The Warhammer 40,000 universe is a grimdark place, where a corrupt, crumbling empire rules over millions of worlds, endlessly warring with aliens, demons, and other nightmarish creatures (and said empire is the only “good” faction, save for the psychic space elves of the Eldar). Life is short, brutal, and often meaningless except as fuel for the for the Imperial war machine. Few aspects of this setting are as emblematic as the Space Marines: immortal, genetically enhanced, psychotically xenophobic super warriors clad in power armor and charged with defending humanity from terrible threats both without and within. As such, it’s no surprise that an action title featuring Space Marines prominently would appear at some point, especially after nearly every sci-fi shooter since Doom has effectively involved less badass versions of them. Relic and THQ’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is the game fans have been waiting for, since it finally puts them in the power armor of an actual Space Marine.

Space Marine is a third person action title that follows Captain Titus of the Ultramarines as he attempts to secure a valuable strategic asset on a world ravaged by Orks. The greenskin horde has shattered the planetary defenses and what few defenders are left are fighting a desperate, losing battle for survival. Players are immediately thrust into the action with little exposition, starting with Titus’ arrival to Forge World Graia.Space Marine is unequivocally and unapologetically an action game. It doesn’t have any puzzles, or dialog choice sequences. It doesn’t allow for exploration, it doesn’t offer more than the pretense of drama, and it doesn’t involve any character leveling, gear tinkering, skill trees, or work benches. What it does offer is an orgy of bone crunching and enjoyable combat with a variety of satisfying weapons in a beautifully rendered world that perfectly captures the feel of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Combat is both brutal and fun, capturing the sort of carnage that only a genetically engineered, immortal killing machine could unleash. Melee and ranged combat play an equal roll, and the game allows you to seamlessly switch between the two as the fight demands. Enemies are plentiful and often come in large waves that Titus wades through with gusto. Titus feels extremely responsive, letting the character dodge, shoot, stab, and blast his way through the hordes of enemies in his way with ease.

The weaponry in Space Marine includes a wide variety of both ranged and melee options. Even Titus’ initial compliment, a bolt pistol and a combat knife, feel powerful in his hands, and that feeling only increases as he acquires more tools of destruction. All of the melee weapons are excellent, with the over-the-top, silly ultraviolence of the chainsword particularly noteworthy. The ranged weapons fair almost as well, and are representative of the usual assortment of weapon types found in 3rd person action games. The bolter fills the role of the assault rifle, but with a lot more punch. The meltagun serves admirably as a close range area burst weapon, turning its victims into cinders. The lascannon serves as the sniper rifle,firing through objects to kill whatever’s hiding behind. Only a grenade launcher seems superfluous, having no counterpart within the setting and feeling a little sluggish in comparison with the rest of the arsenal.

Despite the blood-spattered nature of the game, it often looks beautiful, perfectly capturing the horror and the grandeur of the Imperium of Man. The massive edifices and sprawling vistas are one of the strongest points of Space Marine. The characters themselves are also beautifully rendered, with the Space Marines and the other characters perfectly in keeping with the source material. Any fan looking for a visual representation of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is certain to get a treat out of the gorgeous sights, and even players unfamiliar with the setting are likely to enjoy the visuals.

Space Marine’s campaign is not without its flaws, however. The campaign is short, and while paced reasonably well it slows down in the middle. The game’s plot is little more than a pretense for the action to take place and isn’t particularly interesting. The character’s are flat and the dialog is often stilted and forced. Titus is well-represented, but his fellow Space Marines and most of the other supporting characters are little more than cardboard cut outs. While there are a few moments that work extremely well within the confines of the story, most of it leaves little impact.

Space Marine’s multiplayer is entertaining but shallow, with only a few modes of play. While the character customization options are a ton of fun, they can’t add enough to extend the longevity of the multiplayer experience. Certain die hard aficionados are likely to enjoy it for a long time, but most players will lose interest quickly.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine offers an excellent experience that captures the feel what we can imagine Space Marine combat to resemble. The combat is fun and deeply satisfying, the setting is beautifully realized, and many of the environments are astounding. While the campaign has a few issues it’s still an utter blast, and the multiplayer offers a pleasant diversion. Space Marine is definitely worth it for any fan of the setting or the genre, and will offer a solid play experience for everyone else. It’s too bad it doesn’t have enough meat to it to be worth much more than a rental.