A new gameplay overview trailer gave us a new look at Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, including its campaign story mode, character customization, and more.
Now players can get a closer look at all the options available as they don their power armor and prepare to fight for the Imperium once again. The gameplay trailer revealed new details about the three modes for the hotly anticipated third-person shooter, as well as the various weapons, loadouts, and customization options within.
Space Marine 2 story details revealed
The campaign mode, which can be played as either a single-player or co-op game, takes players through the story of Space Marine 2.
Set in the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000, Space Marine 2 takes place 100 years after the events of the first Space Marine game. But 100 years is a relatively short time for the long-lived Adeptus Astartes, also known as the Space Marines, so players once again take control of Captain Titus – now demoted to Lieutenant – of the Ultramarines as he goes to war against the Tyranid swarm.
Campaign mode can support up to three players, giving them control of the Space Marines Titus, Chairon, and Gadriel. Each mission will send them to different worlds and environments, such as the jungles of Kadaku or the planet-spanning city of Avarax, where new threats await.
The Tyranids are known for their swarm tactics, with millions of insectoid aliens descending on planets to devour their biomass. Space Marine 2 manages to replicate that with the game’s “swarm technology,” which allows it to render hundreds of enemies on-screen at once. Thanks to this technology, players will be able to face down dense crowds of foes, from basic Ripper and Termagant swarms to the massive Hive Tyrants and Swarmlords commanding them.
Between missions, players return to the Battle Barge. There, they can talk to other characters to learn new information, gather intel on their next targets, and choose their weapons for the mission ahead.
The gameplay trailer also revealed several of the weapons players will be able to take into battle. This includes classics like the Space Marine boltgun and chainsword, as well as a flame-throwing melta rifle and thunder hammer.
While it may seem tempting to hang back and kill Tyranids from a distance, performing a melee finisher helps replenish armor, so players will still want to get up close and personal with their foes when they can.
What is the new operation mode in Space Marine 2?
Space Marine 2 also offers a secondary co-op mode, called Operations Mode, which lets players shoot and slash their way through increasingly difficult challenges and enemies. It’s designed for a high degree of replayability.
In this mode, players select one of six classes with their own unique weapons and abilities. These classes include:
- Tactical
- Assault
- Vanguard
- Bulwark
- Heavy
- Sniper
Warhammer fans will recognize these as different types of Astartes units they can use for their armies. Each class is designed to feel distinct, with their own distinct weapons and abilities to match their tabletop equivalents.
The Heavy has the Iron Halo, named for the circular ring granted to Adeptus Astartes who have earned the prestigious honor. In Space Marine 2, this ability blocks damage from ranged weapons, helping the wielder safely take down enemies at a distance before crushing them in melee.
Other abilities include the Assault’s jump pack, which provides dashes and jumps, and the Vanguard’s grapnel launcher, which pulls them towards enemies to deliver a powerful diving kick.
Players can complete operations missions to earn new cosmetic gear, XP, and armory data, which can be used to upgrade their characters. This includes new and improved weapons, skill tree upgrades for each class, and other similar perks, as well as customization for their armor’s colors, heraldry, and other cosmetic touches.
Space Marine 2 brings PvP with Eternal War mode
Space Marine 2 offers a competitive PvP game mode called Eternal War, because as the game says, “in the grim darkness of the future, there is only war.”
In Eternal War, two teams of six face off against each other in multiplayer battles, taking the roles of the Space Marines or Chaos Space Marines – former members of the Adeptus Astartes who were corrupted by the ruinous powers of Chaos and turned against the Imperium.
Players can choose from three rulesets: Deathmatch, Seize Ground, and Capture and Control, and face off in worldwide multiplayer matches. As with the other modes, winning earns XP, which players can use to improve their weapons and gear.