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

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2: A Deep Dive Review (Steam Deck & PS5)

Many have eagerly awaited Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 for years. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, sparking an interest in the broader 40k universe and leading me to titles like Boltgun and Rogue Trader. A prior Steam Deck playthrough of the original Space Marine piqued my curiosity for the sequel. After its impressive reveal, I was keen to experience Space Marine 2.

Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours across my Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and testing online functionality. This review is ongoing for two reasons: a complete assessment requires thorough cross-platform multiplayer testing, and official Steam Deck support is planned for later this year.

Given Space Marine 2's stunning visuals and cross-progression, I was eager to see how it performed on the Steam Deck. The results are mixed, and this review will detail 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 shots are from my PS5 playthrough. Testing used Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

Space Marine 2 is a visceral third-person shooter that's brutal, beautiful, and fun, even for 40k newcomers. A concise tutorial introduces combat and movement before you reach the Battle Barge hub. Here, you select missions, game modes, customize your appearance, and more.

The gameplay is exceptional, with controls and weapons feeling perfectly tuned. While some may favor ranged combat, I found the melee incredibly satisfying. The executions are thrilling, and mowing down hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes is consistently engaging. The campaign is enjoyable solo or with friends in co-op, though I found defense missions less appealing.

Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget 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 hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to modernize the original game's campaign.

My 40k experience stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Despite this, Space Marine 2 is a refreshing and one of my favorite co-op experiences in years. While it's too early to declare it my favorite 40k game, the Operations mode, class variety, and progression keep me hooked.

While full launch testing with random players is needed, my co-op experience has been superb. I eagerly anticipate testing the online functionality further once cross-platform play is fully live.

Visually, Space Marine 2 is stunning on both PS5 (4K on my 1440p monitor) and Steam Deck. The environments are breathtaking, and the sheer number of enemies, detailed textures, and lighting effects create a vibrant world. This is further enhanced by exceptional voice acting and extensive customization options.

The single-player photo mode allows adjustments to frames, expressions, characters, FOV, and more. On Steam Deck, some effects suffer at lower resolutions with FSR 2. However, the PS5 photo mode is exceptional.

The audio is equally impressive. While the music isn't groundbreaking, the voice acting and sound design are top-tier. The soundtrack complements the gameplay perfectly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

My Steam Deck experience allows me to comment on the PC port features. Epic Online Services are installed, but account linking isn't mandatory. Graphics options include display mode, resolution, render resolution, quality presets (Balanced, Performance, Ultra Performance), upscaling (TAA, FSR 2), dynamic resolution target, V-sync, brightness, motion blur, FPS limit, and detailed quality settings.

DLSS and FSR 2 are supported, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. I anticipate significant Steam Deck benefits from this. 16:10 support would be a welcome addition.

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 on my Steam Deck, but disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive triggers are supported, and button remapping is available. My DualSense controller (Bluetooth) displayed PlayStation prompts and supported adaptive triggers wirelessly – a noteworthy feature.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

I experienced some initial freezing on default Proton, but Proton GE 9-9 ran smoothly. While technically playable without configuration changes, the Steam Deck struggles to handle the game optimally.

At 1280x800 (16:9), using the low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, the game frequently dips below 30fps, even at lower resolutions. While dynamic upscaling helps, frame rate drops remain an issue. The game also sometimes fails to exit cleanly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer

Online play works flawlessly on Steam Deck. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were smooth, aside from minor internet-related disconnections. Further testing with random players is planned for the full launch.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features

Performance mode on PS5 is largely excellent, though not a locked 60fps. Dynamic resolution/upscaling causes occasional blurriness during intense combat. Load times are fast, and PS5 Activity Cards are supported. Gyro support is currently absent.

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

Cross-progression between Steam and PS5 functioned well in my pre-release experience, with a two-day cooldown between syncs. I'm awaiting confirmation on whether this cooldown persists in the final build.

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

This question requires further testing with the full launch's online population. I'll update this review after experiencing matchmaking in Operations (PvE) and Eternal War (PvP) modes.

Desired Future Updates and Patches

Post-launch support is expected. Key improvements include enhanced Steam Deck performance and HDR support. Haptic feedback on PS5 would also be a welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for Game of the Year. While full online testing is pending, the gameplay is superb, and the visuals and audio are exceptional across platforms. I currently don't recommend it for Steam Deck due to performance issues, but it's highly recommended on PS5. A final score will follow after further multiplayer testing and post-launch patches.

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