Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review (in Progress) – GOTY Contender, but Play It Elsewhere for Now

A Deep Dive into Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – A Steam Deck and PS5 Review in Progress

For years, many Warhammer fans eagerly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. My journey began later, sparked by Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore the wider 40k game universe, including favorites like Boltgun and Rogue Trader. Months ago, I briefly sampled the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck. The recent, stunning reveal of Space Marine 2 heightened my anticipation.

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 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 Focus and Saber are actively developing official Steam Deck support, targeting year-end release.

Given Space Marine 2's cross-progression and impressive visuals on Steam Deck, I was keen to see its handheld performance. The news is mixed, and this review will cover gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 performance, and more. Screenshots with performance overlays are from my Steam Deck OLED; 16:9 shots are from my PS5 playthrough. Testing utilized Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter that blends brutality, stunning visuals, and engaging gameplay. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces combat and movement mechanics before leading you to your central hub, the Battle Barge. Here, you select missions, game modes, customize cosmetics, and more.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional. Controls and weapons feel perfectly balanced. While some might favor ranged combat, I relished the visceral melee combat. The executions are satisfying, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes remains consistently engaging. The campaign is fun solo or with friends in co-op, though I find defense missions less appealing.

Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on Xbox 360-era co-op shooters, a genre rarely seen today. It's as captivating as Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I 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 ultimate 40k game, the Operations mode, class variety, and steady progression keep me hooked.

While I haven't fully tested the game's online with random players, my co-op experience has been outstanding. I eagerly await a more extensive online test once the game launches with cross-progression and cross-platform play.

Visually, on PS5 and Steam Deck, the game is a stunner, especially in 4K mode on PS5 (played on a 1440p monitor). The environments are breathtaking, and the detail in enemy swarms, textures, and lighting is remarkable. This is complemented by superb voice acting and extensive customization options, allowing for creative self-expression.

A photo mode, accessible in single-player, offers extensive controls over frames, expressions, characters, FOV, and more. Note that on Steam Deck, some effects appear less polished with FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 photo mode, however, is exceptional.

The audio is equally impressive. While the music is good, it's not memorable enough for standalone listening. However, the voice acting and sound design are top-tier.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port, tested on Steam Deck, offers a comprehensive suite of graphics settings. While Epic Online Services is integrated, account linking isn't mandatory. Options include display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), upscaling (TAA, FSR 2 on Steam Deck), dynamic resolution targeting, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and various quality settings affecting textures, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, and more.

DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. I anticipate benefits on Steam Deck once official support arrives. 16:10 support is also hoped for in a future update.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The PC port supports keyboard and mouse, along with full controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts didn't display on Steam Deck by default, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive trigger support is present, further enhanced by disabling Steam Input. Remapping of keyboard and mouse controls is also available. My DualSense controller (Bluetooth) displayed PlayStation prompts and supported adaptive triggers wirelessly – a noteworthy feature.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

While initial booting caused some freezing on default Proton and Experimental, Proton GE 9-9 proved stable. The game is technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, but it pushes the handheld's limits.

At 1280x800 (16:9), using the low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, a locked 30fps is unattainable. Frequent dips into the mid-20s, and even lower, occur during intense combat. Even lower resolutions still result in sub-30fps performance. This isn't ideal for such a game. I hope future optimization allows for stable 30fps gameplay. During my 10 hours of testing on my Steam Deck OLED, this wasn't achievable.

Dynamic upscaling targeting 30fps with the low preset achieves 30fps at times, but frequent drops to the low 20s persist. The visuals remain good on the Deck's screen, but the game currently overtaxes the hardware. Improper game exit also occasionally requires manual force-closing.

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

Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth and enjoyable. Occasional internet-related disconnections were encountered, but these are likely pre-release server issues. Further testing with random players and friends post-launch is planned.

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

Playing on PS5 in Performance mode reveals mostly excellent performance, though a locked 60fps isn't guaranteed. Dynamic resolution or upscaling seems present, causing noticeable blurriness in some large-scale battles. Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Card support is included. Gyro support is currently absent.

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

Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 functioned well in my pre-release testing, though a two-day cooldown period existed between platform syncs. Further clarification on this cooldown's final implementation is pending.

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 game's already stunning visuals. Haptic feedback on PS5 would be a welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong Game of the Year contender. While online multiplayer testing remains incomplete, the gameplay is superb, and the visuals and audio are top-notch. I currently don't recommend playing on Steam Deck due to performance limitations, but the PS5 version is highly recommended. A final score will be provided after further multiplayer testing and patch releases.

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