Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review (in Progress) – GOTY Contender, but Play It Elsewhere for Now

A Deep Dive into Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – A Steam Deck and PS5 Review in Progress

For years, many Warhammer fans eagerly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore the wider 40k universe, including Boltgun and Rogue Trader. I briefly sampled the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck months ago. Now, having played extensively on PC and console, I'm thrilled to share my impressions of the sequel following its impressive reveal.

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 across my Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and testing online functionality. This review is ongoing for two key reasons: first, a proper assessment necessitates thorough cross-platform multiplayer testing; second, Focus and Saber are committed to official Steam Deck support by year's end.

Having witnessed the game's stunning visuals and gameplay on the Steam Deck, and given the cross-progression feature, I was intensely curious about its handheld performance. This review will cover gameplay, online co-op, visuals, PC port features, PS5 performance, and more. Note: Screenshots with performance overlays are from my Steam Deck OLED; 16:9 screenshots are from my PS5 playthrough. Testing was conducted on Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a third-person action shooter that's simultaneously brutal, visually striking, and incredibly fun, even for newcomers to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces core combat and movement mechanics before you reach your central hub: the Battle Barge. Here, you select missions, game modes, customize your appearance, and more.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is exceptional. Controls and weapons feel perfectly implemented. While some may prefer ranged combat, I found immense satisfaction in the visceral melee combat. The executions are consistently thrilling, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes remains endlessly engaging. The campaign is fantastic solo or with friends in co-op, though I personally found the defense missions less appealing.

Playing with a friend overseas, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on the co-op shooters of the Xbox 360 era – a style rarely seen today. It captivated me in the same way Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4 have, and I sincerely hope Saber and Focus can collaborate with SEGA to revitalize the original game's campaign.

My Warhammer 40,000 experience is primarily rooted in Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 has been a refreshing and highly enjoyable experience, ranking among my favorite co-op games in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite 40k title, this review is a snapshot – I'm eager to continue playing! I'm currently hooked on Operations mode with a friend, experimenting with different classes and steadily progressing through missions and unlocks.

I hesitate to definitively assess the online experience before the full launch with random players, but my initial co-op impressions are outstanding. I eagerly anticipate testing the online functionality this week with cross-progression and cross-platform play enabled.

Visually, on both PS5 and Steam Deck, the game is a stunning achievement. The PS5's 4K mode (played on my 1440p monitor) is breathtaking. While trailers hinted at its beauty, the environments are even more impressive, with a palpable sense of life in the enemy swarms, texture work, and lighting. This is further enhanced by superb voice acting and extensive customization options, allowing for significant creative expression.

A photo mode (available in single-player) offers extensive adjustments to frames, expressions, visible characters, FOV, and more. However, on the Steam Deck, some frames and effects appear suboptimal with FSR 2 and lower resolutions. The PS5 photo mode, conversely, is exceptional.

The music, while good, hasn't quite reached the iconic status of Bolt Thrower's Realm of Chaos (though I understand that might not have been feasible). However, the voice acting and sound design are top-tier. The music effectively complements the in-game experience.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port, while tested only on Steam Deck, boasts a comprehensive suite of features. Epic Online Services are installed upon launch, but account linking isn't mandatory.

Graphics options include adjustments for display mode (windowed, borderless, fullscreen), resolution (800x600 and above), render resolution (native, dynamic), quality presets (quality, balanced, performance, ultra performance), resolution upscaling (TAA or FSR 2 on Steam Deck), dynamic resolution target, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and numerous quality-related settings.

Four presets adjust texture filtering, resolution, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, volumetrics, effects, details, and cloth simulation. DLSS and FSR 2 are included, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. I anticipate significant Steam Deck improvements with FSR 3. 16:10 support would also be a welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game offers keyboard and mouse controls, along with comprehensive controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts didn't display correctly on Steam Deck, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive trigger support is present, further enhanced by disabling Steam Input. Remapping keyboard and mouse controls is also possible. Wireless DualSense support, including adaptive triggers, is a noteworthy feature.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

I experienced some initial freezing (only during startup) on default Proton and Experimental, but Proton GE 9-9 proved stable. While technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration changes, performance is currently suboptimal.

At 1280x800 (16:9) with low settings and FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, maintaining a locked 30fps is challenging, with frequent dips into the mid-20s, and even lower during intense combat. Even lower resolutions struggle to maintain a consistent frame rate. For this type of game, this is far from ideal. I hope future optimizations achieve a stable 30fps.

Dynamic upscaling targeting 30fps, even with low settings, still results in frequent drops to the low 20s. While visually acceptable on the Deck's screen, the game currently pushes the Steam Deck's limits. Improper game exits also sometimes necessitate manual closure.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer Impressions

Importantly, online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck. Testing with a friend in Canada yielded a smooth and enjoyable co-op experience. Internet-related disconnections occurred, but these are expected on pre-release servers. Further testing with random players and friends post-launch is planned.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features – DualSense, Activity Cards, and Performance Mode

Playing on PS5 in performance mode, the experience is mostly excellent. However, a locked 60fps isn't achieved, and dynamic resolution/upscaling seems to be in effect, resulting in noticeable blurriness during intense combat. Despite this, I'm confident in recommending the PS5 version based on my playtime, pending confirmation of cross-platform online functionality.

Fast loading times and PS5 Activity Card support are notable features, enhancing accessibility. Gyro support is currently absent.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Cross-Save Progression

Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 is functional, though a two-day cooldown period exists between platform syncs. I've contacted Focus to confirm if this cooldown remains in the final build.

Is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Worth It for Solo Play Only?

A full assessment requires further testing with random players post-launch. Eternal War (PvP) mode remains untested.

Desired Features for Future Updates

Post-launch updates and DLC are anticipated. My primary wishes are improved Steam Deck performance and HDR support, which would greatly enhance the game's already impressive visuals. Haptic feedback would also be a welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong Game of the Year contender. Pending full online testing with cross-play, the gameplay is superb, and the visuals and audio are exceptional across both platforms. While I don't currently recommend it for Steam Deck, the PS5 version is highly recommended. A full review with a final score will follow after extensive multiplayer testing and post-launch patches.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Review Score: TBA