Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review (in Progress) – GOTY Contender, but Play It Elsewhere for Now

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2: A Deep Dive Review (Steam Deck & PS5)

Many have eagerly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 for years. My journey began after playing Total War: Warhammer, sparking an interest in the wider 40k universe. Since then, I've explored numerous titles, with Boltgun and Rogue Trader becoming personal favorites. I initially sampled the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck, piquing my curiosity for the sequel. The stunning reveal trailer only amplified my excitement.

Over the past week, I've dedicated roughly 22 hours to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, utilizing both my Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and testing online functionality. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: thorough evaluation requires comprehensive cross-platform multiplayer testing and the developers, Focus and Saber, are actively developing official Steam Deck support, slated for release by year's end.

Having witnessed the game's impressive visuals and gameplay on the Steam Deck, and given the cross-progression feature, I was keen to see how it performed. The results are a mixed bag, which I'll detail below, covering gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 performance, and more. Note: Screenshots with performance overlays are from my Steam Deck OLED; 16:9 shots 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 addictive gameplay. This holds true even for newcomers to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces core combat and movement mechanics, leading to the Battle Barge hub. Here, players select missions, game modes, customize cosmetics, and more.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional; controls and weaponry feel perfectly balanced. While some may favor ranged combat, I found immense satisfaction in the visceral melee combat. The executions are consistently thrilling, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes never grew old. The campaign is engaging solo or with friends in co-op, though I found the defense missions less enjoyable.

Playing with a friend overseas, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on Xbox 360-era co-op shooters—a genre rarely seen at this scale today. It captivated me much like Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4, and I hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to modernize the original game's campaign.

My Warhammer 40,000 knowledge stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 offers a refreshing experience and ranks among my favorite co-op games in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite 40k title, the addictive nature of the Operations mode, with its diverse classes and progressive unlocks, keeps me coming back for more.

While I haven't fully explored the online component with random players, my co-op experience has been outstanding. I eagerly await testing the full online functionality with cross-play enabled.

Visually, the game shines on both PS5 and Steam Deck. On PS5 (4K mode on my 1440p monitor), the environments are breathtaking. The attention to detail, from the sheer number of enemies to the textures and lighting, is impressive. This is complemented by exceptional voice acting and extensive customization options that allow for creative self-expression.

The single-player photo mode offers extensive customization options, although some effects appear less polished on Steam Deck with FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 photo mode, however, is exceptional.

The audio is equally impressive. While the soundtrack is good, it's the voice acting and sound design that truly stand out. The music perfectly complements the gameplay, though I wouldn't necessarily listen to it outside the game.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options:

The PC port, tested on Steam Deck, offers extensive graphical settings. Epic Online Services is integrated, but account linking isn't mandatory. Users can adjust display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets, upscaling (TAA/FSR 2), dynamic resolution, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and various quality settings. DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned for later. I hope to see 16:10 support added in a future update.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options:

The game supports keyboard and mouse, 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 available, and button remapping is fully customizable. Wireless DualSense support, including adaptive triggers, works seamlessly on PC.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance:

While technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, performance is currently suboptimal. Even at 1280x800 with low settings and FSR 2.0, maintaining a stable 30fps is challenging, with frequent dips below 30fps. Dynamic upscaling helps, but frame rate drops persist. The game also occasionally fails to exit cleanly.

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

Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth, with minor disconnections attributable to pre-release server instability.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features:

On PS5 (performance mode), the game runs well, though a locked 60fps isn't guaranteed, and dynamic resolution seems to be in use. Load times are swift, and PS5 Activity Cards are supported. Gyro controls are currently absent.

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

Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 works well, though a two-day cooldown exists between platform syncs.

Solo Play Value:

A definitive answer awaits full server launch and testing with random players.

Desired Future Updates:

HDR support and haptic feedback are highly desired additions.

Conclusion:

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for Game of the Year. Gameplay is superb, and visuals and audio are top-notch. While I recommend avoiding Steam Deck for now due to performance issues, the PS5 version is highly recommended. A full review with a final score will follow after further multiplayer testing and patch releases.

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