While the comparisons with Gears of War still stand, Space Marine does well to propel itself away from Epic's series. I was treated to a number of levels, many of which left me wanting more when the snippet concluded. My opening journey launched me into trenches, battling an army of Orks that wanted to cause as much havoc as possible. Armed with a pistol that packed a meaty punch, the blood started splattering everywhere. Relic deliberately make the player feel stronger than their grunt-like enemies, as in the early stages, the Orks combat their relative weakness with an excess of numbers. As the useless enemies start to subside, Space Marine quickly puts forth a pretty intense challenge.
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| Jason Statham has been working hard across the summer... |
No doubt that toughest part of the game I experienced came from a boss battle. In the lead up to this encounter, numerous objectives had to be completed, all of which kept the campaign progressing at a breakneck speed. Space Marine doesn't give you time to sit around and think about your attack, it forces you to go in all guns blazing. If you don't, your foes will quickly overrun and suffocate. The aforementioned boss battle provided the perfect testimony to this theory. Without giving away the juicy details, a giant Ork had us leaping from side-to-side in a bid to miss his incoming threat. Most of the time, one swipe of his crinkly old hand sent us packing. Throw in the fact he calls upon dozens of his minions, and you have yourself a difficult meeting.
The vast amounts of enemies aren't there for show, not by a long shot. They provide the perfect opportunity for players to get stuck in, something I took great pleasure in doing. Each weapon provides a satisfying thud on opponents, and grenades send orks flying in all directions. Once you've cleaned out an area, you can look back and witness the carnage. Dead bodies litter the floor, a perfect reminder that Space Marine isn't afraid of getting messy. Alongside your trusty guns (of which you can carry four), you're also provided with a melee weapon that will carve through the relentlessly appearing critters. This close combat is hugely important, as stunning enemies and then executing them provides the most entertaining way of boosting your health. In the midst of a raging battle, utilising this method is the only way you'll survive.
On the multiplayer side of things, I spent numerous hours bashing in the skulls of other journalists, whilst they quickly returned the favour. There's no doubt that the vast amount of customisation options on offer here stole the show. Both the Space Marine and Chaos classes can be customised to full effect. If you stick a group of twenty adult men into a room, it's amazing how many decide to kit their character out in pink attire. It's just a shame that the maps aren't particularly inspired, as their dull, lifeless settings lack the creativity that I expect to see from each players' marines when the full game is released. With this in mind, only a few maps were available to try during my time with the title.
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| Although cover is needed at times, you won't need to stick and run like in Gears of War |
Alongside the generous customisation options, there's plenty of weapons and perks to work your way through. Although most weapons were well balanced, the jet-pack/power sword combination was extremely difficult to overcome. I'd like to see Relic tweak the amount of damage this inflicts, as you're pretty much guaranteed to die if you receive the first hit. Despite one or two minor balancing issues, both the “Annihilation” and “Seize The Ground” modes ran swimmingly.
If my time with Space Marine is anything to go by, it should definitely be on your radar. Time spent with the single-player campaign was enjoyed thoroughly, and the multiplayer is a complete blast. The fruitful customisation options also seem worthy of your time, as there's plenty of fun to be had by making your ultimate warrior. As if there wasn't enough titles to get excited about in the next few weeks, Space Marine looks to have firmly stamped it's name onto the list. When the final version rolls round, I wouldn't be surprised if it shows itself as the sleeper hit of 2011.
Top Gaming Moment: Experimenting with the character customisation in multiplayer.
