Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Previews
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The Warhammer 40,000 universe is rich and diverse, and Relic is amping up the set pieces in accordance. One mission begins with the player providing fire support from a Valkyrie, shooting down a squadron of Ork flyers those are Orks in jetpacks, of course, flanked by their grinning, 19th Century aircraft designs before they literally tear the wings off friendly aircraft.
Another sees one of said dropships attacking a flatbed freight train: following an explosive stand-off, the ship falls from the air, crashing into the rear compartment of the train and throwing it down the track, arcing toward the player with venomous intent before falling just short. We took a sharp intake of breath as it unfolded. Our Space Marine avatar just shrugged it off.
And then Total Video Games chimes in, as well:
It's a breathlessly fast intro and before long, the ship is shot down, with our Space Marine hero hanging from the fuselage as the craft swoops low enough for a safe landing on the ground, conveniently at the gate to an Ork stronghold. The Valkyrie itself isn't so fortunate however, crashing in the distance in a plume of fire and smoke. It's immediately apparent that there's no cover system in Space Marine, as you're already wearing a ton of armour far more impenetrable than any wall. Hiding behind cover would both mar the Space Marine fantasy and slow down the pace of the gameplay too, which involves getting stuck in with a torrent of bullets or brandishing your melee chain-sword or power fist rather than staying entrenched in cover and engaging in back and forth fire-fights.
Running at the Ork forces, the camera zooms out when you draw your melee weapon, enabling you to get a perfect view as you carve up enemies with no shortage of flying limbs, blood and viscera. The game's melee system won't be a last resort, but a viable combat option instead and mixing shooting with close-quarters sword swipes is seamless, as the camera snaps between melee and aiming perspectives without missing a beat. There are also context sensitive execution moves, such as grabbing an Ork, throwing it to the ground and stomping on its head or sawing an enemy in half across the waist, and they're suitably gory as you'd expect.
