Space Marine 2 Impresses on Steam Deck (Early Access)

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 own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, sparking an interest in the broader 40k universe and leading to playthroughs of titles like Boltgun and Rogue Trader. I even sampled the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck months ago. The recent reveal of Space Marine 2 heightened my anticipation, especially given my experience with other 40k games on PC and console.

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours across my Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and testing online functionality. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: a proper assessment requires thorough cross-platform multiplayer testing and evaluation of public servers. Secondly, Focus and Saber are committed to delivering official Steam Deck support by year's end.

Space Marine 2's impressive visuals and gameplay on the Steam Deck, coupled with cross-progression, fueled my curiosity about its handheld performance. The current situation presents both good and bad news, 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 visceral third-person action shooter – brutal, stunning, and immensely fun, even for 40k newcomers. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces combat and movement mechanics before depositing you at your central hub: the Battle Barge. Here, you select missions, game modes, customize your appearance, and more.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional. Controls and weapons feel perfectly tuned. While some may favor ranged combat, I found myself captivated by the visceral melee, relishing the brutal executions and mowing down hordes of enemies before confronting tougher foes. The campaign is fantastic solo or with friends in co-op, though I found defense missions less engaging.

Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, co-op shooter reminiscent of the Xbox 360 era – a style rarely seen today. It hooked me instantly, similar to 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 primarily stems from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 offers a refreshing experience, ranking among my favorite co-op games in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite 40k title, I'm compelled to pause this review and return to the game – I'm hooked on Operations mode with a friend, exploring classes and unlocking content.

I hesitate to offer a definitive judgment without experiencing the full game's launch with random players, but my co-op experience so far is superb. I eagerly anticipate testing the online functionality this week with cross-progression and cross-platform play enabled.

Visually, on PS5 and Steam Deck, Space Marine 2 is a masterpiece. The 4K mode on PS5 (played on my 1440p monitor) is breathtaking. The environments are stunning, and the game's world feels alive, not only through the sheer number of enemies but also through impressive texture work and lighting. This is further enhanced by exceptional voice acting and extensive customization options, allowing for creative self-expression.

A photo mode, accessible in single-player, allows for adjustments to frames, expressions, visible characters, FOV, and more. However, on the Steam Deck, some effects suffer with FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 photo mode, however, is flawless.

The music, while good, isn't memorable enough for standalone listening (unlike my wish for Bolt Thrower's Realm of Chaos in this game!). However, the voice acting and sound design are top-tier, perfectly complementing the in-game experience.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

How does the PC port perform? My experience is limited to the Steam Deck, but I can still cover its features. The game installs Epic Online Services, but linking an Epic account isn't mandatory.

Graphics options include adjustments for display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (Quality, 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, resolution, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, volumetrics, effects, details, and cloth simulation.

DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned for later. I expect FSR 3 to significantly benefit Steam Deck performance. I also hope for future 16:10 support (currently 16:9 only).

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game offers keyboard and mouse controls and 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 is present, prompting me to disable Steam Input. This menu also allows remapping keyboard and mouse bindings. My DualSense controller (Bluetooth) displayed PlayStation prompts and even supported adaptive triggers wirelessly – a noteworthy feature.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

I experienced some freezing during initial game launches on default Proton and Experimental, but Proton GE 9-9 ran flawlessly. Technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, it's currently too demanding.

At 1280x800 (16:9), using the low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, maintaining a locked 30fps is impossible. Frequent dips into the mid-20s, and even lower, occur during intense combat. Even lower resolutions result in sub-30fps performance. This is far from ideal. I hope future optimization allows for stable 30fps gameplay, but it's currently unattainable based on my 10 hours of playtime.

Dynamic upscaling targeting 30fps with the low preset achieves 30fps at times but frequently drops to the low 20s. Visuals remain impressive on the Deck's screen, but the game is currently too demanding. The game also sometimes fails to exit cleanly, requiring manual closure.

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

Importantly, online multiplayer functions perfectly on Steam Deck. No anti-cheat issues were encountered. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth and enjoyable. Occasional internet-related disconnections occurred, but these were likely due to pre-release server instability. Further testing with random players and friends post-launch is needed.

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

Playing on PS5, performance mode feels mostly excellent, though a locked 60fps isn't achieved, and dynamic resolution/upscaling seems present, resulting in occasional blurriness during large-scale battles. Despite this, I recommend Space Marine 2 on PS5, pending cross-platform online testing.

Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Card support streamlines access to different modes and saves. Gyro support is currently absent.

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

Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 functioned well during my pre-release testing, though a two-day cooldown period exists between syncing to different platforms. I've contacted Focus to clarify if this cooldown remains in the final release.

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

A definitive answer requires further testing with random players post-launch to assess matchmaking in Operations (PvE) and Eternal War (PvP) modes. Eternal War remains untested at this time.

Desired Features for Future Updates

Post-launch support is expected, and I hope for improved Steam Deck performance and proper HDR support to enhance the already stunning visuals. While DualSense implementation is good, haptic feedback would be a welcome addition (the blog post mentions its absence at launch).

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

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