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. Intrigued, I briefly sampled the original Space Marine on my Steam Deck. The recent reveal of Space Marine 2 heightened my anticipation, prompting a thorough examination across both Steam Deck and PS5.

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, leveraging cross-progression and online multiplayer. This review remains a work in progress due to two key factors: a complete assessment requires extensive cross-platform multiplayer testing, and Focus and Saber are actively developing official Steam Deck support, slated for release 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 keen to see how it performed on Valve's handheld. The results are a mixed bag, which I'll detail below, covering 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 using Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

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

The core gameplay is exceptional; controls and weaponry feel perfectly balanced. While some may favor ranged combat, I found immense satisfaction in visceral melee encounters. The execution animations are consistently engaging, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes remains satisfying. The campaign is enjoyable solo or with friends in co-op, although I found defense missions somewhat less compelling.

Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on Xbox 360-era co-op shooters – a genre rarely seen at this scale today. It captivated me similarly to Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I sincerely hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to modernize the original game's campaign.

My Warhammer 40,000 knowledge stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 offers a refreshing experience, ranking among my favorite co-op games in years. While it's premature to declare it my favorite 40k title, the addictive nature of Operations mode with a friend, coupled with class variety and progressive unlocks, keeps me hooked.

While I haven't extensively tested online multiplayer with random players yet, my co-op experience has been outstanding. I eagerly anticipate testing the full online functionality with cross-play and cross-platform capabilities.

Visually, on both PS5 and Steam Deck, the game is a stunning achievement. On PS5 in 4K mode (played on a 1440p monitor), the visuals are breathtaking. Environments are incredibly detailed, and the sheer number of enemies, coupled with exceptional texture work and lighting, creates a truly immersive experience. This is further enhanced by superb voice acting and extensive customization options, allowing for significant creative expression.

A photo mode, accessible in single-player, offers extensive customization options for framing, expressions, character visibility, FOV, and more. However, on the Steam Deck with FSR 2 and lower resolutions, some effects appear less polished. The PS5 photo mode, however, is exceptional.

The audio design is equally impressive. While the music, while good, isn't memorable enough for repeated listening outside the game, the voice acting and sound design are top-tier.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port, while primarily tested on Steam Deck, offers a comprehensive range of graphics settings. Upon launch, Epic Online Services installs, but account linking isn't mandatory.

Graphics options include display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), resolution upscaling (TAA, 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, volumetric effects, details, and cloth simulation.

DLSS and FSR 2 are supported, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. I anticipate significant performance gains on Steam Deck with FSR 3. 16:10 support is also hoped for in a future update.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game supports keyboard and mouse, along with full 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. My DualSense controller (Bluetooth) displayed PlayStation button prompts and supported adaptive triggers wirelessly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

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

At 1280x800 (16:9), using the low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, a locked 30fps is unattainable, with frequent dips into the mid-20s, and even lower during intense combat. Even at lower resolutions, frame rates fall below 30fps. This isn't ideal for such a demanding title. I hope future optimization allows for consistent 30fps performance. Over 10 hours of gameplay on my Steam Deck OLED, this hasn't been achieved.

Dynamic upscaling targeting 30fps, with the low preset, yields better results, but still drops to the low 20s frequently. The visual quality remains good on the Deck's screen, but the game currently pushes the handheld's limits. The game also occasionally fails to exit cleanly, requiring manual closure.

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

Online multiplayer functionality on Steam Deck is excellent. Testing with a friend in Canada yielded a smooth co-op experience. The only issues encountered were minor internet-related disconnections, likely due to pre-release server instability. 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 largely positive, though a locked 60fps isn't consistently achieved. Dynamic resolution or upscaling seems to be in use, resulting in occasional blurriness during large-scale combat. Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Card support is available. Gyro support is currently absent.

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

Cross-save progression between Steam and PS5 is functional, although a two-day cooldown period exists between platform syncs. I've contacted Focus to clarify if this cooldown will remain in the final build.

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

A definitive answer requires further testing of online matchmaking in Operations (PvE) and Eternal War (PvP) modes, with random players. Eternal War mode remains untested at this time.

Desired Features for Future Updates

Post-launch support is expected, and I hope to see proper HDR support to enhance the already impressive visuals. Haptic feedback on the DualSense controller would also be a welcome addition. The blog post mentions haptics are not included at launch, suggesting future implementation.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for Game of the Year. While further online multiplayer testing is needed, the gameplay is exceptional, and the visuals and audio are superb across both platforms. I currently do not recommend playing on Steam Deck due to performance limitations, but the PS5 version is highly recommended. A full review with a final score will follow after more extensive multiplayer testing and patch updates.

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