Straight to the Point:
So close but yet so far!, 7 GPPs (Geek Pride Points)
Story
I’ll not insult the intelligence of any of my fellow geeks by telling you what it’s all about (most of you will know already) for those of you who don’t (for shame) just type Warhammer 40k into Google and you will have hours and hours and hours of reading! (ENJOY!)
Things I like
- Story Line – is good and has a nice ending that leaves the proverbial appetite wetted to know more about theWH40K world (Gamesworkshop say..CHAAAACHIING!) and what happens to our chivalric hero Titus.
- Nice Graphics and Epic backgrounds.
- LOTS of bad guys – there is nothing more satisfying than wading into a horde of marauding orks with nothing but a chainsword and a smile.
- No health Packs? – Strange I know but counter intuitively the only way to get health back is by “Executing” enemies and to do that you have to be up close and personal! This gives the game a nice dynamic and helps mix things up a bit, especially if you are getting pummelled by enemy fire.
- Good Multiplayer – A nice Perk system a la COD and you get to paint/design/equip your own Marine / Chaos Marine which is satisfying in itself.
Niggles
- Gameplay is pretty linear, with no real alternative options on where to go or how to complete the level (the jetpack level adds a bit but not much).
- The endless waves of bad guys is initially great fun: stomping, slashing, decapitating, blood everywhere. But it gets a bit tedious as you go along and I think had there been a bigger variation in the moves / executions you could perform, then it would have been all the more enjoyable
- No use of cover or being able to climb obstacles.. now I appreciate that you are a lumping 10 ft tall, armour clad, mega soldier and cover isn’t overly needed BUT there are a few times in the game where things get a bit hairy and it would have been nice to have the option (this would also work well in the MP); It’s in the table top game, why not the Computer game? I get the impression there might have been a fear that people would say “oh it’s just ripping of GOW” but everyone knows WH40k has been around for years and if anything GOW has borrowed heavily from WH, why not take it back?
- Not nearly epic enough… you have 2 Marines in your squad (does a squad not usually consist of 5?) and when you do meet other Space Marines, they are few and far between which takes away from the epic feel. These games are all about big battles and swarms of enemies, we have the enemies why not the marines as well? 3 marines, and a handful of guardsmen doesn’t really fill up all the big, epic scenery we are presented with and leaves the game felling in parts, slightly empty?
Wish List
If they make a sequel, it would be nice to incorporate the above but also I would love to see a bit more customisation, maybe in the vein of an RPG. Maybe even extend this element to your squad? So being able to order them where togo, what cover to take, what to attack, where to defend, even equipping them with armour, weapons and perks.
Conclusion
All said and done, Space Marine is an enjoyable and fun game BUT it could have been sooooo much more. Let’s hope if they make a sequel that a bit more depth is given to the game play and the options we get as players.
Matt Geary
12/09/2011
