Saber Interactive has continued working throughWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’spre-launch roadmap at a good pace, frequently releasing impressive patches and updates that add a lot of new content and revise the already incredible content available. Weapon tweaks ensure that the game lives up to the Space Marine power fantasy it promises while keeping everything balanced, while new Operations get newcomers on board and see existing fans return to the game to see what all the fuss is about.
Luckily, Patch 5 manages to accomplish all of that and more, with numerous general fixes and larger improvements helping to fine-tune the overall flow. While players can check out thepatch notesto see absolutely everything the patch fixes,there are some crucial changes that will make a significant difference to fans' experiences. From a new Operation to a significant change to the flow of Operations, Patch 5 continues to prove thatSpace Marine 2is one of thebestWarhammergamesever made.
5Players Get A Brand-New Operation
Obelisk Is Set During The End Of The Main Campaign
The biggest addition toSpace Marine 2in Patch 5 is the new Operation titled “Obelisk”. Like previous Operations, players will take part in events happening parallel to the main story, embarking on a dangerous mission that, especially when on thegame’s brutal lethal difficulty, will prove a challenge for most.In “Obelisk”, fans will head to Demerium where they will be tasked with locating a smaller version of the central obeliskand turning it in order to switch off the energy protecting it.
For those who’ve played the main campaign, Titus also has to turn these lesser obelisks in order to allow Calgar and his forces to lead the main assault against Imurah and cut off the Chaos Sorcerer Lord’s access to the Warp. During “Obelisk”,players will need to head through a tomb completely submerged in darkness and fight their way through. It’s not going to be an easy fight, so players will need to verify they bring along thebest weapons inSpace Marine 2to get the upper hand.
Of course, thanks to the plethora of other changes to Operations in Patch 5, this should be more than possible. It’s great to see another Operation,bringing the number of impressive and lengthy missions to eight. More of these Operations are on the way, as outlined bySpace Marine 2’sroadmap, so fans have plenty more to look forward to. However, replaying “Obelisk"should prove to be an enjoyable experience, especially for those who want to try out all the new tweaks in Patch 5.
4Melee Weapons Have Been Completely Overhauled
Blocking Weapons Are More Effective Now
Melee weapons inSpace Marine 2have always felt satisfying to use thanks to the impressively visceral animations, but on higher difficulties, it is often all too easy to devolve into using the same parry and then gun strike strategy when facing challenging foes. Fortunately, Saber Interactive has been hard at work ensuring that this isn’t the case anymore, as it has completely retooled the melee combat. For a start,melee damage has been increased across the board, proving once againSpace Marine 2haslearned fromHelldivers 2’smistakes.
Players should now feel like their attacks are more effective across all types of melee weapons. To complement this change, Saber Interactive has tweaked blocking enemy attacks. If players perfectly time their block, they’ll get an Adrenaline Surge buff, which increases melee damage and is used up when they next attack. However, the Adrenaline Surge buff can be stacked, and if players perform perfect blocks three times in a row with a Blocking Weapon and then attack, they’ll use up all three stacks and then unleash a deadly AoE attack.
It is worth noting that the damage increase to melee weapons applies to the Blocking and Balanced Weapons. However, it is not determined by the version of a weapon. So, Relic, Artificer, and Master-crafted versions of the Balanced Weapons all get a 10% damage increase. Similarly, the Master-crafted, Artificer, and Relic versions of Blocking Weapons all get a 20% increase in melee damage.
This attack will deal a lot of damage, stagger enemies, and restore one Armor Segment, making it an unbelievably effective crowd-control method and a handy way to get out of a bind. Frankly,it’s a huge improvement to combat and makes Blocking Weapons a far more viable strategy. There have been a number of other minor tweaks to combat, such as players now being able to chain stomps indefinitely, and it’s great to see Saber Interactive ensure that all aspects of its combat remain ridiculously fun.
3The Extermination Bonus Fixes Operations
It’ll Change How Players Approach Each Operation
When it comes to Operations inSpace Marine 2, it can be easy to skip over certain segments to avoid having to grind against waves of enemies. While this removes a huge chunk of gameplay from each Operation to many, it feels like a necessary move as it isn’t particularly rewarding and is often time-consuming. Luckily,Saber Interactive has heard players' complaints and has introduced an Extermination Bonusto incentivize players to engage with every facet of each Operation.
