It was recently announced thatSpace Marine 2will be getting a full sequel. Even though I wouldn’t say I’m fully done withSpace Marine 2just yet, the prospect ofSpace Marine 3is still exciting. TheWarhammer 40,000universe has a lot of potential for exploring interesting worlds and narratives, and I can’t wait to see what they do for the next game. While I know exactly what I’d like to see in the next game, I’m not entirely sure if it’s a realistic possibility based on what has been said about the game so far.
WhileWarhammer 40,000is a fictional setting with a lot of potential, the major games in the franchise tend to focus heavily on the Imperium of Man, and I can understand why. The Imperium may be zealots and fascists, but they are still probably the most relatable faction inWarhammer 40,000by the virtue of them being human. Still, I can’t help but wish thatSpace Marine 3could branch out, at least a little bit, from focusing so heavily on the Imperium and their stories.
Space Marine 3 Should Focus On A New Style Of Marine
Space Marine 3 Should Feature Chaos Space Marines With Special Powers
Now, to say there are noWarhammer 40Kgamesthat focus on factions besides the Imperium isn’t true; it’s basically impossible given the sheer number of them. However, while games likeWarhammer 40,000: Rites of Warfollowed other factions,big AAA affairs likeSpace Marine 2andWarhammer 40,000:Darktidehave stuck with the Imperium. Even when a game likeWarhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2includes other playable factions, the story mode is still typically dedicated to the Imperial ones.Space Marine 2could break this mold by focusing on a new type of Space Marine.
Chaos Space Marines are traitors to the Imperium that worship the Chaos Gods. These factions often have unique appearances and abilities, such as the Thousand Sons' psyker powers or the Death Guard, who spread rot and decay with the help of their patron god Nurgle.Focusing on a Chaos Space Marine faction forSpace Marine 3would allow the game to tread new groundthat wasn’t possible to explore inSpace Marine 2due to its focus on the loyalist Ultramarines.
Space Marine 2 Has Already Tackled Most Things Space Marines Can Do
Space Marine 2is essentially the perfect game for playing a Space Marine. It is comprehensive in capturing the abilities and weaponbuilds of Space Marines, from standard fare like Boltguns to more specialized equipment like Jump Packs and Power Swords. The game is so thorough in its exploration of what a Space Marine is capable of, it’s hard to imagine whatSpace Marine 3could really add to make it much better.
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 - Exfiltration Mission Walkthrough
The ninth PvE Operation in Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2, “Exfiltration,” sees you track down a Tech-Priest on a remote world for various rewards.
Now, yes, there are still some iconicWarhammer 40,000weapons that have yet to appear inSpace Marine 2. As a Salamanders player, I have noted the lack of Heavy Flamer in the game, and I’m just as disappointed about it as anyone else. Still, the idea ofgetting an entirely newSpace Marinegame just to add a few weapons that are missing fromSpace Marine 2’s arsenal feels like a wasteto me. If we’re getting an entirely new (likely full-priced) game, I would want to see it go in a completely new direction in terms of mechanics.
Focusing on Chaos Space Marines would allowSpace Marine 3to introduce new combat abilitieslike psyker powers. This could allow for some interesting new mechanics and fun team compositions ifSpace Marine 3allowed players to choose from multiple Chaos chapters. Even ifSpace Marine 3decides to stick with the Imperium, it would be nice to have a playable Grey Knight character that would allow us to use new powers. Still, I think Chaos Space Marines have more potential, both mechanically and narratively.
Chaos Space Marines Would Allow For A Brand New Type Of Story
A Chaos Story Could Focus On A New Setting In The Universe
Space Marine 2did a good job showing off the unique culture of the Imperium of Man through Titus' story, and I would love to seeSpace Marine 2do the same for a Chaos chapter of Space Marines. Learning more about Chaos from an internal perspective would also play up one of my favorite aspects ofWarhammer 40K, which is getting to play the villain. As there are no virtuous factions inWarhammer 40K, you basically get to choose your flavor of evil, andChaos has always been one of the most exciting options.
D&D Publisher Teams With Space Marine 2 Publisher On New AAA Video Game
Hasbro is teaming up with Saber Interactive to make a new video game based on Hasbro’s “tentpole” IPs, which could point to a new D&D video game.
Focusing on Chaos Space Marines could also open up the series to explore some new enemies. Instead of pitting Chaos Marines against the Imperium, we could get a game that focuses on a conflict between them and another faction like the T’au. Similar to how the Imperium of Man feels more relatable than the Tyranids, Chaos Space Marines would feel more human than Necrons. However, as much as I’d like to see this type of game,it doesn’t seem to be the plan as of now.
This Doesn’t Seem Like The Type Of Change Coming In Space Marine 3
Space Marine 3 Will Likely Still Focus On Titus
The easiest indication thatSpace Marine 3won’t have us playing as Chaos Space Marines is theending ofSpace Marine 2.It seems pretty clear from the game’s cliffhanger ending that Titus' story isn’t overjust yet. While it would be an excellent plot twist to reveal that the reason Titus is resistant to the Warp is that he is secretly a Chaos sleeper agent, I don’t see that being very likely. There is possibly the potential that Titus could be corrupted by Chaos in the game, but based on comments aboutSpace Marine 3,I don’t think it’s likely.
Is Space Marine 2 Worth Playing If You Don’t Know Warhammer 40K Lore?
Space Marine 2 seems really connected with Warhammer 40K Lore, so is it worth playing if you don’t know anything about the series first?
It has already been announced thatSpace Marine 3will feature larger-scale battles thanSpace Marine 2. With this being a major focus for the development team, it seems unlikely that they would want to also redevelop the basic gameplay around playing as a Chaos Space Marine. It seems more likely that we will be sticking with Titus and the Ultramarines, allowing the devs to focus more on ramping up the scale of the game’s conflicts. While I’m not exactly disappointed thatSpace Marine 3will have massive battles, I still think I’d rather more novel combat mechanics.
