For years, the anticipation for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been palpable. While I wasn't initially aware of the first game, my journey into the Warhammer 40,000 universe through Total War: Warhammer, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader fueled my excitement for the sequel. A brief foray into the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck piqued my interest even further. Having extensively played various Warhammer 40,000 titles across PC and console, I eagerly awaited my hands-on experience with Space Marine 2 following its impressive reveal.

Over the past eight days, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on both my Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and thoroughly testing the online functionality. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: a complete assessment requires comprehensive cross-platform multiplayer testing and evaluation of public servers; and Focus and Saber Interactive have confirmed ongoing work on official Steam Deck support, aiming for release by year's end.

Given Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's impressive visuals and gameplay on the Steam Deck, and the convenience of cross-progression, I was keen to see how it performed on Valve's handheld. The results are a mixed bag, and this in-progress review will cover gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 features, and more. Note: Screenshots with performance overlays are from my Steam Deck OLED; 16:9 screenshots are from my PS5 playthrough. Testing was conducted on 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 exhilarating gameplay—a winning combination for both veterans and newcomers to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces combat and movement mechanics, leading you to the Battle Barge, your central hub for mission selection, game mode choices, cosmetic adjustments, and more.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional, with perfectly implemented controls and weapons. While some may favor ranged combat, I found immense satisfaction in the visceral melee combat and brutal executions. The campaign is incredibly fun solo or with friends in co-op, although I personally found the defense missions somewhat less engaging.

Playing with a friend overseas, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on the co-op shooters of the Xbox 360 era—a genre rarely seen with such polish today. It captivated me in the same way Earth Defense Force and Gundam Breaker 4 have, and I hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to revitalize the original game's campaign with a modern update.

My Warhammer 40,000 experience primarily stems from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been a refreshing and incredibly enjoyable experience, ranking among my favorite co-op games in years. While it's too early to definitively declare it my favorite Warhammer 40,000 title, I'm compelled to pause this review and jump back into the game—the addictive nature of Operations mode, class experimentation, and mission progression is undeniable.

I hesitate to offer a definitive opinion before experiencing the full game's launch with random players, but my initial co-op experiences in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 have been outstanding. I eagerly anticipate testing the online functionality fully this week with cross-progression and cross-platform online play enabled.

Visually, judging from my PS5 and Steam Deck playthroughs, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a stunning game. The 4K mode on PS5, played on my 1440p monitor, is breathtaking. While trailers showcased its beauty, the in-game environments and level of detail exceeded expectations. The sheer number of enemies, intricate textures, and dynamic lighting create a truly immersive experience. This is further enhanced by superb character voice acting and extensive customization options, allowing for significant creative expression.

A robust photo mode, accessible during single-player, allows adjustments to frames, expressions, visible characters, FOV, and more. However, on the Steam Deck with FSR 2 and lower resolutions, some frames and effects appear less polished. On PS5, the photo mode is exceptional.

Regarding audio, I approached the music with open expectations. While a Bolt Thrower soundtrack would have been ideal, the true stars of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's audio are the voice acting and sound design—both top-tier. The music is very good, though not memorable enough for repeated listening outside the game. Its in-game implementation, however, is perfect.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

How does the PC port fare? My experience is limited to the Steam Deck, but I can still comment on its features. Upon launching, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 installs Epic Online Services, though linking an Epic account isn't required.

The PC graphics options allow adjustments to display mode (windowed, borderless, fullscreen), resolution, render resolution, quality presets (balanced, performance, ultra performance), resolution upscaling (TAA or FSR 2 on Steam Deck), dynamic resolution target, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and various quality-related settings.

Four presets adjust texture filtering, texture resolution, shadows, screen space ambient occlusion, screen space reflections, volumetrics, effects, details, and cloth simulation.

As previously mentioned, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 includes DLSS and FSR 2 support, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. This will likely benefit Steam Deck performance upon release. I also hope for future 16:10 support, as the game currently only supports 16:9.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game offers keyboard and mouse controls alongside full controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts didn't display on my Steam Deck by default, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. An adaptive trigger option prompted me to disable Steam Input, revealing a menu for remapping keyboard and mouse bindings. Using my DualSense controller over Bluetooth displays PlayStation button prompts and even supports adaptive triggers wirelessly—a less common feature worth noting.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

Before discussing visuals and performance, I experienced some freezing (only during startup) on default Proton and Experimental, but not with Proton GE 9-9. Technically playable on the Steam Deck without configuration changes, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 currently pushes the handheld's limits.

At 1280×800 (16:9) using the low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, it struggles to maintain a locked 30fps, frequently dipping into the mid-20s and lower during intense combat. Even at lower resolutions, frame rates fall below 30fps. This isn't ideal for this type of game. I hope future optimization allows for a stable 30fps experience, but it's currently unattainable in my 10 hours of Steam Deck OLED playtime.

Using dynamic upscaling for a 30fps target and the low preset results in frame rates in the 30s, but with frequent drops to the low 20s. While visually acceptable on the Deck's screen, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is currently too demanding for the Steam Deck. Improper game exit also sometimes requires manual force closure.

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

I confirmed online playability on Steam Deck. Some games employ anti-cheat measures that block online play on Proton or Linux. Thankfully, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 functions perfectly online. Co-op play with a friend in Canada was smooth and enjoyable. Internet-related disconnections occurred, but given the pre-release nature of the servers, I'll await further testing in a more populated environment with random players and friends post-launch.

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

My PS5 experience focused on performance mode, which is mostly excellent. Don't expect a locked 60fps; dynamic resolution or upscaling seems present, resulting in noticeable blurriness during intense combat. Despite this, I highly recommend Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on PS5 based on my playtime, pending cross-platform online testing.

Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Card support facilitates quick access to different modes and save files. Currently, gyro support is absent on PS5. I'll update if this changes.

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

My pre-release experience allowed cross-save progression between Steam and PS5, with a two-day cooldown period between platform syncs. I've contacted Focus to confirm if this cooldown persists in the final build.

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

This question requires further testing post-launch with populated servers. I'll update after experiencing matchmaking in Operations (PvE) and Eternal War (PvP) modes. Eternal War remains untested at this time.

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

Post-launch support will likely be substantial. Beyond Steam Deck performance improvements, I hope for HDR support to further enhance the game's already impressive visuals. While DualSense trigger and vibration implementation is good, haptic feedback would be a welcome addition (the blog post mentions haptics are not included at launch).

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong Game of the Year contender. Pending full online testing with cross-play, the gameplay is superb, and the visuals and audio are exceptional across all platforms. I currently don't recommend it for Steam Deck, but highly recommend it for PS5. A full review with a final score will follow after sufficient multiplayer testing and post-launch patches.

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