RecentSpace Marine 2leaks have hinted at some new PVE missions, enemies, a possible class, and importantly, lots of details about Horde Mode. Following in the footsteps of Exterminatus from its predecessor,Space Marine 2needs to up the ante on its Horde Mode offering, as while it was fun, it could get old pretty fast.
So far, Saber has demonstrated an incredible commitment to keeping the game supported, even with theannouncement ofSpace Marine 3. Going up against big co-op successes likeHelldivers 2,Space Marine 2has managed to carve out its own niche, satisfying new and existingWarhammer 40Kfans. Now Horde Mode is supposedly on the horizon, and the details look very interesting.
Space Marine 2’s Horde Mode Could Be More Creative
A datamine fromSpace Marine 2’s 7.0 patchincluded details about the Horde Mode, lending a lot of clarity to how the mode will likely play out. There are mentions of typical things like capture zones, consumables, and minibosses, as well as a few objectives recycled from Operations like corpse search. Saber already has a lot of resources it can use in both Operations and Horde Mode, and this is a good thing, giving them more time to focus on adding new weapons and maps.
One of the most interesting things to come out were details of a summoning mechanic. There are notes in the code of certainSpace Marine units, from NPC versions of main classes to a Dreadnought. All of them have a resource cost associated, so it’s likely that the mode will use a type of currency earned through objectives to keep summoning NPCs and gear.
This is noteworthy because it would be the closestSpace Marine 2andHelldivers 2get to each other in feature parity. The two games have been compared a lot, and seem to have a healthy rivalry between one another for the co-op third-person shooter market. IfSpace Marine 2is taking inspiration from its rival, it could be putting a twist on the formula, leaning into more allies and ammunition than airstrikes, although there is nothing to rule out Space Marines calling in orbital bombardments.
Why Horde Mode in Space Marine 2 Needs to Be Better Than Exterminatus
The original Horde Mode for the series wasSpace Marine 1’s Exterminatus, and at the time in 2011, it was a very compelling offering, allowingWarhammerfans to live out their xeno-purging fantasies. It pitted a team of three against 20 waves of Orks, plus a bonus Chaos wave, which could get pretty difficult as time went on.
However, Exterminatus suffered from a lack of content, and became quite predictable. Occasionally, rounds would have side objectives to fulfill, but these were often sources of frustration more than anything. There was little reward to chase specifically in the mode, which led more players to stick toSpace Marine 1’s PVP, which, while imperfect, was unique for the time.
Space Marine 2’s Horde Modealready has plenty of indications that it will be better.Space Marine 2’s netcode is significantly better than the first game, which always made fighting the Orks in multiplayer feel a bit janky, and the combat is significantly better than the first game’s. Waves should be mostly predictable, but a bit of randomness to create some interest would be very welcome, and so far Saber has delivered well on that in Operations.
What Exterminatus Did Better Than Space Marine 2
One thing that players have been calling for is toplay as Chaos inSpace Marine 2’s PVE. Exterminatus had a Chaos version of the mode, where Orks and Imperial forces were the enemy, and it offered a very different experience. If Saber could add a complimentary Chaos version of Horde Mode, it would be a great place to experiment with fun new Chaos summons like Daemons, and would let players fight the Imperial Forces, who so far have only provided set dressing for missions.
