Deal | For the Emperor!: Co-op spectacle gets biggest update yet – cheaper than ever on Steam
In Space Marine 2, players step into the boots of Ultramarine Lieutenant Titus, who fights alongside his squad against the insect-like Tyranids and the treacherous Thousand Sons. The roughly nine-hour single-player campaign follows Titus through linear missions and was praised by the German gaming magazine 4Players for its brutal presentation and intense atmosphere.
The real heart of the game, however, lies in Operations mode. In these co-op missions, up to three players team up to tackle a range of objectives. An AI director keeps the action dynamic by continuously spawning waves of enemies and powerful bosses, a system that strongly recalls classics like Left 4 Dead and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. The missions span a variety of environments, from dense jungles to grim industrial complexes and vast Imperial Hive Cities.
Beyond Operations, Space Marine 2 offers several other game modes. In Siege, players face increasingly difficult waves of enemies, while the PvP modes focus on direct, team-based combat. Six distinct classes support different playstyles: the Tactical Marine, for example, serves as a versatile all-rounder, while the Assault Marine specializes in fast melee attacks and high mobility. After each mission, players earn experience points and in-game currency to upgrade their character, although progression in PvE and PvP remains separate.
In its review, 4Players praised Space Marine 2 for its powerful gameplay, cinematic presentation and polished technical performance. However, it also criticized the forgettable soundtrack and the initially limited co-op offering, which launched with just six operations. Nearly a year later, though, that criticism feels outdated – regular updates have significantly expanded the game’s content. 4Players awarded a strong 9 out of 10, calling Space Marine 2 “the best and most flashy shooter of the year.” On Metacritic, the game holds a Metascore of 82 and a User Score of 8.0. The Steam community also offers a clear verdict: 82% of more than 170,000 user reviews are positive.
Update 10.0: The largest content update for Space Marine 2 so far
Almost a year after its release, Space Marine 2 received its biggest content update yet on September 4. Along with new enemy types, additional weapons and a brand-new operation, the update introduces two new game modes for both PvP and PvE as well as extensive customization improvements. Here’s a quick overview:
- Hellbrute Onslaught (PvP): Two teams of Chaos Marines fight for control points, with the winner taking command of a massive Hellbrute.
- Stratagems (PvE): Daily and weekly modifiers for Operations that unlock new rewards.
- New weapons: Power Axe, Pyreblaster and Pyrecannon.
- Heroic Tier: Powerful variants of several weapon types, purchasable with the new currency “Accolades.”
- New bosses: Chaos Spawn (in multiple variations) and the Mutalith Vortex Beast.
- New content: Operation "Vortex" and the PvP map "Bridge".
- Chaos Armor Pack: Free PvP skins for Chaos Marines.
- Champion Customization: Parts of different Champion Packs can now be combined across classes.
First-ever 50% discount on Steam
Space Marine 2, developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment, launched in September 2024. The action-packed shooter typically sells for around $60 on Steam, but is currently available at half price – just under $30 – until September 15. According to SteamDB, this is the lowest price the game has seen to date. On Steam Deck (available on Amazon for $455), Space Marine 2 is rated as “Playable” and, with a few tweaks, should run well on the go.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
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