Space marine demo; thoughts?

[Summerizer]

Ranged: Good, a good mix of weapons that you've got to try out
Melee: Good but the aoe stun is too powerful
Fury: Ranged Brilliant, Melee makes the game too easy because everyone just dies
Feel: excellent, screams 40K with every round, swing or step you make
Environment: awesome, the scale and depth of the fighting around you makes you feel immersed
Difficulty: Not too hard even on hard, if your concentration lapses you lose health quickly
Jump packs: winning, the ground smash it too over powered, makes you invincibly because you just kill everything in a 5m radius
Enemies: Good, fun to fight with the nobs being a challenge if you don't have fury

 

[archvile93]

snip

Have to disagree with you there:

Let's not jump to conclusions regarding Space Marine squad sizes. Who knows, maybe there's a plausible in-game explanation as to why there's only three Ultrasmurfs running around. Perhaps they're the sole survivors of a Thunderhawk crash, or their drop pod went off course and they're stranded from the rest of their forces. Perhaps they're on a secret mission that the rest of the chapter isn't supposed to know about. Even if it's never explained it's not that big of a deal for me.

You can still get killed pretty quickly if you don't stay on your toes. My first death in the demo was at the hands of a Nob who killed me in about two or three swings. My second was from a bomb Squig when I had approximately 50% health. This was on Normal difficulty mind you, not Hard. Also, enemies can still wail on you while you're doing execution moves. I've died a few times because I didn't clear surrounding enemies away with an area-of-effect stun before executing my intended victim.

You complain about Space Marines killing hundreds of regular enemies and how it's not "lore accurate." It makes me wonder how familiar you are with 40k's fluff. Just about every Space Marine novel depicts a small squad of Marines killing hundreds (if not thousands) of regular enemies at some point. They often go on to kill a particularly nasty foe like a Warboss or Daemon Prince...and survive. Yes the tabletop and DoW series has them more evenly matched with their enemies, but that's mostly for game balance (otherwise everyone would only play as Space Marines). Also, this is the Ultrasmurfs we're talking about. Like it or not, Games Workshop has made them the poster boys for the Imperium, lauding them as the most capable Space Marine chapter around with regards to overall performance.

The Grey Knights always seemed more capable. Despite being psychic (chaos loves corrupting psychics) they have yet to lose a single marine to chaos. So amazing is their incorruptable pure pureness that they're the only psykers they black templars allowed to come on their crusades. Ultramarines don't make dark gods piss themselves in terror at the mere mention of their name. Grey Knights do.

What about the Khornate Knights atrocity from Matt Fucking Ward's new Grey Knight Codex? A bunch of Grey Knights arrive on a chapel planet that was invaded by the World Eaters, and encounter a group of Sisters of Battle who had remained pure to the Emperor by killing their corrupted sisters. They were guarding a shrine to the emperor that held a Holy Weapon.

So what do the Grey Knights do? They kill all the uncorrupted Sisters and run off with the weapon.

I only said, the fluff seems to suggest they're more combat capable than the Ultramarines, I never said anything about more heroic.

Also, just finished the demoSpace Marine demo Enjoyed what was there. Kind of wished it mentioned that big enemies can overpower you when attempting an execution though.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I too wasn?t too disappointed or blown away either. It seems like God of War with shooting. Orks and Space Marines are my two oldest armies (since the rogue trader days) which is why it pains me to say that I?ll probably just be renting this. If it turns out great, then I?ll buy it but it does look really repetitive. So was God of War but as you leveled up your blades in GoW, you could perform even more badass moves. Hopefully that will be the case here but I can?t tell from the demo.
I?m also worried (after playing Kill Team) that the game will be really short. It?s still at the top of my rental list but I have a bad feeling it wont be a keeper.
I hope I'm wrong.

