Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

Space Marine Video game
Developer	Relic Entertainment
Publisher	THQ
Platforms	Microsoft Windows; Xbox 360; PlayStation 3
Released	Sep 6, 2011 (NA); Sep 9, 2011 (EU)
Version	1.0.156.0 (Dec 20, 2011)

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a third-person action video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. It was released for the PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 6, 2011 in North America and September 9, 2011 in Europe.

Space Marine is set in Games Workshop's dystopian Warhammer 40,000 universe, originally introduced in 1987 and featured in numerous novels, comics and video games, in addition to the core tabletop wargame, since. The game features the iconic Space Marines as well as Orks (only as campaign/co-op enemies) and the powers of Chaos.

Gameplay[]

Single-player[]

Space Marine includes a linear single-player campaign estimated at around 12–15 hours of playing time. The player controls a single character, Captain Titus of the Ultramarines 2nd Company, through a plot involving an Ork invasion of an Imperial Forge World and later a Chaos invasion on top of it.

...

Player versus player[]

Sm classes — The three Space Marine MP classes

Csm classes — The Chaos MP classes face off vs. Space Marines

Space Marine features online multiplayer gameplay with opposing teams of eight Space Marines and eight Chaos Space Marines. The multiplayer mode is class-based, allowing players to choose from three classes:

Tactical (Space Marine and Chaos Space Marine)
Devastator (Havoc)
Assault (Raptor)

Players can further customize their character with weapon and perk choices as well as cosmetic appearance with the Customizer.

At the time of release, there are two multiplayer modes available:

Annihilation - a typical "team deathmatch" game mode where the first team to score 41 kills wins the match
Seize Ground - a "domination" type game mode where each team must work together to capture and hold specific points on the map

Co-operative[]

Space Marine will feature a co-operative four-player arena mode called "Exterminatus", to be added as free DLC in October 2011. Four players jump into an arena and face off against waves of enemies until they defeat all the waves or die trying.

Exterminatus has two missions to play, each comprised of multiple arenas, which in turn break down into several waves. To get through each mission the players must survive to activate a key part of each arena, triggering a sequence that grants access to the next. Additional objectives appear randomly, awarding on-the-fly bonuses if completed.

Plot[]

The game opens with a computer screen discussing the course of action to take regarding Graia, an Imperial Forge World constructing Titan war machines and now under alien invasion. Multiple options are considered, and since the world is considered too valuable for Exterminatus yet a full military fleet would not arrive in time, it is decided to deploy Space Marines – huge, heavily armored super-soldiers enhanced with genetic therapy, new organs and such – of the Ultramarines Chapter to secure the Titans while a liberation fleet makes its way there. The nearby 203rd Cadian Regiment of the Imperial Guard is also redirected to Graia.

Upon arrival, the Ultramarines force – elements of the 2nd Company under the command of Captain Titus – find the Ork invaders have overwhelmed the Graian PDF and the Cadian reinforcements, as they hold air superiority and control Graia's planetary defense weapons, which prevents reinforcements from landing. The Ultramarines' Thunderhawk cannot reach the surface, and Titus decides that instead of retreating he and two other Astartes will land using Jump Packs and attack the invaders immediately. This call is questioned by Leandros, a younger "by-the-book" Marine fixated on Codex Astartes doctrine, but Titus simply tells him to try and keep up.

During the drop, Titus ends up on a "Kill Krooza" patrolling the airspace. He discards his Jump Pack and single-handedly clears the craft of Orks and Gretchin with only a Bolt Pistol and a Combat Knife. He encounters Warboss Grimskull, the leader of the Ork horde, who tells Titus to get off his ship, but does not attack in person. Titus rotates the ship's main cannon around so that it fires upon the Krooza's bridge, causing it to crash while he's still onboard. Being a Space Marine, he simply shakes the debris off and walks away from the wreck. Grimskull is nowhere to be seen.

On the surface, Titus soon meets both Leandros and the other Marine, Sidonus – Titus's close friend and accomplished Veteran Sergeant. The three move through Ork-held territory until they find the remains of the 203rd Cadian Regiment, led by the only surviving Imperial Guard officer, 2nd Lt. Mira. They are briefed on the situation: the Guard are unable to reinforce since a major planetary defense gun was captured by the Orks. Titus tells Mira that the Ultramarines shall deal with it.

Titus and his companions proceed once more into Ork territory, killing many on the way to destroying the gun emplacement. After infiltrating and destroying the gun, the three encounter a Servo Skull attempting to deliver a message. Once it identifies Captain Titus, it plays a message left by one Inquisitor Drogan. He informs the Captain that the enemy is close to obtaining an experimental device, and that they must proceed to Manufactorum Ajakis to ensure the safety of the device. Titus then leads his men to the Manufactorum, aided by Corporal Antioch of the Imperial Guard.

