I would like to thank some friends for aiding me in getting my computer set up to use a controller. Thanks to them I was able to start replaying this game. Which is good because for many this is still the best game to use the Warhammer IP.

Since there’s been talks about the setting of the Warhammer games before I don’t really need to go into the deep lore.  So anyway the Forge World Graia is under attack from a Ork WAAAAAGGH. A group of space marines of the Ultramarines chapter lead by Captain Titus. He and 2 other marines proceed to show what space marines can do in the lore as they kick green skin ass. Though much like the Dawn of War game (the first one) there’s more going on than a simple Ork invasion… but this time it doesn’t need any arrogant pointy eared morons to be involved.

When playing through this game I must note when it was made 2011 and what was going on in Warhammer 40k, especially when it comes to when Chaos Space Marines show up. This was, if you have read my series on the Fall and Rise of Chaos Legions… this was at that dark age when the faction was being kind of pissed on. So rather than any of the 10000 year old super badasses that showing up would cause a pants to be darkened moment (nerds will get the reference) it’s some no-name warband. They do show how much worse a Chaos invasion is than Orks but it’s still… some nobody.

The game play is done as a 3rd person action shooter, so think Resident Evil 4 only you are playing a heavy power armoured super soldier facing wave after wave of enemies of the Imperium of Mankind. At first in what is just a sort of opening for you, you are armed with a combat knife and a bolt pistol. You’re mainly fighting Grechin and some boys but it’s enough to get the core aspects of combat both ranged and melee down. You have a shield around your Health that when not taking damage for long enough will regenerate. But Health can only be recovered by doing execution moves on stunned enemies (one of your melee attacks can stun enemies) You can later also regenerate by going into Fury mode and slaughtering things but that’s a little bit in.

It’s not just a bolt pistol and combat knife you use to fight the forces against the Emperor of Mankind though, playing through it you will soon get a trusty bolter, a chainsword and many other weapons.

You are accompanied by 2 other marines and a few other characters as the game progresses and the story unfolds.

The game also has multiplayer with your standard death match modes and horde modes. And in multiplayer you can make your own customized Space Marine or Chaos Space Marine from 3 different archetypes, namely standard, A heavy weapons one and the fast moving jump pack equipped focusing more on melee.

Definitely though I say the main strength is in the single player (I don’t know if the servers for multiplayer are even up anymore). You get to feel like one of the Emperor’s Angels of Death first hand.

The game plays as you think you should as a Space Marine, his movements have weight and you’re not leaping about defying that movement. Your footsteps and rolls feel like a heavily armoured giant amongst men should. When using a jetpack and shooting into the air, you smash down on your enemies with such force that weight is still felt. It just such a treat to play this again.

Rating: 🎮🎮🎮🎮🎮