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The Extermination Bonus will grant players more XP depending on how many enemies they have killedduring an Operation. For example, as per the patch notes, “killing more than 85% spawned enemies grants +120% XP pre-patch value.” The game’s director, Dmitry Grigorenko, mentioned in the patch notes that the purpose of the Extermination Bonus was to ensure that those who still wanted to skip these segments weren’t being actively punished, but that those who enjoyed fending off hordes of enemies could do so without it feeling pointless. He stated:
“This change simply increases the amount of XP players are getting in Operations mode if they are zealously exterminating enemy waves.This aims toincentivise players to not skip encounters, without punishing those who want to skip, andmakes the game less grindy in preparation for new features coming down the line (e.g., Prestige Ranks).”
Frankly, the Extermination Bonus is anothergame-changingSpace Marine 2feature, asit will completely change how a large majority of players approach these missions. It’s a small tweak, but a meaningful one that recontextualizes the gameplay and reward loop. Of course, those who still want to just get on with the Operation can avoid those bigger swarms and simply lose out on the bonus.
2There’s A New Enemy To Face
The Tzaangor Enlightened Is A Fierce Flying Foe
Space Marine 2is finally getting a new enemy in the form of the Tzaangor Enlightened. This terrifying Chaos demo is a force to be reckoned with as it is capable of both melee and ranged attacks. However,what makes it a truly challenging foe to face on the battlefield is its ridiculously fast mobility, thanks to the hovering spiky disk that it zooms around on. In fact, it is so fast that players are actively encouraged to use the target lock-on feature in order to take it down.
There are so manyenemiesSpace Marine 2needsfrom across theWarhammer 40klore, but the Tzaangor Enlightened is a great addition and one that will make combat all the more dynamic. It uses its disk to slice through the air, hitting anything that gets in its way with its melee weapons. It can also attack players from afar while the ground-level demons overwhelm them, making for a truly punishing combination.Fans will definitely need to prioritize the Tzaangor Enlightened during encountersto avoid losing almost immediately.
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Luckily,players great at perfect parries can catch it off guard, making it vulnerable to sustained bolter blaststhat are sure to wipe it out. It also has a number of lengthy animations that fans can look out for as they serve as great opportunities to strike it while it is distracted. It’s great to see Saber Interactive introduce new enemies for players to fight against as it, alongside the many tweaks to combat, makes battles avoid feeling stale and allows fans to keep coming back for multiple playthroughs.
1The Dark Angel Chapter Pack Is Finally Here
It Adds Plenty Of Customization Options
Dark Angels fans are sure to rejoice withSpace Marine 2’sPatch 5 asit sees the introduction of the Dark Angels Chapter Pack DLC. It is thefirst Space Marine 2 DLCand adds a number of incredible cosmetics - including helmets, pauldrons, greaves, and color packs - for the Dark Angel Chapter as well as 8 of its successor Chapters. In the DLC, players will also get access to the Bulwark champion skin and Dark Angels–themed weapon skins for the Auto Bolt Rifle, Plasma Pistol, Power Sword, and Bulwark’s Storm Shield. The successor Chapters include the following:
Of course, those who aren’tfamiliar with the Dark Angelscan still appreciate their incredible color scheme and new armor sets as much as even the most dedicatedWarhammer 40kfans. However, this is paid DLC and will set players back $9.99/£8.99. It exists just to give players who want to continue supportingSpace Marine 2and its plethora of free content updates a chance to do so. Fortunately,everything else included in Patch 5 is completely free, so fans won’t need to worry about paying for any of that.
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From combat overhauls to brand-new lengthy missions for players to get stuck into, there’s a lot on offer in Patch 5 that is sure to entertain fans. However, more importantly, both the Dark Angels Content Pack and Patch 5, in general, are a further testament to Saber Interactive’s determination to makeWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2not just the bestWarhammergame but a phenomenal third-person shooter that puts its fans' interests first.
