Parents' Guide to

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Very violent sci-fi shooter deals in gory, bloody combat.

Game PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360 2011
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Game: Screenshot #1
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Game: Screenshot #2
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Stephen H.
Stephen H. Adult
January 14, 2017
age 12+

Not really that bad

this game is for sure bloody, and I would know that for a fact. This game only has the words "damn and hell". Although this game has mild language it does have lots and lots of blood, you can tear monsters in half with your chainsaw and shoot their heads off, but really the game is not that bad because of mild language, no drugs, not nudity, no sex, and no killing people ( just monsters).

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Too much violence
Juggernaut93
Juggernaut93 Adult
September 23, 2011
age 14+

Gory Third-Person goodness.

This game is just a barrel of fun. Though gory beyond all reason, the only thing you kill are mindless aliens. No human blood shed. (Unless you count Chaos, and lets be honest, who does?) Calling Chaos "human" is a stretch of the word. More like ex-human. But in any case, quite bloody. Aliens can be beheaded, bisected, mutilated, mauled, shot, sliced, blown up, gibbed, stabbed, and burned. However, the Space Marines are not just killing these guys for the fun of it. Millions of lives are at stake. The Orks (primary alien species that you fight) spread like wildfire, killing anything and everything that they see. They are also very hardy of constitution. Serious dismemberment and massive bodily trauma is really the only way to kill them. They shrug off bullets. Chaos, on the other hand, is a much bigger deal. So big a deal, in fact, that the Imperium is willing to blow up an entire planet just to remove a Chaos cult. Chaos are the forces of the Dark Gods, horribly powerful entities that wish to enslave all life. They are served by deranged, evil mortals and daemons, which are killed in this game. The protagonists and playable characters are the noble Space Marines, who daily risk their lives to protect mankind from the horrors of the universe. They are selfless and brave. Good role models, in my opinion. In short, nothing really wrong here but violence. If you dont like your child splattering aliens, then pass on this one.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Based on the tabletop miniature war game that has been a part of modern gaming culture for nearly a quarter of a century, WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE is a third-person shooter that lets players take on the role of a meaty, sci-fi super-soldier battling an army of lime-skinned, Cockney-accented aliens known as "orks." Powerful ranged weapons make it easy to take on baddies from a distance, but eventually the enemy's sheer numbers will force players to draw their chainswords and energy-infused axes to do battle at close range, sending multiple orks flying with each swing. Once players have worked through the campaign, competitive play awaits in a pair of online modes that allow players to level up their avatars and earn experience points, perks, and custom armor.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (15 ):

There's not much wrong with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, but there's also not a lot that's fresh or original. Fans of other third-person sci-fi shooters, such as games in Gears of War series, will find Space Marine familiar, even though it eschews any sort of strategic covering system in favor of simple, head-on battles. Most levels are composed of simple, linear routes leading through wide corridors that give our hero plenty of room to get down and dirty with his chainsword. It's fun for a while, but tedium eventually sets in.

It's worth adding that Space Marine isn't just a love letter to longtime fans who have always wanted to see the franchise's action from a battlefield-level perspective, but also an accessible point of entry for players new to the dauntingly epic Warhammer universe. Still, it just doesn't do much to innovate or stand out in the crowded third-person genre. It's completely competent, but far from exceptional.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in games. How do you feel after playing violent games? Do you think they have any impact on how you think or act while engaged in activities in the real world? Do games with fantasy violence directed at non-humans have less of an impact on how you feel than those that depict gritty, realistic violence toward people?

  • Families can also discuss online play. How do you protect yourself from online predators? What would you do if you encountered someone suspicious while playing a game online?

Game Details

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