Review: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition: A Double-Edged Sword

Originally released in 2011, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine was a landmark third-person action game, combining precise shooting with melee combat in the grimdark universe. Fourteen years later, the Master Crafted Edition promises to renew the experience for a new generation, with technical improvements and modernized controls. However, while Captain Titus's campaign maintains its bloody charm, technical issues and some decisions may have tarnished this "definitive edition". In this review, we'll take a look at the details of this controversial remaster, from the updated graphics to the flaws that sparked outrage in the Steam community.

For those unfamiliar, Space Marine is a third-person action game set in the dark universe of Warhammer 40K, created by Games Workshop. Here, you take on the role of Captain Titus of the Ultramarines, a genetically enhanced warrior who leads a mission against an Ork invasion at an important Imperial forge.

The main characteristic of the original game has always been its mix of brutal melee combat and intense, fast-paced gunplay. This Master Crafted Edition version manages to preserve that essence, delivering exactly what fans expected: a return to the direct, aggressive and chaotic action typical of the Warhammer 40K universe.

This new edition isn’t just a visual overhaul, although the most notable aspects are the updated 4K graphics, high-resolution textures, lighting improvements and support for higher frame rates, the Master Crafted Edition also includes all previously released DLC.

Additional content includes alternate skins, exclusive weapons, co-op modes and multiplayer maps that were previously available separately. Master Crafted Edition is the definitive version of the game, both for new players and those who want to relive the campaign with everything included.

The attention to visual detail is noticeable from the start. The Space Marines armor now shines with the reflection of explosions, the industrial environments have more depth and the particle effects have been greatly improved. The result is a more immersive world that conveys the weight of the Warhammer 40K universe.

Visual and Performance Improvements

The move to 4K/60 FPS is the most notable highlight of this edition. Character and environment textures have gained significant detail, especially in the Orks models, whose facial expressions now convey ferocity. The audio remastering also deserves praise: guttural roars, the buzz of chainswords and the imposing voices of Space Marines sound much clearer and more impactful, leaving the player well immersed in the chaos of Graia.

Limitations and Persistent Issues

Despite the upgrades, the legacy of the PS3/Xbox 360 era is still visible:

- Color palette: Very generic industrial settings with a dull color palette, little environmental variation, such as narrow corridors and abandoned factories. Although they’re visually better, we feel that something is missing.

- AI bugs: Enemies simply get stuck on obstacles, combined with broken pathfinding and failures to react to attacks, greatly break the immersion during intense combats.

- Serious issues: Corrupted saves (especially on PC) and occasional crashes in the game have been reported by dozens of users on Steam. I didn't have this problem playing on the console, but it's an issue that the developers need to address urgently.

Satisfactory Combat with Questionable Interface

Warhammer's combat remains addictive, switching between the Bolter for ranged takedowns and the Chainsword for brutal executions are as satisfying as they were in 2011. The modernized weapon wheel makes switching between equipment much faster, but there’s a response delay and some stuttering, which can be a hindrance to gameplay at critical moments.

Post-Launch Mapping and Adjustments

The developers' initial decision to map grenades to the right analog stick (R3) caused chaos among players who activated the explosives when trying to enable Fury Mode (which requires pressing both analog sticks). A patch partially fixed the issue, but it still feels imprecise, especially when in chaotic battles.

The main campaign is virtually identical to the original in terms of narrative and structure. At around 8 to 10 hours long, it remains an intense experience, focused on action and cinematic moments.

The story, although simple, does its job: Captain Titus and his team are sent to protect a vital Imperial forge from an Ork invasion. However, as the story progresses, an even more sinister threat, the forces of Chaos, enter the scene, taking the conflict to a new level.

The protagonist Titus, with his deep voice and unshakable posture, continues to be one of the best portrayals of a Space Marine in the world of video games. Although the plot maintains the efficiency of the original, it shows its age a bit when compared to modern narratives. The linear missions don’t have dynamic checkpoints and the game has a more rigid progression, details that show the design limitations of the time.

