I play competitive League of Legends – yes, I know, I’m awful. There are several things it’s taught me: I have no patience, yelling at the screen when people can’t hear you is pointless, and, most importantly, matchmaking is king. One bad teammate can slowly drag you from the edge of glory to the jaws of defeat, and it’s only a little bit frustrating. Having played Space Marine 2, its clear that one heretical apple could ruin the fun in both the PvE and PvP, but during an exclusive interview at Gamescom 2024, Saber Interactive’s chief creative officer Tim Willits (formerly of id Software) assures us all that it’s still possible to “kick ass” even when teammates are “idiots.”
Having played Space Marine 2‘s co-op PvE mode during the recent preview sessions, it’s clear that having good teammates is the key to success. While my squad’s AI partner did a decent enough job, in some cases it did feel like a little bit of a dead weight – especially because it seemed rather hesitant to actually resurrect people when they were downed.
It’s clear that, while Space Marine 2 has its solo-player campaign, it’s very much positioned as a multiplayer game – we call the PvE Operations mode “refreshingly dynamic” in our Space Marine 2 preview. But how will Saber ensure that, even if one teammate isn’t performing as they should, the experience still feels fun to play?
“I’ve worked on a number of co-op games, and this is the problem,” Willits begins. “Games that over rely on people playing together and make [teamwork] a requirement to be successful sometimes fall apart because, sadly, humans do whatever they want to do – and I love my gaming friends, but I want to kill them sometimes!
“The most successful co-op games are the ones that, even if your teammates are idiots, [still allow] you to kick ass. Because it’s just frustrating when you’ve got three people that are doing exactly what they need to do and one guy screws around – it’s like ‘fuck you.’
“So [in Space Marine 2] there are no requirements for group combat, but there’s definitely an advantage if you gang up.”
The conversation then turns to Helldivers 2 which, while it’s currently in a bit of a tricky spot, has arguably redefined modern online co-op PvE. When we ask if the prospect of a new online multiplayer, bug-slaying renaissance excites him, Willits laughs.
“I think something like ten million people play Helldivers, but 25 million people play World War Z. When you have numbers like that, it shows you that people like multiplayer co-op games where you can just blow shit up with your friends.
“I played the heck out of Helldivers [2], and it legitimizes what we are making, and it shows that these types of games can be very successful because people are social and want to play together.”
With the Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2 release date just around the corner, I’ve found myself itching to dive back into the chaos (perhaps that’s all the Tyranid blood in my armor, who knows). I absolutely loved Helldivers 2 when it launched, but I’m obsessed with the grimdark world of the 40k universe, so having that gameplay mixed with a setting I adore is the bloody icing on the perfect cake.
If you’re excited for all things Space Marine 2 and fancy immersing yourself in the hell that is the 41st millennium, check out our list of all the best Warhammer 40k games. Alternatively, if you’re more interested in hacking things up solo, we here are some action games you’ll want to try.
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Additional reporting from Gamescom 2024 by Ken Allsop.