Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 puts players in control of one of the legendary Space Marines as they face off against monstrous enemies. Looking to build upon the pre-existing grim sci-fi universe, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is an upcoming video game set in this very dark world.
The developers at Saber Interactive had doubts about the faithful portrayal of Space Warriors, warriors clad in massive powered armor suits. The main constraint was to make them believable and place them in-between clunky and too fast. For this, they found inspiration in a fan-made Warhammer 40K film, Astartes.
Astartes Comes to the Rescue of Space Marine 2
While Hollywood has yet to capture the true essence of a Space Marine, the answer to this problem came from a limited-budget film with a deep understanding of the warriors, entitled, Astartes as it comes to the rescue.
Astartes is a fan-made animation created by Syama Pedersen. The short film has become the gold standard for portraying these iconic warriors in the Warhammer 40K universe. In an interview for IGN, Saber Interactive creative director Oliver Hollis-Leick said that he was impressed by Astartes.
“when they move it’s straight away like they’re predatory animals”.
The film became so popular it became a canon in the games. However, it did even more. Astartes’ popularity stems from capturing the core of a Space Marine. It avoids the pitfall of a clunky, cartoonish look. Instead, the animations in the film look like they came from a high-budget box office hit.
More importantly, the animation successfully portrays the immense power of the Marines, with the heavy thud of their boots echoing through corridors. When the fight erupts, these warriors quickly turn from lumbering giants into swift shooters.
The Game Will Feature the Brilliance of Astartes
While Astartes served as a visual inspiration for Space Marines portrayal, it was challenging to implement this and maintain responsive gameplay.
To achieve this, Saber Interactive went further and deeper into the problem. They brought Jes Goodwin, the original artist of Space Marines for Warhammer 40K, who revealed some details of the Space Marine armor, including the magnetically suspended shoulder pads that allow for surprising agility despite the immense weight.
With this knowledge and visual inspiration from Astartes, Saber Interactive created a movement system for Space Marine 2 that is right for the lore and right for the players with gameplay that isn’t clunky or too fast.
Thanks to unquestionable dedication from Saber Interactive developers, the upcoming Space Marine 2 is set to deliver an authentic Space Marine experience. With its release scheduled for September 9, 2024, fans are already gearing up for the role of the legendary lieutenant of the Ultramarines chapter, Titus, the returning protagonist from the first game.
What are your thoughts on this solution? Are you excited and ready to dive into the grim Warhammer 40K universe and hack and slash through hordes of Tyranids in the 42nd millennium? Let us know in the comments.
