THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND APPROVES

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 puts you right in the middle of the Imperium's most brutal battles, and it does so with an unapologetic embrace of its own absurdity.

Developer Saber Interactive doesn't waste time on subtle storytelling or moral quandaries; this is about jumping into hulking power armour, grabbing the biggest weapon you can find, and smashing xenos into a messy pulp. If that's your idea of fun, you're in for a wild ride.

The game kicks off with a tutorial that might feel a bit slow.

You're introduced as a Deathwatch Marine, but before long, the helmet comes off, and surprise you're actually Captain Titus, returning from the first Space Marine game way back in 2011.

Once you're past the early hand-holding, the game opens up into a festival of carnage.

There's not much in the way of a plot here, just a series of escalating fights against Tyranids and Chaos Space Marines. Melee combat is the star of the show, and you'll find yourself gleefully swapping between a thunder hammer, chain sword, and power sword, each offering a different flavour of violence.

The ranged weapons, while competent, often take a back seat to the up-close-and-personal brutality.

The weighty feel of every swing, every shot, makes combat feel satisfying.

Smashing a Tyranid's skull with a thunder hammer or slicing through a horde with a chainsword never gets old. The heavy bolt rifle became my preferred ranged choice, but I found some of the other options less compelling.