Although there were high hopes for the game, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has smashed almost all expectations since its release while introducing many newcomers to the brutal setting that is the 40K universe. Not only is the game a graphical marvel, but its art design faithfully recreates the unique style set by the models and miniatures seen in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. With current gen hardware, Warhammer 40,000 can finally be brought to a video game format in all its glory, but that doesn't mean that the game falls into the same pitfalls that other titles have created.

Despite having very impressive graphical fidelity, and looking like a true, current gen title that pushes the boundaries of what hardware can do, there is something so brilliantly retro about the game. Although it doesn't bring players back to the times of the original DOOM or Quake, it does have many elements that remind players of the early to mid-PS3 and Xbox 360 era of action shooters. There are many elements that reinforce this in Space Marine 2 and its success could herald a comeback to this underrated era in gaming history.

Space Marine 2 Is Delightfully Retro

And This Appeals To Many Players

Players have often called for games to go back to the way they were ten-odd years ago, when microtransactions were purely cosmetic and games came as complete packages, rather than needing a myriad of patches after the fact to function. Warhammer 40,000 delivers on this front with plenty of content, but also the style of gameplay that was common around that time. This is partly due to being true to its predecessor, which came out thirteen years ago in this period where action shooters were common place.

Space Marine 1 was released in 2011, thirteen years before its sequel's release in 2024.

Other than just the gameplay, which is an evolution of the action shooter gameplay that ran rampart in the seventh generation of consoles, it also presents itself in a way that calls back to this generation. While almost all games released now rely purely on real-time graphics, Space Marine 2 will sometimes cut campaign gameplay with pre-rendered cutscenes to help sell the impact of certain moments. The arrival of Chapter Master Calgar is a good example of this.

Space Marine 2 Could Bring Back Action Shooters In A Big Way

Some Other Shooters Could Get Some Long Awaited Sequels

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 has been a huge success, selling 4.5 million copies in its first month, and was in a unique situation. Although the first Space Marine game was good, it didn't exactly take the industry by storm the same way its sequel did, and that is largely due to the greater popularity 40K now enjoys, similar to D&D's recent explosion in a way. Because of its unique situation, Space Marine 2 was able to become a massive success, and that could bring the action shooter genre back.

Warhammer 40K will get an episode in the Secret Level anthology show on Prime Video.

There are a few older action shooter gems that could see a sequel, such as Platinum Games' Vanquish, which many didn't play but did become somewhat of a cult classic. These kinds of action shooters have died off in both quality and popularity, falling in favor of first-person, competitive shooters, but Space Marine 2 could help jump start the genre again. Gears of War is getting a new title called E:Day and the hope is that this title will be a return to form for the series and recapture the magic of the trilogy.

The Success Of Space Marine 2 Could Earn It Awards

And It Should Have Been Nominated For More

Thanks to the impact Space Marine 2 had this year, it has seen itself nominated for a couple of awards, namely the Best Action and Multiplayer awards. Many believe that it should be nominated for Game of the Year, with the critics and sales numbers agreeing with this opinion. If it wins at least one out of two of the awards it is nominated for, it could show other studios that the appeal for action shooters in a more old school style is there, and if Gears of War E:Day succeeds too, it could be the start of something big.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has not only brought back retro action shooters in a big way, it has also helped improve Warhammer's already impressive profile. With 40K shows being planned on Amazon Prime Video, Space Marine 2 could be a platform for both the genre of action shooters and the Warhammer universe as a whole to grow. Saber Interactive has hit a gold mine with its latest, potentially award-winning title, and now the sky is the limit for not only 40K, but action shooters too.