Tomorrow, gamers will feel the thunder as Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine makes landfall on consoles throughout North America. As Captain Titus, one of the Empire’s elite Space Marines, players bring destruction to humanity’s enemies with chainswords, boltguns and other powerful weapons in a smoldering, war-torn landscape.
Gamers who love an all-out brawl with plenty of blood and fire will find a lot to like in Space Marine, but they’ve got to survive, first. After finding overwhelmed by the Orkish hordes one too many times, I reached out to my friends at Prima Games for a few tips. Michael Knight, author of the Prima Official Game Guide to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, was kind enough to give me some advice:
1. When your health is low, don’t hide. The only way to regain your health is by stunning the opponent (Y-button on XBOX) then performing an execute maneuver (B-button). Space Marines never retreat in battle, especially when wounded.
2. Red barrels are your best friend and worst enemy. Be aware of red barrels which act as explosive powder kegs and can take out multiple Orks with a well placed bullet. However, be aware that you’re not standing too close to one in case an Ork gets lucky with their weapon.
3. When fighting a Nob (Ork leader), go for the execution once they’re stunned instead of continuing with melee or ranged attacks. An execution on a Nob creates a blast of power that stuns nearby enemies and allows you to perform more executions and replenishing all your health in the process.
Noteworthy- there are 48 collectibles in the game called “servo skulls”. These skeleton head shaped objects contain audio recordings from different people who were on Graia prior to the arrival of Captain Titus. These recordings give you a glimpse into backstories and what the planet was like during the Ork invasion. The strategy guide locates and transcribes each and every servo skull for the hardcore fan, collector, and achievement hunter.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a well balanced mix of melee and ranged attacks. Running around Forge World Graia as Captain Titus you really feel like the pinnacle of human warfaring evolution…a Space Marine. You’re the ultimate weapon against the tide of alien aggression that threatens to wipe out all of humanity. If you ever wanted to feel powerful, in charge, and what it’s like to be a hero…you’ve found your game.
