Space Marine the game, where to begin? There is some difference in thought, but most people state it’s a good game. Which in my book is true, but here is my problem. The game in all its glory is in fact shallow in it’s depth. While playing the game you can enjoy it fair enough, but for me there is a small anger in how things had been handled. Now a warning this is from the view of a person who has played nearly all 40K games and has many armies for Table Top, of course what is mentioned is by that my own thoughts. (Warning Possible Spoilers)
I’ll take a bite of my proverbial Apple in this game; it’s got great options and different ways to play it. First off the single player campaign is large, it brings the 40K game closer to everyone’s playing field, it’s balanced and it offers grand open images which provide you also with sounds to support where you are. This for many does help us feel closer to the world some of us have enjoyed in different forms, be it by table top, computer game like Dawn of War or for some Firewarrior.
Now I will admit I enjoy the game, I have had fun to such an extent I have found myself playing even when I told myself I would play something else. Single player and Multiplayer, both are well thought out and very much playable with much joy to have. Now here is my problem with the game, although it’s fun and well done, it is not MY Space Marine game, in fact it’s not even in my book a good representation of 40K in general. So many flaws in this gem, they scream to me, they haunt me and in some ways they take the fun a little out of it.
I am a bit picky on what I play, I don’t play all games, but I will admit I have more games I own then I should. What I can’t admit is that this game is a good representation of the 40K universe. Too much was sacrificed for balance reasons. Too much given far too little thought or possibly too much thought.
Where to begin? Well first off take every weapon in this game down to even the Lasguns and pretty much throw them out the window. Not a single weapon is an appropriate example of either fluff or table top representation. Each has been exchanged for balance reasons, which is great, but I would have hoped a more true to book representation would be provided, some sort of 40K rule book feel, even if balance is somewhat broken. Sadly not the case, all the weapons do not act or function how they do normally (normally referring to the table top rules or at least some sort of fluff support).
Now to get to another problem I have, every single person has a personal force field? Are you joking? That’s nice for balance, but that throws every ounce of fluff and rules out there. The force fields either side can get are for only the highest level guys and in no way common (for Space Marines and Chaos that is) troops get. Yes Rubic has this, but that would be far different. It drives me mad, and then given a Havok/Devastator Iron Halo/Icon(not even going to touch that part) just throws even more jokes in the fire.
Now to get into Single Player, oh boy, such oddities show up here. First off the reverence IG soldiers give to Space Marines is perfect and matches 40K. That does not help the later parts that show up though, the Space Marine Weapons holders is stupid and not something done. No Space Marine Chapter would allow even a forge world to keep their weapons in status on their planet and not in their own armory, and that gets to my other problem, why are there all these Space Marine weapons scattered all over, even in the bloody sewers in buckets! I know it’s a forge world, but Space Marine gear is revered as much as the Space Marines themselves. Where such a Astera Bolter is near impossible to get a hold of for an Inquisitor YET they are backed all over the place like a fat boys candy RIGHT next to Canadian Soldiers?! Then add in when they even go so far to add in a Forge World Magis, he sounds like a spoiled brat who wants to be honored for his rank, not the logical machine (most parts even brain parts taken away) that a Magis normally is.
And now we get to the Captain himself, the great guy he is, he’s a HORRIBLE Captain. They are there to lead from the front, or at least give guidance, yet this back water of a Captain ( I question his rank Captain even) has so far only one point talked to any other squads which are under his command, once to tell them to drop what they are doing and baby sit what he doesn’t want to. This is the sole time you see him order his men and giving out general function, instead he’s acting like a sergeant in function and role to a group of three… This just does not make any sense.
What others have said about the Orks is true and I will not repeat it here, it’s Orks without being Orky.
The multiplayer is fun, as long as you shut off your 40K fluff and memory.
All in all, fun, very fun, but this is an Man in suit of Armour Orange, not my Space Marine Apple. Aren’t you glad I didn’t say Banana?
