With the surprise announcement ofWarhammer 40000: Space Marine 3, speculation around the title has gone into overdrive.Space Marine 2was a huge hit that surpassed the original game in every way. It took players into thegrimdark setting of the 41st millennium, where the series hero, Lieutenant Titus, battles the ravenous Tyranids and the Chaos forces of the Thousand Sons.
While little information about the impending sequel has been released, developers have promised it will be bigger and better than its predecessor. WhileSpace Marine 2is currently the best depiction of the40ksetting fans have yet seen, most players would agree there is room for improvement.Space Marine 3promises to be a huge hit for Saber Interactive, and the pressure is now on to deliver an experience like no other.
Campaign Length
Expand on Titus’s Story
Space Marine 2’s campaign can be completed in around 9 -10 hours and revolves around three planets and two enemy factions. While this doesn’t mean the campaign is too short, asSpace Marine 2crafts a fun, action-packed narrative that moves Titus’s story forward,Space Marine 3could build on this with a much longer campaign.
From the mystery surrounding Titus’s Chaos resistance to his less-than-friendly relationship with Ultramarines Chaplin Leandros, there is still a lot of storytelling yet to be told. A longer campaign could craft a bigger narrative while maintaining the action players love.
Expanded Operation Missions
Experience the Setting From Different Perspectives
Space Marine 2’sOperations mode does a good job of presenting unique missions with varied and fun objectives. These missions effectively tie in with the main campaign, with players completing objectives seen off-screen during Titus’s story.
Space Marine 3could expand on this idea further, creating a separate narrative with a deeper story that runs alongside the main campaign. This could highlight other Space Marine chapters beyond the simple cosmetic changes seen in the game and expand the setting even further. Operations could also depict other factions, such as Astra Militarum, Adepta Sororitas, or even Officio Assassinorum agents, who could perform unique objectives alongside the main Space Marine campaign.
The Ongoing Narrative
A Vast Grimdark Setting
Warhammer 40kis a vast and complex setting with countless stories, characters, and enemies. WhileSpace Marine 2does a fantastic job of depicting the size and scale of the grimdark future, there is still plenty of room for more.
Space Marine 3could delve deeper into the setting, depicting different factions within the vast Imperium, such as the Adeptus Custodes, or meeting legendary heroes, such as Primarch Roboute Guilliman. This hugely anticipated sequel has the opportunity to fit more into the ongoing narrative of40k, from contested areas of space such as the Nachmund Gauntlet to ongoing campaigns such as the Pariah Nexus.Space Marine 3should expand on the overall setting, placing Titus directly into the larger story.
Varied Missions
Bring in the Big Guns
WhileSpace Marine 2offers a surprising amount of variety in terms of gameplay, from the fun jump pack sections to its varied PvE operations,Space Marine 3could improve on this even more.
Space Marine 2’smain gameplay loop blends fun hack-and-slash melee combat and action-packed high-powered shooting. However, theWarhammer 40ksetting is filled with diverse anddeadly war machinesthat could be great additions to the sequel. From vast spacefaring battle cruisers to colossal two-legged Titans or heavily armored tanks, these additions would bring even more variety toSpace Marine 3’sgameplay and give players a broader scope of war in the 41st millennium.
Enemy and Boss Variety
More Challenges to Defeat
While the Operations mode hasintroduced several new enemiesand bosses toSpace Marine 2, these are mainly limited to theTyranid faction. Especially in PvE, the only real chaos boss players battle is the Helbrute. While these are always fun encounters,Space Marine 3should expand its enemy variety during the campaign.
Regardless ofSpace Marine 3’schosen villains, every faction inWarhammer 40kis filled with numerous enemies, from towering giants to small horde-like creatures. IfSpace Marine 3has a longer and larger campaign, the variety of enemies and bosses will need to be increased as well. This will keep players more interested throughout a playthrough.
Expansive Levels
Explore the World of 40k
WhileSpace Marine 2’slinear gameplay feels a lot bigger than it is, the game remains a straightforward single-path experience.Space Marine 3has theopportunity to expandon this significantly. The three planets featured in the game hint at vast labyrinths of dank swamps, maze-like buildings, and dark crypts that are yearning to be explored.
WhileSpace Marine 3does not need to be an open-world game, larger levels could expand this element, giving players optional paths to tread or hidden areas to uncover.
PvE Customization
Create a unique Space Marine
Space Marine 2’s Operations mode enjoys the most comprehensive level of customization in the game, with unlockable weapons, perks, and chapter colors available. However, this could be expanded even more inSpace Marine 3. Deeper character, weapon, and armor perks can drastically change every class, giving players even more gameplay variety.
Adding a character creator to personalize the player’s Space Marine would alsoadd another levelof immersion to the game beyond the armor colors. This could also be expanded to the bot allies for single players.
PvP
Expand the Entire Game Mode
PvP inSpace Marine 2is a fun additional way to play the game, but it still feels like an afterthought next to the brilliant campaign and fun Operations mode. With only three game options on release and three small maps to go with them, PvP could be greatly improved.
A larger map could offer bigger games with more players involved. The maps could also be more immersive, connecting with the overall game. The current PvP maps feel separate fromSpace Marine 2’sstory. While players can fully customize their Space Marine’s armor in PvP, the Chaos side has none. OfferingChaos playersmore options for their characters would please many fans in the new game.
