QCF: Space Marine

As the light sets in, The Ultramarines, one of thousands of chapters within the rank of Space Marine are called into action to defend against the threat of an Ork invasion and uncover the motive behind their rampage. Its leader, Captain Titus, instills a solemn nod of confidence to the Space Marines under his command and leads them to the battle.

Space Marine is the newest attempt to branch the War Hammer 40,000 franchise beyond its table-top roots into another entry into the video game realm. Relic Entertainment tasked their efforts towards delivering an experience faithful to all who are loyal to War Hammer 40K, yet enjoyable enough to appeal to anyone unfamiliar with 40K’s expansive lore. But one question remains: have they succeeded?

Space Marine works towards one common goal: to deliver a particular brand in the experience you draw from its different play modes. Starting off with the combat, Space Marine plays from a third-person perspective with an emphasis on a behind-the-shoulder angle for shooting, comparative to that within Gears of War. Crosshairs serve as the point of interest in where your Space Marine targets their shooting, and mechanics -- like hip-fire and sprinting -- also feel similar to Epic Game’s shooter. However, where Gears of War encourages tactical cover-based shooting, Space Marine interchanges a blend of complex melee combat to its shooting. This mix of two completely different play styles surprisingly complement each other through an intuitive exchange of long distance fire from approaching enemies, and seamlessly transitioning into a button combo to fend off surrounding foes. The combat has simplistic but effective button combos that you can input between both your main and stun attacks. Stunned enemies have a quick-time option of being executed through a graphic animation, which puts that particular enemy down for good. Overall, the combat is not only effect but increasingly satisfying as you advance through the game. The weapon load-out options between your melee weapons and guns are varied in the strengths that also add a depth of strategy in your choice of equipment. Each weapon has a very subtle risk/reward dynamic that's recognized through playing the game, which immerses you into this solid grasp of improving your skills based what you feel caters to your personal strengths. One could even argue a sly hint of salute towards the same risk/reward dynamics in the combat of its table-top origin, which only speaks in volumes towards the attention to detail that Radical labored towards making the combat brilliant and accessible. The armor mechanic is easily adaptable with your health bar that’s initially protected with a shield that regenerate back to full strength over time, and health is recovered by performing the aforementioned quick-time executions.

Though novel, this mechanic is heavily flawed and will add to most of your annoyance with the game. Unlike other action games, you’re character is not temporarily invincible during the animation of him murdering his target, and there’s no way to interrupt your act of termination. What does this mean exactly? It means you’re completely vulnerable to every lethal assault you’re surround against with your opposition. Thankfully, in an oblique irony, the enemy A.I. is limited and predictable. In Space Marine you’re always attacked in numbers, and your enemies immediately move in to flank you while long distance sentries shoot at you from afar. This sort of situation can be prevented most of the time, but will still happen enough to frustrate you in between load screens from an otherwise innovative and fun combat system. Though combat is only partially flawed by its defensive counter measures, the real flaw lies within the pacing of Space Marine, which is affected by several elements. Checkpoints are rare and further plagued with completely arbitrary cinematic cuts containing no real significance whatsoever. Moments like a cut scene that involves our heroes changing course due to new circumstances or strategizing tactics due to certain elements within the setting are integral to good pacing -- I get that. However, when I approach a cliff only to a fade to black with a cut scene that follows with me jumping down said cliff, and then another fade to black in where I’m able to resume control again, then that's what we like to call "bad pacing." Approaching a door that precedes a transition to a cut scene, where I enter through said door that then follows up with me regaining control, only to run down a hallway into another cut scene completely removed me from any immersion I had with the game, and it really hurt the experience. The stages are the last minor flaw, and no, I’m not talking about the aesthetics, but the core design of the stages themselves (I’ll touch on that later).

Essentially the stages are long hollow corridors, with some expanded trench areas here and there, but simply linear travels from point A to point B. Not to say that there’s a shortcoming behind this design, though there was great potential to layer additional components that could bolster the experience of War Hammer, but was ultimately overlooked in favor of infrequent mob battling and the travel involved in between.

The presentation is incredible within this game; it can easily draw you into its world and appeal anyone who may have been intimidated by the universe in any of its other incarnations. The setting and objects look as if they were brought to life from the very pages of the War Hammer 40,000 art books. On the verge of becoming a modern game cliché, the audio logs and collectibles strewn throughout the game only sell the stage of War Hammer 40K beyond the degree necessary to compel an average player towards finishing the campaign. The look, plot, and references are varied to where they can be appreciated by both new comers and veterans of the War Hammer lore. The drive in advancing through conflicts and the resolve behind characters that fuel them are lovingly crafted and polished to such a degree that it will leave you wanting more, which makes for a perfect gateway into its world. Multiplayer offers the same visceral satisfaction in the combat, and provides more innovative elements within the design of the map selection that you wish was similarly applied to the stages within the campaign.

Overall, the mentioned flaws are mere annoyances when compared to the experience Space Marine has to offer, and rarely do the game’s limitations even come close to breaking the game.  Whether you’re a loyal blood angel, space wolf enthusiast, or a fan of pure unadulterated action games, Space Marine is a game that provides an outlet enjoyable for everyone.