'Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2' review: A beautiful, gory mess of a sequel

War and death are the only constant here, and Titus knows the script well.

The campaign assumes a baseline understanding of the 40 K universe, with little to no hand-holding when it comes to the deep lore.

Space Marine 2 delivers what the universe demands: a swift 6-to-8-hour campaign packed with righteous, violent efficiency.

Space Marine 2 delivers jaw-dropping, dynamic set pieces, as its core gameplay revolves around battling relentless swarms of Tyranids .

At the heart of the combat system are the parry and execution mechanics.

With friends, this chaotic swarm combat feels intense and strategic, but playing alone, as I did, it often felt more like a slog.

The standout feature here is the ability to play as your own fully customizable Space Marine .

The game is a clear evolution of its predecessor, with combat that feels more impactful, smoother, and downright visceral.

Saber Interactive , the team behind the fairly forgettable World War Z ( 2019 ), clearly brought some technical expertise from that project into this one.

One of the most impressive feats in Space Marine 2 is how smoothly it handles swarms of enemies on screen, all while maintaining a steady 60fps.