I bought it on a whim last night, noticed today that I'd been granted access to the Demo. Woot!
Well, let me tell you: I've been hunting 40k immersion for some time; DoW is nice, but it lacks... impact... the boil of flesh under las bolt; the splash of gore as chainsword rends bone... Dawn of War and its siblings are too clean... too antiseptic; the camera too far from the action. I also found the writing a little... off-- yeah, the marines were gruff, arrogant, pious, and oblivious to the machinations of the eldar-- but it just didn't seem to match the fiction. TOO gruff. Too oblivious. Inhuman, but not inhuman in the awesome space marine way. So I hoped, and hoped, and hoped for Space Marine for some REAL warhammer action. An entertainment title that would match my mind's eye.
I honestly expected much of the same blandness from Space Marine. Wasn't particularly optimistic-- but thrilled to pay cash money for the brand. Anything for more warhammer 40k, right? I mean, I bought that godawful ultramarines cartoon (its got the pacing of a geriatric cock fight), so I might as well enjoy me some warhammer action, insipid though it may be.
So anyway, I fired up the demo, hopped into the action, and felt a tingle in my toes. My toes. They tingled. Just walking down a gantry felt right-- not some airy sprite spouting fealty to the god emperor and animating along a path-- it had weight. Chunk chunk chunk chunk of the ceramite, yet BLINDINGLY fast at the same time-- chunked the space bar and I just ROLLED with the fury of an armored steamroller strapped to an ATLAS rocket.
Where was I? Oh yes. We're on a Forge world. Ok. Cool. Neato. Skies are the expected ugliness marred by millenia of industrialization, scrap metal accents here and there. Mosey on over WOAH. SERVO SKULL. Nice. So cute!!!11! It goes all R2D2 on me-- blah blah blah, the inquisition is in another castle, sweet tiddies. Around the bend, over the hill, through the door, orks. Tons of orks. Oh my god, I have no idea how to shoot, but left click and pop pop pop goes the bolter. Hm, doesn't really feel like a bolter, aren't bolters supposed be semi-automatic rocket propelled grenades? Hm, -- mousewheel -- oh, theres multiple weapons, whats this one HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT ORK JUST DISSAPEARDEDEDED INTO A CLOUD OF GIBBS. Ok. Ok. Nice. Now I'm surrounded, lets see what right click does HOLY SHIT CHAINSWORD VRZOOOM SMASH VROOSH POP. Periodically the action slowed down, mostly to give my eyes a chance to see the gore perfectly splattered on my armor as I sheared the various vitals of ork physiology.
In an era of samey shooters with chest-high walls and regenerating health (thats probably an exact quote from the resident yahtzee), Space marine is different. Remember, a space marine IS a chest high wall-- when the Astartes lower themselves to operating alongside the imperial guard, the guard use THEM as cover. Health regenerates, but it regenerates through action. And this is critical. I was operating on easy for my first run through, so it seemed like occasionally I would choose enemies for a health snack. I can certainly see how in the midst of a major skirmish, stunning and execution for the rage and health bonuses becomes a large part of the choreography of the fight-- the little orks arent much of a threat, but a Nob is a pretty serious opponent, especially in pairs or triplets-- I found myself doing a little running and gunning when the power axe wasn't cutting it. Combat was very nice, and the animations were varied enough that I didn't feel immediately that I'd done the same move 30 times.
The fun increased steadily from here. As near as I can tell, Space Marine is PITCH PERFECT 40k. I havn't heard much dialog, but what I have heard is excellent, from Imperial Guard captian Antioch stumbling over his words when he realizes he's on the vox with an Astartes-- "yes sir, er, that is, my lord," to the guttural howl of an ork's "WAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Oh, and strapping on the assault pack just makes you feel invincible I was rather dreading it, but the assault jump is so impressive, and the tactical advantages gained from this mobility so amazing... I began to find myself just jumping up and down... just to smash that single enemy that still standing.
I am very happy with my purchase. This game resonates... it will match the harmonic frequency of your brain, which will shake itself apart in no time. Before long you too will be a pious, brooding warmonger, and you too will know only war. I'm thrilled-- try the demo when it hits the public on the 23rd-- and try to tell me its not awesome. You are a god of war. I never cared for the god of war series, which felt more like diablo with combos than anything else, but this, this is visceral. And I like it.
In the grim dark future, there is only war.
I am a War40k fiction fanatic, but Space Marine-- this is a five star piece of perfection right here. Not just because its 40k-- its fun too. Try it.
