Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2does a brilliant job at introducing the deadly world of 40K to those new to the universe while giving pre-existing fans plenty to enjoy as they slay hordes of Tyranids. Even though it shows off a lot, especially when it comes to the many Space Marine Chapters, not just the mascot Ultramarines, Space Marine 2 just scratches the surface of the 40K world. There's so much more to explore from the universe, and one faction is perfect for Space Marine 3, if Saber Interactive wants to dip back into the series.
The original Space Marine had the somewhat comedic and goofy Orks as one of the main villain factions, while Space Marine 2 chose the more terrifying Tyranid horde, and both featured other Heretic Factions, like the Chaos Space Marines. Although this would be a lot for most universes, Warhammer 40,000 has so many factions that would be perfect to delve further into for a sequel. Neither Orks nor Tyranids will likely be revisited in any big way going forward, so perhaps one of the best options for a sequel would be the cybernetic Necrons.
Why Necrons Should Be The Villain Of Space Marine 3
Variety Is The Name Of The Game
Necrons have a few major advantages over many other factions when it comes to being a video game villain. For one, the faction has been around for a while in a real world sense, and there are plenty of different units to choose from in the tabletop game. This would translate well into Space Marine 3, since Necrons coming in all kinds of shapes and sizes would result in brilliant enemy variety, keeping them fun to fight throughout both a chunky campaign and co-op, PvE missions.
Out of all the threats faced by the player, none are as deadly or mysterious as the Chaos Gods, leaving players with more questions than answers.
From the long-ranged Deathmarks to the Canoptek Spyders, the technology of the Necrons would mean that the player would need to take different approaches against different enemies too. The Deathmarks in particular would be a tricky foe that hides and snipes at Titus and his squad, while the Skorpekh Destroyers would charge their way into melee range with no regard for stealth. They may not have the swarming numbers of the Tyranids that made Space Marine 2 so visually impressive, but their weapons will probably have awesome particle effects.
A Deathmark got to shine in the animated series
Pariah Nexus
, which shows off the power of the Necrons well.
Another point which has nothing to do with the technical aspects of the Necrons is their visual design. They are cool looking creatures, with skeletal, cybernetic designs that contrast with the bulky Space Marines perfectly, but they also fit the tone of what many casuals or newcomers associate with Warhammer 40,000. Newcomers might not expect how goofy the Orks can be with their reality warping powers based on belief, but the deadly Necrons with their skeletal designs are something that most wouldn't bat an eye at.
Necron Lore Makes Them A Terrifying Threat
When They All Wake Up, They Could End Up Ruling The Universe
Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic
Despite the cybernetic and technologically advanced nature of the Necrons, they are actually an ancient threat in the 40K universe. They were once a race called the Necrontyr and began as organic, rather than mechanical, but were riddled with radiation sickness thanks to the hostile nature of their home world. A running theme with the Necrontyr is their fear of death and a search for immortality, and that led them to search the stars for answers long before Space Marines and Custodes were around.
To put it simply, the Necrontyr declared war with the Old Ones after they refused to make the race immortal, lost badly, then came into contact with C'tan, or Star Gods, after figuring out how to communicate with them. They crafted these Star Gods bodies out of living metal and worshiped them as divine beings. Unfortunately for the Necrontyr, they found themselves enslaved by the C'tan and were offered immortality. This immortality resulted in the Necrontyr becoming the Necrons, as their flesh became living metal like the C'tan's.
The war against the Old Ones is known as the War in Heaven.
Now immortal and with flesh of metal, the enslaved Necrons once again declared war on the Old Ones, and this time they won, but thanks to now being soulless beings, the Necrons were unable to enjoy their immortality. Led by the Silent King Szarekh, the Necrons rebelled against their slavers, and continued a streak of winning wars, defeating the C'tan and imprisoning them. They now ruled the galaxy, but the Silent King knew it wouldn't last, and sent his people into a slumber, partly to avoid the rise of the Aeldari.
Aeldari are essentially space elves, and were created by the Old Ones to fight alongside them. They survived the War in Heaven and Szarekh believed that they could have overthrown the Necrons had they not entered their slumber.
The Necrons were ordered to slumber for sixty million years. By the time of Space Marine 1 and 2, when Titus and the Space Marines are running around with Boltguns, the Necrons have awoken, but not all together. Billions still remain asleep, and those that have awoken are divided, with some still following Szarekh while others follow the revolting Imotekh, another leading Necron. Although a gross oversimplification of events, it does prove that the Necrons have plenty to work with from a story perspective, and an ancient evil always works for a video game villain.
Space Marine 3 Has So Much Material It Can Use
It Might Not Restrict Itself By Only Using A Few Factions
There are very few universes in fiction as a whole that are as deep and detailed as Warhammer's. Plunging into it can sometimes feel like falling down an endless rabbit hole of strange facts, like how Orks can breathe in space because of their reality warping powers and can open windows on their ships as a result. Space Marine 3 has so much lore it can work with, could spend hours and hours of a campaign delving into it, and still feel like it's only scratching the surface of what the entire universe has to offer.
After the controversial 4.0 Patch, Saber Interactive is once again rebalancing Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 to make the game a little easier.
So many of the Warhammer 40K factions have a lot to offer aesthetically too, from the Leagues of Votann (space dwarves) to the brand-new (and funnily hated) Tau. A new Space Marine game could show off the variety that the universe has to offer. One issue could be the conflicting tones that some factions could bring, which is fine for the tabletop game, but it might be difficult to tell a cohesive story in a video game without it feeling jarring. The next Space Marine might have to be harsh with some factions it excludes.
Still, there's no reason that Saber Interactive can't break the current mold that it has made for the Space Marine games and have as many factions as it wants. Pretty much every faction is at war with each other, and most are at war with themselves, so having loads of factions would make the sequel feel like a war on many fronts. Still, if the formula presented inWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is to be followed, then the Necrons should be the main villains of the sequel.
The galaxy is once again plunged into chaos as Lieutenant Titus returns to battle the relentless Tyranid swarm. With unmatched power and brutal combat skills, he leads the Ultramarines in a desperate fight for survival against overwhelming odds, showcasing the grim reality of endless war in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Third-Person Shooter
Hack and Slash
Franchise Warhammer 40K
Platform(s)PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
Released September 9, 2024
Developer(s) Saber Interactive
Publisher(s) Focus Entertainment
Multiplayer Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer
Engine Swarm Engine
ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
By Katarina Cimbaljevic
Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic 
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English (US) ·