Once inside, the three seek out Drogan, who informs them that the Orks cannot gain access to the experimental device; a power supply of his own creation. Thus, the Marines follow Drogon's lead through the facility, seeking out said power source in order to secure it. Upon reaching their destination - the Manufactorum's reactor room - they come under attack by more Orks led by Grimskull; in the confusion, Titus is forced to retrieve the Power Source manually, which results in a deadly explosion due to its instability. Titus, however, manages to survive the blast, despite the Inquisitor being sure of his death.

Titus then proceeds through the sewers, eventually linking up with both of his men and the three continue on to the rendezvous point with Drogan. Upon reaching him, the Inquisitor informs Titus that he shouldn't be alive, and that the energy source can create a direct link to the Warp. Titus and his men continue despite the Inquisitor's statements, eventually meeting up with Lt. Mira once more and aiding her in strengthening several key Imperial Guard locations.

Drogan informs Titus that he has designed an experimental weapon, the Psychic Scourge that could be used to completely wipe out the Orks, and Titus agrees that despite the risk of tearing the planet apart, they must proceed despite the danger. Securing Imperial transports, they proceed onward to Drogan's lab at the Kalkys facility, where the weapon is located. After getting past security, Drogan tells him that the Power Source has to be inserted into the core, and that the Orks managed to cut the power to his machine. After solving both issues, Titus and his men watch as Drogan activates the weapon, which fires Warp energy at the Orbital Spire.

Titus and his men then prepare for the final showdown with Grimskull, but are instead interrupted by the arrival of scores of Bloodletter Daemons and eventually a mighty Chaos Sorcerer Lord named Nemeroth. He quickly subdues both the Warboss and the Ultramarines, and Titus can only watch as Inquisitor Drogan submits himself to the sorcerer. Nemeroth takes the Inquisitor's life, informing Titus that Drogan was already dead, and was simply being used as a puppet by his servant in order to draw the Space Marines to the planet, using them as a tool to deliver the power source through the Orks and into Chaos hands, and makes intrigued remarks about Titus' ability to resist his dark powers. Aiming to capture Drogan's Power Source for himself, Nemeroth is interrupted by the Ork Warboss once more, claiming he is hard to kill. The two begin combat and tumble over the railing into the abyss.

Now aware of the weapons' true purpose - to open Warp portals all over the planet to allow Nemeroth to invade - Titus formulates a plan to destroy the Orbital Spire by supercharging the weaponry of the Warlord-class Titan named 'Invictus' at Manufactorum Ajakis. His plan goes unchallenged, but direct concern over Titus's connection to the Warp unnerves Leandros, and it is not before being quickly silenced by Sidonus that he halts his concerns. The three then travel back to the Manufactorum, destroying whatever enemies that get in the way while assisting the Imperial Guard and Lt. Mira.

Once in the Manufactorum, and whilst separated from his squadmates, Titus is drawn into a final battle with the Ork Warboss Grimskull, who claimed that no 'Humie' could conquer his might. After a fierce battle, Titus executes Grimskull with a Plasma Pistol round to the head. After the death of the Warboss, Mira reports that the Ork horde has started to fall back, thus leaving only the Chaos forces to fight.

Powering up the mighty Titan, Titus protects it while it is moved into position, finally managing to launch a devastating strike to the Spire, which results in the closing of the Chaos Warp portal; however, Nemeroth and the portion of his army that made it through is still large enough to pose a threat. Requesting extraction via Leandros, Titus gives the Power Source to Sidonus, instructing him to make for the extraction point while he and Leandros hold off the Chaos forces. Sidonus, however, is ambushed and killed by Nemeroth, who takes the Power Source and retreats back to his stronghold in the Orbital Spire.

Titus, Leandros and Mira grieve for several moments over the fallen Sidonus, Titus instructing Leandros to turn his sadness into rage to be directed towards Chaos. Titus himself vows to kill the Sorcerer, and Mira advises him to use the resistance to the Warp to his advantage, killing Nemeroth before he has a chance to use the Power Source to transform himself into a Daemon Prince.

Titus then begins his quest to avenge his fallen friend, and battles the forces of Chaos with help from both elements of the newly arrived Blood Ravens Chapter and his Ultramarine brothers. Upon reaching the damaged Spire, Titus boards a Thunderhawk (the same that brought him to Graia in the first place) and enters the Spire via Jump Pack. Fighting his way to the top, he finally confronts Nemeroth, who insists that the connection to the Warp Titus has means that he is destined to serve Chaos. Titus, however, angrily refuses all claims, and that his destiny is the way of honor in destroying the traitors once and for all.

