After finally getting the game to work on co-op (make sure your name/ nickname for your friends don't have any special characters), I can safely say that this game is probably up there in the top 3 games of this year. As someone who has only played Rogue Trader in regards to knowing anything about Warhammer, the story isn't confusing at all- it rewards anyone who knows the lore/ played the first SM game very well (see: last chapter's cameos), but doesn't punish those who know nothing about the lore. It definitely gets you into the mindset of a Space Marine, and the last chapter is a hypefest that keeps building to an awesome climax.

The first few missions can be a bit rough, specifically against the tyrannids, though it makes sense lore-wise. The swarming can get overwhelming at times, especially if you're playing single-player as the AI (as of now) don't bother with objectives (battery and chain missions). After a specific mission, the enemies become way easier to handle, though a bit more tanky. Boss fights are really good for a 3rd-person shooter, with one even having multiple phases. Melee can feel a bit clunky at first, but once you get the parry-shot down it flows really well. Guns feel good, with appropriate recoil and 'kick'. For PC players, default keybinds can be a bit awkward, so I would recommend to remap melee and parry to your M4 and M5 if you have them. Collectibles are okay, but can get a bit grindy in regards to upgrades and such.

All in all, a solid 9/10 for me.

The Emperor Protects!

After finally getting the game to work on co-op (make sure your name/ nickname for your friends don't have any special characters), I can safely say that this game is probably up there in the top 3 games of this year. As someone who has only played Rogue Trader in regards to knowing anything about Warhammer, the story isn't confusing at all- it rewards anyone who knows the lore/ played the first SM game very well (see: last chapter's cameos), but doesn't punish those who know nothing about the lore. It definitely gets you into the mindset of a Space Marine, and the last chapter is a hypefest that keeps building to an awesome climax. The first few missions can be a bit rough, specifically against the tyrannids, though it makes sense lore-wise. The swarming can get overwhelming at times, especially if you're playing single-player as the AI (as of now) don't bother with objectives (battery and chain missions). After a specific mission, the enemies become way easier to handle, though a bit more tanky. Boss fights are really good for a 3rd-person shooter, with one even having multiple phases. Melee can feel a bit clunky at first, but once you get the parry-shot down it flows really well. Guns feel good, with appropriate recoil and 'kick'. For PC players, default keybinds can be a bit awkward, so I would recommend to remap melee and parry to your M4 and M5 if you have them. Collectibles are okay, but can get a bit grindy in regards to upgrades and such. All in all, a solid 9/10 for me. The Emperor Protects!