Space Marine would be far less frustrating if it weren’t obvious that Relic truly loves the Warhammer 40,000 setting.
I’m not a huge 40K fan, but I really wanted to like this game. Even in spite of this review, I can’t say the experience wasn’t often entertaining.
But the most damning thing I can say about Space Marine is what it really inspired in me, in the end, was a desperate desire for a good Imperial Guard game. (Ciaphas Cain would be nice.) For reference, the Imperial Guard is the force you largely spend the entire game saving. When you’re more interested in the redshirts than the protagonists, something is wrong.