Nemeroth manages to partially ascend, but Titus uses his resistance to the Warp to directly assault Nemeroth, causing the two to fall towards the planet's surface at an alarming rate. As they plummet, the pair battle to the death, Titus using all of his skill and fury to engage the Chaos Daemon Prince in direct physical combat. After a brutal struggle, Titus finally crushes Nemeroth's skull, killing the Sorcerer, before he rips the Power Source apart with his bare hands so that it can never be exploited again.

Returning to the surface, Titus links up with his remaining Space Marines as well as Leandros and Lt. Mira. She assists Titus with his wounds, marveling in the realization that Space Marines truly are 'human'. Titus merely responds: "More than you know". The group is then interrupted by the arrival of a Valkyrie, which drops members of the Black Templars Chapter and Inquisitor Thrax.

Examining Titus, Thrax turns to Leandros and asks him if he is sure of the charge he is placing, to which the young Space Marine informs the Inquisitor that Captain Titus has indeed been corrupted by Chaos, as no 'True' Space Marine could interact with a link to the Warp as Titus had. The Inquistor then demands that Titus relinquish himself, stating that if he refused then the Inquisition would be forced to assume all those who served under Titus's command, including Mira and her men, have been corrupted by him. Titus steadfastly defends his honor and men, saying that he does not know the meaning of his connection or resistance to the Warp, but knows in his heart he would never be a traitor.

Refusing to allow the Inquisition to torture those under his command, he agrees to go with Thrax, albeit after one final conversation with Leandros, who readily defends his position within the guidelines of the Codex Astartes. Titus can only look on sadly, telling Leandros that the Codex is a set of rules by which Marines should guide themselves upon, but it is the manner in which you conduct yourself within those guidelines that truly makes a Space Marine, and that Leandros has failed.

The game finishes with Titus boarding the Inquisitor's ship, surrounded by Templars while his fellow Ultramarines look on with Lt. Mira, Leandros only turning and walking away in relative shame due to the Captain's words. Titus is then taken off planet to be investigated, the same computer screen from the beginning of the game informing the player that the threat had been contained and that the Inquisition would undertake a formal investigation of heresy in Captain Titus.

Reception[]

The reception of Space Marine was overall good if not ecstatic, the Xbox 360 version scoring a pretty good Metascore of 78/100 ("generally favorable reviews") on Metacritic, with individual ratings ranging from 60/100 to 97/100. Critique was mostly due to single-player pacing and simple gameplay – although the most favorable reviews praised these same features. Multiplayer was considered good, despite the small number of modes/maps (which should be increased in future DLC). The presentation of the original Warhammer 40,000 universe was considered good across the board.

Special boxed editions[]

Collector's Edition[]

The "Collector's Edition" of Space Marine includes the following:

Information Cards – This stunning pack of 25 foil treated collector's cards will give you key information on some of the main characters you'll come across in the game, complete with gameplay hints.
Art Book – Packed with art from the game, this hard back art book will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how the world of Warhammer 40,000 was brought to life, complete with developer introduction.
Soundtrack – Musical score by renowned composers Cris Velasco and Sacha Dikiciyan, this original soundtrack will transport you back to the epic universe of Space Marine.
Purity Seal – Awarded to those who show themselves to be honorable in battle, this authentic poly-resin purity seal with double cloth ribbon and magnetic attachment is a replica of those worn in-game by Titus.

If the Collector's Edition pack is ordered from THQ, a free copy of the Darksiders game and the Power Sword pre-order bonus will also be included.

First Edition[]

The "First Edition" of Space Marine is available from Amazon.de (Germany) and it includes several pre-order bonuses.

Limited Edition[]

The "Limited Edition" contains all DLC except for the Power Sword and Blood Ravens Pack; it has the four DLC armors, the Relic Bolter and the Relic Chainsword.

Pre-order bonuses[]

Blood Ravens Chapter Pack (Steam)
Emperor's Elite Pack (GameStop)
Golden Relic Bolter (Walmart)
Golden Relic Chainsword (Amazon)
Power Sword (THQ)
Traitor Legions Pack (Best Buy)
Elite Armour Pack

Unlike other items which were included in later digital-delivery releases, the Blood Ravens Chapter Pack never became available on Steam or Xbox Marketplace; however, the U.S. PlayStation Store still offers the "Ultimate Edition" where this item is present among the other extra contents.