Praise the Emperor, Leandros is not on the team!

Review Intro:
It's finally here, and it's as beautiful and violent as I imagined it, and maybe a bit more.
Although I'm not a lore master yet, the game feels incredibly true to the source material, with meticulous detail everywhere. Truly a worthy successor to the first game.

Gameplay:
Fluid, violent and fun—everything I needed and wanted. The movement and shooting are heavy making you understand how powerful these guys are. The combat makes you feel powerful and makes killing all these heretics satisfying and fun.
Their experience with World War Z is evident with the huge numbers of enemies on screen and the huge hordes that attack you in every mission.
The only problem I encountered is the AI companions: they are as dumb as a rock and don't help you, that becomes a problem on higher difficulties. Luckily, the devs already addressed this and will improve it in a future patch.

Graphics and Sound:
The game starts in beautifully crafted, but a bit general, forests and as the game progresses you will visit different biomes and planets that become increasingly stunning. The graphics make all these places eye-candy. The highlight for me was the final act (no spoilers), which left me with my jaw on the floor.
The sound design is also very good with the weapons being the highlight. The soundtrack is a perfect companion to your heroic adventures, and the voiceovers are well done all the way.

Story:
The narrative is actually very good and will keep lore fans happy, also thanks to a couple surprises here and there. Titus's redemption arc is a rollercoaster full of doubt and fears of the past he must overcome to defend his brothers and his life.
I hope we'll get another sequel in the future (before THQ fell apart, Space Marine was conceived as a trilogy; current plans are unknown) because this universe needs more stories like this one.

Multiplayer:
• PvE: It's super fun and completes the campaign story very well. All the classes are a blast and the customization is amazing—it makes me want to paint miniature immediately. Can't wait for Horde mode!
• PvP: I haven't played it a lot and, to be honest, this might be the weaker point of this game. For now, it feels a bit unbalanced, and the matchmaking is all over the place with me being with low-level brothers against people 15 levels above us. Nevertheless, I enjoy it too.

Final Thoughts and Score:
Space Marine 2 is a fantastic follow-up that will resonate deeply with fans of the series. It perfectly encapsulates the brutal yet heroic essence of being a Space Marine, while delivering significant enhancements in gameplay, graphics, and storytelling. Whether you're a longtime veteran of the franchise or just stepping into the grim darkness of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, this game is an absolute must-play.

Score: 9.5 / 10