Space Marine 2's Steam Deck Port Impresses, Play it on PC for Now

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

For years, anticipation for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been building. My own journey began with Total War: Warhammer, leading me to explore the wider 40k universe, including Boltgun and Rogue Trader. A brief Steam Deck playthrough of the original Space Marine piqued my interest, setting the stage for my extensive experience with the sequel. Over the past week, I've logged approximately 22 hours across Steam Deck and PS5, leveraging cross-progression and online play. This review, however, remains a work in progress for two key reasons: thorough evaluation necessitates comprehensive cross-platform multiplayer testing and the developers, Focus and Saber, are actively working on official Steam Deck support, slated for release by year's end.

The initial Steam Deck experience, enhanced by the game's cross-progression, fueled my curiosity. This review covers 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 utilized Proton GE 9-9 and Proton Experimental.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers a visceral third-person shooter experience—brutal, visually stunning, and immensely enjoyable, even for 40k newcomers. A concise yet effective tutorial introduces core combat and movement mechanics before depositing you on your Battle Barge hub. Here, you manage missions, game modes, customize your appearance, and more.

The core gameplay is exceptional. Weapon and control responsiveness are spot-on. While ranged combat is viable, I found myself captivated by the brutal melee combat. The visceral execution animations and the satisfying decimation of hordes of enemies before facing tougher foes never grew old. The campaign is engaging solo or with friends in co-op, although I found the defense missions less compelling.

Playing with a friend overseas, Space Marine 2 felt like a high-budget, modern take on the co-op shooters of the Xbox 360 era—a genre rarely seen with such production value today. It hooked me as thoroughly as Earth Defense Force or Gundam Breaker 4. I sincerely hope Saber and Focus collaborate with SEGA to revitalize the original game's campaign.

My Warhammer 40,000 experience stems primarily from Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War, Boltgun, and Rogue Trader. Nevertheless, Space Marine 2 offers a refreshing and highly enjoyable co-op experience, ranking among my favorites in years. While it's too early to declare it my ultimate 40k game, the addictive nature of Operations mode with a friend, combined with the diverse classes and unlock progression, keeps me returning for more.

My co-op experience so far has been outstanding, though further testing with random players post-launch is needed for a complete assessment. I eagerly anticipate testing the full online functionality with cross-platform play and cross-progression enabled.

Visually, the game shines on both PS5 (4K mode on my 1440p monitor) and Steam Deck. The environments are breathtaking, 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 creative self-expression.

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

The audio design is a standout feature. While the music is good, it hasn't reached the level of memorability to warrant repeated listening outside the game. However, the voice acting and overall sound design are top-tier.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Graphics Options

The PC port, tested on Steam Deck, boasts extensive graphics options. Epic Online Services are integrated, but account linking isn't mandatory. Options include display settings, display mode (windowed, borderless, fullscreen), resolution, render resolution, quality presets (quality, balanced, performance, ultra performance), resolution upscaling (TAA, FSR 2 on Steam Deck), dynamic resolution target, v-sync, brightness, motion blur, fps limit, and various quality-related settings. Four presets adjust texture filtering, resolution, shadows, ambient occlusion, reflections, volumetrics, effects, details, and cloth simulation. DLSS and FSR 2 are supported at launch, with FSR 3 planned post-launch. I hope for future 16:10 support.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PC Control Options

The game supports keyboard and mouse, along with comprehensive controller support. Initially, PlayStation button prompts didn't display on Steam Deck by default; disabling Steam Input resolved this. Adaptive trigger support is present; disabling Steam Input revealed this option. Keybindings are fully remapable. The DualSense controller, via Bluetooth, displays PlayStation prompts and supports adaptive triggers wirelessly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Performance

While technically playable on Steam Deck without configuration, performance is currently suboptimal. At 1280x800 (16:9), low preset with FSR 2.0 at Ultra Performance, a locked 30fps isn't consistently achievable. Frequent dips into the 20s occur, especially during intense combat. Even lower resolutions result in sub-30fps performance. I hope future optimizations allow for consistent 30fps gameplay. The game also occasionally fails to exit cleanly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck Multiplayer

Online multiplayer functions flawlessly on Steam Deck. Co-op sessions with a friend in Canada were successful. Minor internet-related disconnections were experienced, but these are likely pre-release server issues.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 PS5 Features

The PS5 experience, in performance mode, is mostly excellent, though a locked 60fps isn't maintained. Dynamic resolution scaling is apparent. Load times are rapid, and PS5 Activity Cards support is included. Gyro support is currently absent.

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

Cross-save functionality between Steam and PS5 is currently operational, with a two-day cooldown period between platform syncs. The final build's behavior remains to be confirmed.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Solo Play Value

A definitive assessment of solo play value requires further testing with random players post-launch. Eternal War (PvP) mode remains untested.

Desired Future Features

Future updates should prioritize improved Steam Deck performance and HDR support. Haptic feedback would be a welcome addition.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a strong contender for Game of the Year. While full multiplayer testing is pending, the gameplay is exceptional, and the visuals and audio are superb. On PS5, it's highly recommended. Steam Deck performance currently hinders a recommendation, pending optimization. A final score will follow comprehensive multiplayer testing and patch updates.

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