 

[FinalDream]

Complete and utter indifference, turned it off before the Xbox demo even finished. I'm not a Warhammer fan so maybe I am missing something but it was just plain meh. Maybe a rental at best.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Also, just finished the demoSpace Marine demo Enjoyed what was there. Kind of wished it mentioned that big enemies can overpower you when attempting an execution though.

the Nobs can, if not in fury mode

i just finished the demo as well, only complaint is it needs more *gestures to all of it* as well as more time withe power axe that was a thing of beauty when i got a hold of that wonderus weapon. i actually broke out in laughter when i buried it in a Nobs skull. there is so much win in this demo it blows my mind

can
not
WAIT
for the 6th, needs to be out NOW!!

 

[WillyDJ]

The shooter has now come full circle. In Space Marine you will play, well, a space marine. He's gruff, indomitable, brave and capable of storming hell and punching Ol' Scratch himself in the balls.
Unlike all his relatives from other shooters starring space marines which are gruff, indomitable, brave, blah, blah, blah the Space Marines of the 40K franchise are all that and have been around longer, harder and louder than everyone but Hienlen's Mobile Infantry.
This game does well in recreating that feeling but sadly will suffer from the malaise in all modern shooters. That is, you will proceed from point A to B to C etc. There is no doing C first and coming back to B later anymore.
Which is why I'll wait a year and snag it in a bargain sale.

 

[The Forces of Chaos]

So anyone getting the elite armour packs? hopeing to get my iron warriors and black templars on in mutliplayer, thought il try out the emperors children and space wolfs out too.

 

[Doclector]

So anyone getting the elite armour packs? hopeing to get my iron warriors and black templars on in mutliplayer, thought il try out the emperors children and space wolfs out too.

Well, I'll be getting the traitor and loyalist packs for pre-ordering from GAME. The space wolves are awesome, so I'm glad of that.

 

[Bostur]

My impression was very similar to Totalbiscuit's video preview. It just felt great administering vengeance in the name of The Emperor.

On the hard level some tactical depth starts to show, cover, position and timing becomes more important.

It could become repetitive after a while, but I think the demo showed quite a bit of variety in battles. The little bit of story present in the demo also seemed promising.


Great demo of a game that I didn't consider buying, but now it seems I have no other choice.

 

[FURY_007]

It will indeed. However, it has not yet been clarified if the co-op will be online, local or both.

Since it launches on PC as well, local coop only would make no sense inmo. I think local coop should always be available for console players, even on used copies.

It's called a LAN, if it does have local co-op for PC the my roommate will probably get it too

 

[Doclector]

It will indeed. However, it has not yet been clarified if the co-op will be online, local or both.

Since it launches on PC as well, local coop only would make no sense inmo. I think local coop should always be available for console players, even on used copies.

It's called a LAN, if it does have local co-op for PC the my roommate will probably get it too

The man speaks truth, although I could've swore I saw it didn't have local, although I don't recall the website giving an official source.

Couldn't PC games use two control pads? They do still make some for PCs right?

Damn I sound stupid right now.

 

[Slaanesh]

Loved the demo. A day one buy in my book. I wish they worked on the melee combat some more. Something like a heavy slow swing and a light fast swing. Something to make it a little more flashy, like being able to put out combos. Still amazing though.

Wish you could play as the 'Nids though. True bad-asses with a philosophy and lifestyle that actually isn't bleak and dark compared to the rest of the 40K universe.

 

[Soluncreed]

The main problem I was having with the game was that the orks just don't sound orky enough. But other than that it was pretty cool.

 

[teebeeohh]

so i have played the demo now and i have to say that the rational part of my brain either wanted to find it repetitive after the first nob or ask for the same game as a tau firewarrior or battlesuit pilot(seriously, relic make that game i will buy it, even if it costs 200?).
the irrational part of my brain wanted a cooler chapter but was otherwise happy, i liked almost all the weapons i got to play with and the simple combo system work well. The one thing i didn't like is the bolter. it's like a cute little SMG with a low rate of fire but it should be a high caliber burst fire rifle that shoots rockets. it just doesn't feel as powerful as a bolter should feel. couldn't the have given titus a storm bolter for his SMG needs.

