Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 on Steam Deck: GOTY Potential, Play Cautiously

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

For years, anticipation for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been building. While I wasn't initially aware of the first game, my exploration of the Warhammer 40,000 universe through titles like Total War: Warhammer, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader piqued my interest. After a captivating reveal, I was eager to experience Space Marine 2. This review covers my experience across Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and online play. Note that this is a work-in-progress review, as full assessment requires complete multiplayer testing and official Steam Deck support (expected by year's end).

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. This hands-on experience includes extensive cross-platform multiplayer testing and exploration of online public servers. My Steam Deck OLED provided data for performance overlays and FPS readings (1280x800 resolution screenshots), while my PS5 playthrough yielded the 16:9 screenshots. Testing was conducted using Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 shines as a third-person action shooter, seamlessly blending brutality, stunning visuals, and addictive gameplay. Even newcomers to the Warhammer 40,000 universe will find themselves quickly immersed. Following a concise yet effective tutorial, players arrive at the Battle Barge hub, where missions are selected, cosmetics customized, and game modes chosen.

The core gameplay is outstanding. Weapons and controls feel perfectly balanced. While ranged combat is viable, the visceral melee combat is truly captivating. The brutal executions and the satisfying annihilation of hordes of enemies before encountering stronger foes never grow tiresome. The campaign is enjoyable both solo and in co-op (with up to two friends), though I found defense missions less engaging.

My co-op sessions with a friend overseas highlighted Space Marine 2's resemblance to a high-budget, modern take on Xbox 360-era co-op shooters, a genre that's somewhat lacking today. It captivated me as much as Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I sincerely hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to modernize the original game's campaign.

My Warhammer 40,000 experience stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 felt remarkably fresh, ranking among my favorite co-op experiences in years. While it's premature to declare it my favorite Warhammer 40,000 game, the addictive nature of Operations mode, coupled with class variety and progressive unlocks, has me hooked.

While full assessment requires more extensive testing with random players post-launch, my initial co-op experiences have been exceptional. I eagerly anticipate testing the online functionality with a wider player base once cross-platform play is fully implemented.

Visually, Space Marine 2 is breathtaking, particularly in 4K on PS5 (played on a 1440p monitor). The trailers hinted at its beauty, but the actual in-game environments, detailed textures, dynamic lighting, and sheer number of enemies far surpassed my expectations. The voice acting and customization options further enhance the experience, allowing for creative character expression.

The single-player photo mode offers extensive customization, including frame adjustment, expressions, character visibility, and FOV. However, on Steam Deck, using FSR 2 and lower resolutions resulted in some visual imperfections. The PS5 photo mode, conversely, is flawlessly executed.

The audio design is another highlight. While the music, while good, isn't memorable enough for standalone listening, it perfectly complements the in-game atmosphere. The voice acting and sound design, however, are top-tier.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port (tested on Steam Deck) offers extensive graphical customization. While Epic Online Services is integrated, account linking isn't mandatory. Options include display settings, resolution scaling (TAA or FSR 2 on Steam Deck), quality presets (Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), dynamic resolution, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and granular control over various quality settings (textures, shadows, reflections, etc.). DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. 16:10 support is currently absent.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game supports keyboard and mouse, along with 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. My DualSense controller (Bluetooth) displayed PlayStation prompts and utilized adaptive triggers wirelessly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

While technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, performance is suboptimal. Even at 1280x800 with low settings and FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, maintaining a stable 30fps is challenging, with frequent dips into the 20s. Dynamic upscaling attempts to target 30fps, but frame drops remain an issue. The game also occasionally experiences issues exiting correctly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer

Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck, without any anti-cheat interference. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth and enjoyable. Occasional disconnections were attributed to pre-release server instability.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features

On PS5 (Performance Mode), the experience is largely positive, though a locked 60fps isn't consistently achieved. Dynamic resolution appears to be in use. Load times are rapid, and PS5 Activity Cards enhance usability. Gyro support is currently absent.

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

Cross-save functionality between Steam and PS5 worked well during the pre-release period, with a two-day cooldown between syncs. The final release's behavior remains to be confirmed.

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

A definitive answer requires further testing with the full launch's online population. Eternal War (PvP) mode remains untested.

Desired Future Features

Post-launch updates should prioritize improved Steam Deck performance and HDR support. Haptic feedback would also be a welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for Game of the Year. While full multiplayer testing is pending, the gameplay is exceptional, and the visuals and audio are superb across both platforms. While I don't recommend playing it on Steam Deck in its current state, the PS5 version is highly recommended. A final score will follow complete multiplayer testing and post-launch patches.

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