Gameplay

The combat system is undoubtedly the highlight of Space Marine. The way the game combines gunplay with melee combat creates a brutal rhythm, allowing the player to alternate between firearms and chainsaw attacks.

The health regeneration system is tied to melee combat, and you need to kill enemies with brutal executions to regain health. This encourages the player to play a more aggressive style, where hiding behind cover isn’t an option. Each weapon, from the bolter to the energy hammer, has weight and impact, and the visual and audio feedback of the fights contributes to a sense of power.

Ambientation: The Center of the Remaster

The audio remastering is one of the most impressive things. Titus remains iconic with his imposing voice, and the Orks' voices have gained new lines, increasing the immersion in the game. The soundtrack is an epic show, with liturgical choirs and distorted brass that perfectly transport us to the grandiosity of the Warhammer 40K universe.

PvP and PvE modes

The Master Crafted Edition revives online multiplayer modes, which, while not as active nowadays, offer fast-paced, action-packed matches with modes like Annihilation and Seize Ground.

The highlight of the additional modes is Exterminatus, a cooperative experience for up to four players against waves of enemies. Here, survival depends on team coordination and mastery of the arsenal.

However, matchmaking can be problematic, especially in regions with fewer active players.

The 8v8 (PvP) mode and Exterminatus (horde mode) return to the game with cross-play support, which is very good, but... they face problems:

- Lack of dedicated servers: Matchmaking is slow and unstable. It takes a long time between a match and another, which ends up taking away the desire to play.

- Community: Empty rooms on Steam, especially outside of peak hours, are a big problem, especially when they disable the cross-play standard.

- Progression: There’s a lack of new players, mainly due to the lack of incentives such as, for example, the unlock system that exists in the original and without exclusive rewards. Good advertising for the game could solve this by bringing in new players and filling the game rooms.

Pricing and Community Reception

With a suggested retail price of US$39.99, this edition was labeled by Steam players as a "cash grab", where it has a Very Negative rating (81 reviews). If we compare it to the Anniversary Edition (sold at ~US$7) it’s a very high price, especially when bugs that didn't exist in the previous version appear in this new one that costs much more.

Release Timing

Released shortly after Space Marine 2 (2024), which was acclaimed by critics and players as a milestone in the genre, this remaster ended up suffering from this contrast, in addition to the comparisons, which is completely understandable. Space Marine 2's Swarm Engine technology, capable of rendering hundreds of Tyranids on the screen, makes the hordes of Orks from Warhammer 40k seem insignificant. It's hard not to compare the games when there's such a gap between them.

Missed Opportunities

While the Master Crafted Edition hits many of the points we expect from a remaster, it still has flaws. The main criticism is the lack of improvements or new content in the campaign. There are no new missions, not even extra scenes to expand the narrative.

Character movement and enemy AI continue to have the same problems as the original version. Nowadays, some of these mechanics seem dated. There are also no options for accessibility improvements, something that would be very welcome.

Pros:

- Nostalgia: Captures the essence of the original faithfully.

- Technical improvements: 4K, refined textures and immersive audio.

- Worth on Game Pass: The game is available to Game Pass subscribers.

Cons

- Serious technical issues: Corrupted saves and AI bugs.

- Unoptimized controls: Input lag and unintuitive mapping.

- Ghost multiplayer: Lack of players in rooms.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition delivers exactly what it sets out to do: a visually enhanced version of one of the most underrated games in the 40K universe.

Despite the lack of new features in the narrative or gameplay, the complete package with all the DLCs and graphical improvements make this a good Space Marine game. However, technical flaws and questionable design decisions prevent it from showing its full potential, and its final price tag ends up not justifying the investment.

For nostalgic fans, the campaign still offers a fun journey, especially on Game Pass, but modern players may find its structure stiff and its execution unappealing. We hope they listen to the feedback and release fixes, because Titus deserves the best.