 

[The Forces of Chaos]

so i have played the demo now and i have to say that the rational part of my brain either wanted to find it repetitive after the first nob or ask for the same game as a tau firewarrior or battlesuit pilot(seriously, relic make that game i will buy it, even if it costs 200?).
the irrational part of my brain wanted a cooler chapter but was otherwise happy, i liked almost all the weapons i got to play with and the simple combo system work well. The one thing i didn't like is the bolter. it's like a cute little SMG with a low rate of fire but it should be a high caliber burst fire rifle that shoots rockets. it just doesn't feel as powerful as a bolter should feel. couldn't the have given titus a storm bolter for his SMG needs.

They do, he can have a storm bolter later in the game as well as mutliplayer (chaos space marine and space marine will have access to it). I felt the bolter worked fairly well given when I pulled the trigger they exploded in a gore mist.

 

[Aris Khandr]

It looks neat, but I won't really care unless they make an Adeptas Sororitas game.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

i agree
one guardsman as more balls in one ball than duke nukem has in both (sorry i just been wanting to say that for forever XD )

To go that far in guardsmen armour and a lazgun as your only weapon you need balls. The Imperial Guard have always been my favourite army.

All round the game is just magnificent. The way they've captured the ruined cities as Space Marine fights Orc, the way the weapons cut through the enemy, the difficulty of defeating the biggest Orcs and trying to overpower about 7 times as many Orcs than Space Marines is the essence of the Orc horde.

I also love that I get smart AI, friendly and enemy, in a game for once. It's rare that you see enemies running away in fear.

Orcs never retreat, they only regroup.

EDIT: Fuck me. I just made it through the horde attack on hard and I have to say that they really know how to balance a game. The entire attack was a combination of panic and focus, trying to manage health with attacks. The two large Orcs that attack pose the biggest challenge, usually coming when I'm already on low health. By the end of it, I was actually panting.

 

[The Forces of Chaos]

It definitely looked pretty and it has the meat and bones for what could be a great game.


But it also has some glaring design flaws, IMO. The lack of block makes the combat random, being that you cannot ever counter an enemy. With the mechanics of the game regularly forcing you to be knee deep in them, and your Marine controlling like its Avatar looks (a huge mountain of steel slapped on a man, basically, which is to say sluggish as hell), means that evading is useless, and your only option really is to deal more damage than you're being dealt while hoping that you can "consume" an enemy with a finisher (hard to do because you have to stun him first and you can't lock on who you want). Ranged combat is also pretty useless, especially in the thick of things.

There are also various problems with the AI (standing there doing nothing, friendlies consistently blocking your path in narrow hallways) and camera, but those are given the benefit of doubt due to its demo status. It *is* a bit offsetting that even in demo mode, it is that buggy, however.


The premiss is pretty good. I like the idea of feeling overwhelmed(the fight at the end of the level, with waves of orcs coming at you almost nails it), but I feel the game achieves difficulty (which is a good thing) by removing choice and mechanics, which is a cheap way of doing it. Being able to block and counter on Demon's Souls sure as hell didn't make it easier. But the issues above put me off anything other than eventual bargain bin purchase.

I would advise useing roll to doge attacks and to use the pistol to snap off a few shots when you have a few feet. Also Fury mode can slow them down alowing you to pick them off with head shots at range. Iv also found runing and melle is a nice shoulder charge to get some mobs easy stunable for a good finisher.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Wasn't massively impressed with the gameplay, but then I would have much preferred a straight FPS, not a 3rd person beat em up/shooter and the shooting feels like a very minor part. Still, it looked nice and I liked the environment they had put together, unfortunately my PC didn't like it for some reason and there were some fairly off putting graphical glitches, most surfaces flickering black like a random strobe so I doubt I'll be getting the full game.