When it spawns a few rocket troopers who stand back and pelt you with missiles, Titus can go down easily. Space Marine doesn't do a great job of warning you of imminent death. It's smarter to dice through the main mob first, riding your last chunk of health, then isolate one foe off in a corner to eviscerate him. If you take the time to execute that Khorne Bloodletter, you might recoup some lost health – but chances are his friends will jab you to death with their swords before the animation's over. It's a trade-off that forces you to weigh up risk and reward. Titus's shield repairs itself after a short respite, but his health won't recharge without him getting his hands dirty. As well as being so grimly over the top I wasn't sure whether I should be clapping or retching, the executions provide health regeneration. Or kick them in the ribs, wheel around and break their back with his hammer. Or pick them up, hurl them to the ground, and stamp on their head so hard it pops. Press E on a reeling foe and Titus will jab his chainsaw down their throat and open their skull. Three times then a tap of F adds an area-ofeffect slam to stun nearby enemies.ĭuring that stun, they're open to Space Marine's glorious execution moves. Each has a slightly different combo animation, but the end results are the same: right-mouse button four times ties four swipes of increasing intensity together. Each weapon feels different in Titus' ham-sized hands: the chainsword is zippy, and cleaves through targets without stickiness the power axe is heavier, and its killing blow is usually a jarring thwack rather than a deft slice. I survived most of these battles by spamming the right mouse button to weave together four-stage attacks.

But the hand-to-hand fights feel so meaty and so good that I didn't mind the simplicity. The jump-pack is rationed in use, but every chance I had to use it began with an audible “YES!” on strapping it on, and an “aww” when the fuel ran out.īack on the ground, the combos aren't complicated, and there's not much nuance to their deployment: the only consideration I had amid the mouse-button spamming was when to unleash Titus's fury meter – a buff to his attacks that's built up by killing enemies. Space Marine gives you a little yellow reticule with which to aim your ultra-slam, and I found myself hanging for a few extra seconds in the air, savouring the oncoming carnage, before launching myself into the fray. Any Dawn of War 2 veterans will know the drill: the pack lets Titus boost high into the air, before crashing into the ground and shattering anyone standing nearby.

Free Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2