Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 allows for some great Soulslike combat 

Despite the playable characters carrying guns that are twice the size of their forearms, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 puts a good amount of emphasis on melee fighting. While cutting and bashing through swaths of Tyranids and Chaos enemies is what players will be doing when enemies get too close, they shouldn’t disregard the game’s accessible Soulslike mechanics. 

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has cool melee weapons 

While not on par with the offerings of something like Dark Souls 3, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 does have several melee weapons that both fans and non-fans of the franchise will appreciate. The Chainsword, Power Fist, and Thunder Hammer are examples that don’t just look cool; they sound cool and feel impactful when used. 

Regarding offense, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s melee weapons have unique combos. These combos mix light (pressed) and heavy (held) attacks to get the job done. Combining light and heavy attacks with properly timed parries, dodges, and guard breaks is what makes a good melee player, as is choosing the right melee weapon for the job. 

Parrying and dodging are essential to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 

A good defense is just as important as a good offense, and players are taught the importance of parrying and dodging early into the game’s tutorial. Parriable attacks from enemies are denoted by a blue flashing light, prompting players to block at just the right time. Oncoming unblockable attacks, on the other hand, are signaled by a red flashing light that players must dodge to avoid getting hit.  

Properly-timed dodges and parries are rewarded with the opportunity for a Gun Strike – a move that sees the player character whip out their sidearm to shoot the attacking foe. Apart from looking cool, successful Gun Strikes restore roughly one segment of Armour and any contested (recently lost) health that players might have. When used in conjunction with Executions (animated finishers that leave the player invincible while restoring the same amount of armor and contested health), Gun Strikes help keep players in the fight longer. Unlike Executions however, Gun Strikes do not grant temporary invincibility and must be properly timed. 

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 can be played like a Soulslike 

Some enemies, such as the Neurothrope, can be a nightmare for melee builds, but Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 rewards patience and proper timing. All of the game’s enemies have attacks that can be parried or dodged – with most of them being telegraphed and possessing timings that are more generous than the average Soulslike. While most Soulslikes require players to be on point with their parries and dodges, seeing a blue or red flashing light in this game provides ample time to execute the required move before getting hit. 

With that said, it is understandable why many players choose to forgo “Block” type melee weapons. Unlike Balance and Fencing type weapons which have moderate and larger parry windows respectively, Block type weapons reduce the damage blocked but don’t allow parrying. This removes a key mechanic for melee combat and reduces players’ defensive options.  

In a way, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is like a light Soulslike (try saying that fast three times). Those looking to get into the genre can use this game as a starting point as its melee combat has a lot of the basics, while its enemies have moves that can be easily learned and countered. Should things ever start to go south when using melee combat, you can always just pull out a gun that’s twice the size of your forearm.