The Warhammer universe has exploded in popularity over the past few years, largely thanks to the Total War: Warhammer series successfully adapting the Warhammer Fantasy tabletop game into a real-time strategy behemoth. However, on the sci-fi side of the franchise, Warhammer 40,000, things were looking a bit bleaker. Aside from the hidden gem that was the original Space Marine, there were few high-budget attempts to adapt the grim darkness of the far future into a compelling video game. That all changed at The Game Awards 2021, which featured a reveal trailer for a sequel 10 years in the making: Space Marine II.
Warhammer 40K takes place in the 41st millennium, where the galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man is perpetually on the brink of collapse. Faced with threats from various alien races, horrific interdimensional monstrosities and its own corruption, the Imperium is barely held together by the worship of the God-Emperor. The legions of soldiers who struggle to defend humanity are bolstered by its greatest warriors, the Space Marines. These supersoldiers serve as the face of 40K and, as its name suggests, are the stars of the new game.
Space Marine II's Setting Is Appropriately Grim
The trailer opens with three Thunderhawk Gunships roaring through the skies of a city with typically gothic Imperial architecture that is crawling with chittering insectoid aliens. These are the Tyranids, a hive-mind race that is constantly evolving as its fleets travel from planet to planet, consuming all available biomass and leaving a desiccated husk behind. The forces of the Astra Militarum, the standard soldiers of the Imperium, barely stand a chance against these overwhelming odds. We see a comms officer desperately relay the situation to command, just as one of the gunships descends.
Thunderhawks are the dedicated aerial transports of the Adeptus Astartes, more commonly known as Space Marines. Three marines drop from the gunship to face off against the Tyranids as the Militarum guardsmen look on in awe. Given that the Imperium has an uncountable number of citizens spread amongst the stars, most people go their whole lives never seeing a Space Marine in person. They are given an almost religious significance, with many seeing them as the God-Emperor 's angels, and we hear one of the guardsmen refer to them as such.
Space Marine II's Heroes Look the Part
Armed with bolters and chain swords, the three marines begin butchering their way through the Tyranids. While it's exciting that players will be able to wield such iconic weapons, we can glean much more detail from the Astartes' armor. Space Marine armor is decorated with heraldry based on a marine's chapter, rank and combat history. The three in the trailer belong to the Ultramarines, a chapter known for its love of blue and gold as well as its flexibility in combat.
Each chapter displays rank differently, but Ultramarines do it through helmet markings. The leader of these marines is a lieutenant, which is denoted by the red and white stripes he sports. We also get a peek at the red helmet worn by another marine, indicating that he is a sergeant. Another detail lies in the pattern of the armor itself: each marine wears Mark X Tacticus armor, which is exclusive to those who have passed through the Rubicon Primaris and given extra implants to aid them in combat.
Space Marine II's Protagonist Returns From the First Game
The trailer closes with the Ultramarine lieutenant removing his helmet to reveal none other than Titus, the protagonist of the original Space Marine. The studs implanted in his forehead are a common practice amongst all chapters, as each represents a full century of service. Titus only had two service studs in the first game, but he has four in the trailer, indicating the sequel will be set long after the original.
Titus was also a captain in the first game, but players familiar with its plot may not be surprised to see he was demoted. Interestingly, Titus' blade is attached to his arm with a chain, a practice observed by marines of the Black Templars chapter. A few Templars appear at the end of Space Marine, so perhaps Titus spent some time serving alongside them in the 200 years that separate the games.
We only see the briefest snippets of gameplay at the end of the trailer, but as long as it builds on an already solid gameplay foundation, Space Marine II is set to be an excellent 40K game with all of the tiny details that fans love about the setting. Hopefully, it can serve the same role for 40K as Total War: Warhammer did for Warhammer Fantasy, introducing new fans to a universe that deserves far more attention.