So you're all probably wondering where the heck I disappeared to for the past week. Well for those of you in the know, you're probably aware that Warhammer 40k: Space Marine became available on September 6th. Since I had a gift card that covered most of the cost of the game I decided to get it and see if it was any good. Anyway, as part of my overall role as Warhammer 40,000 expert here at I Smell Sheep, I figured I could go ahead and review the game for the flock. I know it's kind of unusual, but since I managed to finish it within a week of getting the game, I think it calls for a little change-up.
The plot of the game focuses on an Imperial Forge World which has been invaded by a large and vicious horde of Orks. Imperial Authorities ask if they should nuke the planet from orbit, just to be sure, but because the Forge World produces mighty Titans (giant war robots) and other war materials for the Imperium, they decide it's too valuable to destroy. Thus a liberation fleet is sent to repel the Ork invasion and reclaim the planet for the Imperium. Spearheading the liberation is a band of Ultramarines, one of the many chapters of Space Marines, lead by Captain Titus. The Space Marines are genetically engineered super soldiers, given the best weapons and armor the Imperium can provide. Although there may be only about a million of these warriors in the galaxy, they are worth dozens if not hundreds of enemy opponents.
Overall, I found the game to be okay, maybe a little better than okay, but not mind-blowingly fun. To be fair, I haven't had a chance to try the multi-player yet because my X-Box isn't connected to my router, so I'm judging just the single-player campaign. I do have to say that the plot is probably It starts out: "There are some Orks! Go kill them!" and pretty much stays there until Inquisitor Drogan shows up. There is a plot twist, which I guess I shouldn't spoil, but if you're familiar with Warhammer 40,000 at all, you're going to see the plot twist coming from nearly a mile off.
Gameplay wise, I found it pretty enjoyable. Granted, I died a ton, but probably because I suck at video games more than anything else. The chainsword is a fun weapon to have, and you're going to use it a lot. Also there's a nice selection of ranged weapons which I felt allowed for varying play styles. Granted I stuck with my trusty bolter most of the time, but the lascannon was nice to have for those tougher targets. By far, my favorite part of the game was the portions with the jetpacks. I really hope I can get to try being an Assault Marine in the multi-player for more jetpack goodness.
Another thing I feel is worth mentioning is the voice acting, because Warhammer 40k games have a history of some rather hammy acting, but Space Marine manages to avoid this. There are a couple of portions where it feels people are just reading off of a script, but most of the voice acting feels real and reasonable for the situations in which the characters find themselves. True, I kind of liked the ham in previous 40k games, but at least the actors seemed to take themselves seriously.
Perhaps the greatest thing I appreciated about this game is that it really got into the lore of 40k. I specifically remember the game mentioning the Skitarii, a unit of soldiers that to my knowledge only appears in the 40k fluff and probably not many people know about. Also, various audio logs you can collect across the game give you a couple of windows into the 40k universe that really embraces the vast body of material that's been developed over the years. A couple of backgrounds in the game also made me feel like I really was on a Forge World of the Imperium. Any fan of Warhammer 40k is going to be delighted by all the fluff goodies the design team packed into this game.
Overall, the game is okay. If you're a fan of Warhammer 40,000 or a fan of shooters, this game is definitely worth picking up. But if you're more into RPGs or puzzle games, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Overall I give it a rating of three and a half sheep because while it's great for what it is, it's not really accessible to people outside the genres it's catering to. As always, Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is available at Amazon.com. (Please buy something! We need the ad money!)
BAK
okay, none of this made much sense to me except....the chainsword! I want one, now. Thanks for the review BAK!
ReplyDeleteI only know Tetris but all these games look and sound really frelin cool. This one sounds like it would make a great movie! Nice review Ben :)
ReplyDeleteAs half of a husband/wife gaming team, I must say that I've enjoyed the game so far. We go quite a ways back in playing 40k on tabletop. I definately enjoyed playing as the space marines for once. Hehehe usually our loyalites lie with Chaos. *devilish grin* Must say though that I haven't been impressed with the multiplayer because they evidently don't have a designated server for supporting it. Which this makes for very long wait times in trying to actually play multiplayer.
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