Space Marine 2 on Steam Deck: A GOTY Contender, Await Better Playability

As a fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, my journey began with Total War: Warhammer, which led me to explore other titles within the franchise. Games like Boltgun and Rogue Trader quickly became favorites, and my curiosity about Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine was piqued after playing it on Steam Deck. The anticipation for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was high, especially after its stunning reveal, and I was eager to dive in given my experience with various Warhammer 40,000 games on both PC and console.

Over the past eight days, I've invested around 22 hours into Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, utilizing both my Steam Deck and PS5, taking advantage of cross-progression and testing the online features. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: firstly, I need to thoroughly test the cross-platform multiplayer and public servers before providing a final score. Secondly, Focus and Saber have announced plans for official Steam Deck support by the end of the year, which I'm keen to evaluate.

Given the impressive performance of the original Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine on Steam Deck and the promise of cross-progression, I was eager to see how the sequel would fare on Valve's handheld. This review will cover gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 features, and more. Note that screenshots with performance overlays or FPS counters are from my Steam Deck OLED, while 16:9 screenshots are from my PS5 playthrough. My testing was conducted using Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter that blends brutality, beauty, and fun, making it accessible even to newcomers to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The game starts with a well-crafted tutorial that introduces combat and movement basics, leading you to the Battle Barge, your central hub for mission selection, game mode choices, and cosmetic adjustments.

The gameplay is exceptional, with controls and weapons feeling finely tuned. While some may prefer ranged combat, I found the melee weapons and visceral close-quarters combat particularly engaging. The executions and the thrill of cutting through hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes never got old. The campaign is enjoyable both solo and in co-op, though I found defense missions less appealing, though they were implemented well here.

Playing with a friend from another country, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 felt like a modern take on classic co-op shooters from the Xbox 360 era. It captured my interest much like Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4, and I hope Saber and Focus can collaborate with SEGA to remaster the original game's campaign.

My familiarity with Warhammer 40,000 comes mainly from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been a refreshing addition to my gaming library and one of the best co-op experiences I've had in years. While it's too early to crown it as my favorite Warhammer 40,000 game, I'm eager to continue playing, especially in Operations mode with friends, exploring different classes and unlocking new content.

Although I haven't played with random players yet, the co-op experience in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been outstanding. I'm looking forward to testing the online features more thoroughly once the game fully launches with cross-progression and cross-platform play.

Visually, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is stunning on both PS5 and Steam Deck. On PS5, the 4K mode on a 1440p monitor is breathtaking, with detailed environments and dynamic enemy swarms. The texture work, lighting, and character customization options showcase the care put into the game's visual design. The photo mode in single-player allows for creative adjustments, though it may not look as good on Steam Deck with FSR 2 at lower resolutions.

On the audio front, while I hoped for Bolt Thrower's Realm of Chaos, the voice acting and sound design are the true highlights, delivering a top-tier experience. The music is effective in-game, though not something I'd listen to outside of it.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 includes a range of graphics options. Upon launching, it installs Epic Online Services, though linking an Epic account is optional. The graphics settings allow adjustments to display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets, resolution upscaling, dynamic resolution target, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, and FPS limits. Visual quality settings include presets for texture filtering, resolution, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, volumetrics, effects, details, and cloth simulation. The game supports DLSS and FSR 2, with FSR 3 planned for post-launch, which should benefit Steam Deck performance. I hope for full 16:10 support in future updates.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game offers robust control options, supporting both keyboard and mouse and full controller functionality. Initially, I had issues with PlayStation button prompts on Steam Deck, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. The adaptive trigger option and the ability to remap controls are notable features. The game also supports DualSense controller features, including adaptive triggers over Bluetooth, which is a rare and welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

While Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, it currently struggles to maintain a stable 30fps, even at lower settings. Using the low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, the game frequently dips into the mid-20s during intense combat. Dynamic upscaling aimed at a 30fps target also results in frequent drops to the low 20s. The game's performance on Steam Deck needs improvement, and it sometimes fails to exit properly, requiring manual closure.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer Impressions

Despite performance issues, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's online functionality works well on Steam Deck. I tested co-op with a friend in Canada without issues, though I experienced some internet-related disconnections. I look forward to testing the game in a more public setting with random players once it launches.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features – DualSense, Activity Cards, and Performance Mode

On PS5, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 feels great in performance mode, though it doesn't maintain a locked 60fps. There's noticeable dynamic resolution or upscaling during intense battles. The game supports fast load times and PS5 Activity Cards, enhancing the user experience. However, there's no gyro support at the moment. I'll update this section if that changes.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Cross Save Progression Explained

Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 is functional, though there's a two-day cooldown before syncing progress again. I've reached out to Focus to confirm if this will change with the final build.

Is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Worth It for Solo Play Only?

It's too early to fully answer this question as the servers aren't yet populated. I'll update this review once I've experienced the game with random players and tested matchmaking in Operations and Eternal War modes.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Features I Want to See in Updates and Patches

Given the planned post-launch support, I'm eager to see improvements in Steam Deck performance and the addition of proper HDR support, which would enhance the game's already impressive visuals. While the DualSense implementation is good, I hope for haptic feedback in future updates, as mentioned in the developer's blog post.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for game of the year. While I need more time to test the online features with cross-play at launch, the gameplay, visuals, and audio are exceptional. I recommend playing on PS5 over Steam Deck at the moment due to performance issues on the latter. I'll provide a final score once I've had more time with the multiplayer and after some patches are released.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review Score: TBA