacular co-operative action game, simple as that, a great big chunky love letter to Warhammer, and one of the best things we've played this year, thanks to how pure and focused it is every step of the way. You want big space marines sawing alien scum in half whilst proclaiming their undying love for each other? Step right this way, friendo."
• Eurogamer (4/5): " It at once sparks fond memories of the pre-Souls era of third-person action games, while also being cunningly adapted to survive in the modern gaming scene. It also looks mint and lets you smash aliens with a big hammer, which makes it difficult to dislike. It's the KFC party bucket of video games, delightfully messy, almost certainly bad for you, and best shared with friends."
• GamesRadar+ (4/5): "If anyone tells you that a game doesn't need motorized swords and eight-foot tall supersoldiers who can throw around heretics like ragdolls, consider what else they may be lying about – Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is pure, ridiculous fun, and the best third-person shooter I've played in years."
• IGN (8/10): "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a terrific third-person shooter with a compelling story, loads of weapons that are a blast to use, and a healthy variety of enemies to use them on."
• PCGamesN (6/10): "None of Space Marine 2 is bad. The look, sound, and general feel of the game, especially the all-important design of murdering vicious marines and alien freaks en masse, are all enjoyable. It’s only a lack of focus in storytelling and mission design, coupled with bland enemy encounters, that keeps it from standing out. As an accessible entry point to the setting, those casually interested in Warhammer could do much worse. It’s just too bad that Space Marine 2 isn’t as strong a showcase as its predecessor."
• Polygon (Unscored): "The Space Marine games are one of the best entry points to the vast 40K canon thanks to how satisfying it is to step into the shoes of an Ultramarine, and Space Marine 2 carries on that legacy."

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 tasks players with pushing back invasions of all-consuming Tyranid hordes as well as traitors from the Thousand Sons legion. It's a game that can be played by yourself, but it is built for co-op in a way many modern titles aren't.

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(Image credit: Windows Central)

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Naturally, Windows Central also has a review up, which I wrote! In my review of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, I scored it at a 4/5, while I shared that "It feels like the kind of game that used to be frequent in a bygone era but with bigger enemy hordes and better image quality. The story doesn't attempt anything extraordinary, but it's appropriately steeped in the reverence and terror of humanity's stalwart defenders, with the opportunity to unleash abject carnage every step of the way."

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launches across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5 on Sep. 9, 2024. Anyone that buys the Gold or Ultra Editions of the game can start playing early on September 5. To make sure your computer is ready, be sure to check out the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC requirements.