Starfighter 2 seems to be the hottest title right now. It was an instant hit on Steam, reaching impressive player numbers among early adopters, then smashing those numbers again after the game’s public release. The results are manifold. Not only are 40K fans filled with love for the world they’ve invested so much time and money into, but a new group of 40K newbies are also being welcomed with a warm welcome, a group of British artists and game designers from the far future.
As a long time 40K sucker, the response has been great. One example of this is when Forbes writer and Destiny 2 know-it-all Paul Tassi posted his reaction to seeing a robot cherub and a candlelit room, which was a cute reminder of the pervasiveness that pervades 40K media. Dark and rich flavor. Starfighter 2 is full of stuff like this, and I hope it opens the door for Brave’s journey into the weirder depths of the canon.
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There is no doubt that Warhammer is full of exciting and interesting things. Saber Interactive has done a great job introducing us to part of the IP through the lens of Ultramarines, which is a smart choice. Not only are they the most run-of-the-mill Space Marines chapter, but they are also the poster boys. The big blue guys are masterpieces from all walks of life. But there are other chapters that feel tame by comparison. The Blood Angels are space vampires. The Dark Angels are Space Knights, while the Space Wolves are, you guessed it, Space Vikings who may or may not transform into wolves themselves.
One criticism of the Ultramarines is that they are a bit bland. Whether that’s entirely true is up for debate, especially given the recent bombshell surrounding Gillerman’s reintroduction of the 40K setting into the tabletop game. But they do lack some of the strengths or unique style of the other chapters. You can also experience this variety in the opening mission of Starfighter 2! Players new to the IP may not have noticed it, but the members of Titus’ Deathwatch squad are clearly from other chapters. The axe-wielding Space Wolf marine you see in just a few seconds has an aura of bloodlust that’s not found anywhere else in the game. This is by no means the fault of Starfighter 2, but a window into wild waters.
The game does this very well, teasing those in the know with little tidbits of the wider world-building. Just jump into PvP and check out the Heretic skin. Look at them. Yes, in the review I wished for more content to be included in an otherwise excellent game, and the multiplayer follows suit, making for a tight but wonderful package, but what is presented in these characters is wonderful . The characterization is spot on, both visually and vocally. A player with a fresh interest in 40K will most likely look at World Eaters or Night Lord Marines and say, I want some.
Me too. There’s one obvious reason why Space Marines are so beloved: they’re incredibly popular. After all, that’s why they have the most models on the table. But there must be a balance. It’s somewhere between Starfighter 2 and Kuju Entertainment’s Fire Warriors. That game was a first-person shooter entirely focused on Tau, and while it was kind of terrible, it had a lot of heart behind it. It’s also brave enough to stay away from the armored bosses that have infiltrated pop culture.
Starfighter 2 is a great wedge for this kind of content. We’ve already seen a lot about the Tyranid and how cool they are (and how they’ve inspired other alien races in the game like the Zerg), and now is a good time for their big reveal since they’ve only been on the tabletop once recently Big update. But let’s get something really weird. Let’s look at more Dark Mechanicus stuff. Follow the path of the Rogue Trader and leave the Dark Eldar to me. Show me the Tau, the Necron. On the Imperial side, get the Sisters of Battle or some Imperial agents here. Or go completely into the Chaos side of things and delve into the Warp and Traitor chapters. What has Huron Blackheart been up to lately?
There’s so much here, and as the years go by, there’s even more to explore. I understand the reality of running a business and selling big video games requires a certain level of sticking to what’s popular, but the real appeal of Warhammer is how massive it is. So here’s a message to future game developers working on 40K games – give us some weird stuff! Of course, pushing Space Marines onto the cover. Just make it like a salamander or something.
