A Deep Dive into Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2: A Steam Deck and PS5 Review in Progress
For years, many Warhammer fans eagerly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore other titles in the franchise, including Boltgun and Rogue Trader, before finally experiencing the original Space Marine. This review covers my experience across Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and online play.
This review is ongoing for two key reasons: comprehensive evaluation requires thorough testing of cross-platform multiplayer and public servers; and official Steam Deck support is planned by the developers for later this year.
Having witnessed the impressive visuals and gameplay of the original Space Marine on Steam Deck, and given Space Marine 2's cross-progression, I was keen to see how the sequel performs on Valve's handheld. The results are a mixed bag, and I'll detail that below, covering gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 enhancements, and more. Screenshots with performance overlays are from my Steam Deck OLED; 16:9 shots are from my PS5 playthrough. Testing was conducted using Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter that seamlessly blends brutality, stunning visuals, and engaging gameplay, making it accessible even to newcomers to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The tutorial provides a solid foundation for combat and movement, leading you to the Battle Barge hub. Here, you select missions, game modes, customize your appearance, and more.
The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional, with controls and weapons feeling perfectly balanced. While some may prefer ranged combat, I found the visceral melee combat incredibly satisfying. The executions are a highlight, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing stronger foes never gets old. The campaign is highly enjoyable solo or with friends in co-op, although defense missions are less compelling.
Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget take on Xbox 360-era co-op shooters—a genre rarely seen with this level of polish today. It's as addictive as Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I hope the developers consider updating the original game's campaign with modern enhancements.
My Warhammer 40,000 experience stems mainly from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 offers a fresh and exciting experience, ranking among my favorite co-op games in years. Whether it surpasses my other favorite Warhammer titles remains to be seen, but the gameplay is undeniably captivating.
While further testing with random players is needed after the full launch, my initial co-op experience has been outstanding. I'm eager to fully test the online functionality with cross-progression and cross-platform play.
Visually, the game shines. On PS5 in 4K mode (played on a 1440p monitor), it's a breathtaking spectacle. The environments are incredibly detailed, and the sheer number of enemies on-screen, combined with exceptional texture work and lighting, creates a truly immersive experience. This is further enhanced by superb voice acting and extensive customization options. The level of detail in customization clearly demonstrates a dedication to player expression.
A photo mode is available in single-player, allowing adjustments to frames, expressions, visible characters, FOV, and more. However, some effects look less polished on Steam Deck using FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 photo mode, conversely, is exceptional.
The audio design is equally impressive. While the soundtrack, while good, isn't memorable outside the game, the voice acting and sound design are top-notch.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options
The PC port, tested on Steam Deck, boasts extensive graphical options. While Epic Online Services are installed, linking an Epic account isn't mandatory. Options include display settings, display modes, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (quality, balanced, performance, ultra performance), resolution upscaling (TAA or FSR 2 on Steam Deck), dynamic resolution targets, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limits, and various quality settings.
Four presets adjust texture filtering, resolution, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, volumetrics, effects, details, and cloth simulation. DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned for later. 16:10 support is absent, hopefully to be added in a future update.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options
Keyboard and mouse controls are available alongside full controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts weren't displayed on Steam Deck by default, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive trigger support is present, and the control settings allow remapping keyboard and mouse bindings. My DualSense controller displayed PlayStation button prompts and wireless adaptive trigger support on PC—a noteworthy feature.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance
While initial launch freezing occurred on default and experimental Proton, Proton GE 9-9 proved stable. The game is technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration, but performance is suboptimal. Even at 1280x800 with low settings and FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, maintaining a locked 30fps is challenging, with frequent dips into the 20s. Lower resolutions also experience frame rate drops. Ideally, consistent 30fps should be achievable, but currently, it's not consistently reached during my 10 hours of playtime. Dynamic upscaling targeting 30fps yields similar results. The game sometimes fails to exit cleanly, requiring manual closure.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer Impressions
Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck, despite potential anti-cheat concerns. Co-op play with a friend in Canada was smooth, with only minor internet-related disconnections on pre-release servers. Further testing with random players is pending the full launch.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features
In performance mode, the PS5 experience is largely excellent, though a locked 60fps isn't achieved, and dynamic resolution/upscaling is apparent. Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Card support is included. Gyro support is currently absent.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Cross-Save Progression
Cross-save progression between Steam and PS5 worked well during the pre-release period, although a two-day cooldown exists between platform syncs. The final build's behavior remains to be seen.
Is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Worth It for Solo Play?
A definitive answer requires further testing of online matchmaking in Operations (PvE) and Eternal War (PvP) modes, with random players. Eternal War mode remains untested at this time.
Desired Future Updates and Patches
Post-launch support is expected. Prioritized additions include proper HDR support to enhance the already stunning visuals, and haptic feedback for the DualSense controller.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong Game of the Year contender. While online multiplayer testing with cross-play is pending, the gameplay is superb, and the visuals and audio are top-tier. I currently do not recommend playing on Steam Deck due to performance issues, but the PS5 version is highly recommended. A final score will follow post-launch multiplayer testing and patching.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review Score: TBA