Well, let me tell you: I've been hunting 40k immersion for some time; DoW is nice, but it lacks... impact... the boil of flesh under las bolt; the splash of gore as chainsword rends bone... Dawn of War and its siblings are too clean... too antiseptic; the camera too far from the action. I also found the writing a little... off-- yeah, the marines were gruff, arrogant, pious, and oblivious to the machinations of the eldar-- but it just didn't seem to match the fiction. TOO gruff. Too oblivious. Inhuman, but not inhuman in the awesome space marine way. So I hoped, and hoped, and hoped for Space Marine for some REAL warhammer action. An entertainment title that would match my mind's eye.
I honestly expected much of the same blandness from Space Marine. Wasn't particularly optimistic-- but thrilled to pay cash money for the brand. Anything for more warhammer 40k, right? I mean, I bought that godawful ultramarines cartoon (its got the pacing of a geriatric cock fight), so I might as well enjoy me some warhammer action, insipid though it may be.
So anyway, I fired up the demo, hopped into the action, and felt a tingle in my toes. My toes. They tingled. Just walking down a gantry felt right-- not some airy sprite spouting fealty to the god emperor and animating along a path-- it had weight. Chunk chunk chunk chunk of the ceramite, yet BLINDINGLY fast at the same time-- chunked the space bar and I just ROLLED with the fury of an armored steamroller strapped to an ATLAS rocket.
Where was I? Oh yes. We're on a Forge world. Ok. Cool. Neato. Skies are the expected ugliness marred by millenia of industrialization, scrap metal accents here and there. Mosey on over WOAH. SERVO SKULL. Nice. So cute!!!11! It goes all R2D2 on me-- blah blah blah, the inquisition is in another castle, sweet tiddies. Around the bend, over the hill, through the door, orks. Tons of orks. Oh my god, I have no idea how to shoot, but left click and pop pop pop goes the bolter. Hm, doesn't really feel like a bolter, aren't bolters supposed be semi-automatic rocket propelled grenades? Hm, -- mousewheel -- oh, theres multiple weapons, whats this one HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT ORK JUST DISSAPEARDEDEDED INTO A CLOUD OF GIBBS. Ok. Ok. Nice. Now I'm surrounded, lets see what right click does HOLY SHIT CHAINSWORD VRZOOOM SMASH VROOSH POP. Periodically the action slowed down, mostly to give my eyes a chance to see the gore perfectly splattered on my armor as I sheared the various vitals of ork physiology.
In an era of samey shooters with chest-high walls and regenerating health (thats probably an exact quote from the resident yahtzee), Space marine is different. Remember, a space marine IS a chest high wall-- when the Astartes lower themselves to operating alongside the imperial guard, the guard use THEM as cover. Health regenerates, but it regenerates through action. And this is critical. I was operating on easy for my first run through, so it seemed like occasionally I would choose enemies for a health snack. I can certainly see how in the midst of a major skirmish, stunning and execution for the rage and health bonuses becomes a large part of the choreography of the fight-- the little orks arent much of a threat, but a Nob is a pretty serious opponent, especially in pairs or triplets-- I found myself doing a little running and gunning when the power axe wasn't cutting it. Combat was very nice, and the animations were varied enough that I didn't feel immediately that I'd done the same move 30 times.
The fun increased steadily from here. As near as I can tell, Space Marine is PITCH PERFECT 40k. I havn't heard much dialog, but what I have heard is excellent, from Imperial Guard captian Antioch stumbling over his words when he realizes he's on the vox with an Astartes-- "yes sir, er, that is, my lord," to the guttural howl of an ork's "WAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Oh, and strapping on the assault pack just makes you feel invincible I was rather dreading it, but the assault jump is so impressive, and the tactical advantages gained from this mobility so amazing... I began to find myself just jumping up and down... just to smash that single enemy that still standing.
I am very happy with my purchase. This game resonates... it will match the harmonic frequency of your brain, which will shake itself apart in no time. Before long you too will be a pious, brooding warmonger, and you too will know only war. I'm thrilled-- try the demo when it hits the public on the 23rd-- and try to tell me its not awesome. You are a god of war. I never cared for the god of war series, which felt more like diablo with combos than anything else, but this, this is visceral. And I like it.
In the grim dark future, there is only war.
I am a War40k fiction fanatic, but Space Marine-- this is a five star piece of perfection right here. Not just because its 40k-- its fun too. Try it.
