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

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2: A Brutal and Beautiful Action Shooter (Steam Deck & PS5 Review in Progress)

Many have eagerly awaited Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 for years. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore the broader 40k universe. After enjoying titles like Boltgun and Rogue Trader, I finally delved into the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck. The recent reveal of Space Marine 2 heightened my anticipation.

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Space Marine 2, utilizing cross-progression between my Steam Deck and PS5, and testing online functionality. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: a complete assessment requires thorough cross-platform multiplayer testing, and official Steam Deck support is slated for release later this year.

Space Marine 2's stunning visuals and gameplay on the Steam Deck piqued my curiosity regarding its handheld performance. The news is mixed, and I'll detail both aspects in this in-progress review, 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.

Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter that seamlessly blends brutality, stunning visuals, and exhilarating gameplay, even for 40k newcomers. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces combat and movement mechanics, leading to the Battle Barge hub where missions are selected, cosmetics adjusted, and more.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional; controls and weapons feel perfectly balanced. While some might favor ranged combat, I found immense satisfaction in visceral melee combat. The executions are consistently rewarding, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes remains endlessly engaging. The campaign is fun solo or with friends in co-op, though I personally found defense missions less enjoyable.

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 much like 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 stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 offers a refreshing experience and is one of my favorite co-op games in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite 40k game, I'm compelled to pause this review and return to playing. The Operations mode, with its varied classes and progressive unlocks, is incredibly addictive.

While full launch testing with random players is needed for a definitive judgment, my co-op experiences have been superb. I eagerly anticipate testing the online functionality fully once cross-play is live.

Visually, on both PS5 (in 4K on my 1440p monitor) and Steam Deck, Space Marine 2 is a masterpiece. The trailers hinted at its quality, but the environments, detailed textures, and dynamic lighting exceeded expectations. The sheer number of enemies in swarms adds to the immersion. Stunning voice acting and extensive customization options further enhance the experience, allowing players to showcase their creativity.

A photo mode (available in single-player) allows adjustments to frames, expressions, characters, FOV, and more. However, on the Steam Deck, some elements appear less polished when using FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 photo mode, however, is exceptional.

The audio is equally impressive. While the music isn't groundbreaking, the voice acting and sound design are top-tier. The music fits the game perfectly, although I wouldn't necessarily listen to it outside the game.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port (tested on Steam Deck) offers extensive options: display settings, display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), resolution upscaling (TAA, FSR 2), dynamic resolution target, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and granular quality adjustments for textures, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, and more. DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. I hope for future 16:10 support.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game supports keyboard and mouse, and full controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts weren't displayed on Steam Deck by default, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive trigger support is present, and remapping options are available. My DualSense controller (Bluetooth) displayed PlayStation prompts and even supported adaptive triggers wirelessly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

While experiencing some initial freezing on default Proton (resolved with Proton GE 9-9), Space Marine 2 is technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes. However, it pushes the handheld's limits. Even at 1280x800 with low settings and FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, maintaining a stable 30fps is challenging. Frequent dips below 30fps occur, particularly during intense combat. Dynamic upscaling for a 30fps target improves performance but still results in occasional drops. The game sometimes fails to exit cleanly, requiring manual closure.

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

Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck, despite potential anti-cheat concerns. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth. Occasional disconnections were experienced, but these are attributed to pre-release servers.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features

Performance mode on PS5 provides a mostly smooth experience, though a locked 60fps isn't achieved, and dynamic resolution/upscaling is apparent. 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 is functional (with a two-day cooldown period between syncs).

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

A definitive answer requires further testing with random players.

Desired Features for Future Updates

HDR support is a highly desired addition. Haptic feedback would also enhance the DualSense experience.

Space Marine 2 is a strong Game of the Year contender. The gameplay is exceptional, and the visuals and audio are superb. While I don't recommend playing on Steam Deck currently, the PS5 version is highly recommended. A full review with a score will follow after further multiplayer testing and patching.

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