Warhammer 40,000: Marine 2 does a brilliant job of presenting the mortal world of 40K for those new to the universe, while also giving pre-existing fans plenty to enjoy as they slay hordes of Tyranids. Even though it shows a lot, especially when it comes to the different Space Marine Chapters, not just the Ultramarines mascot, Space Marine 2 just scratches the surface of 40K world. There is so much more to explore in the universe, and a faction is perfect for Space Marine 3if Saber Interactive wants to return to the series.
The original Space Marine had the somewhat comical and goofy Orks as one of the main villain factions, while Space Marine 2 chose the more terrifying Tyranid horde, and both featured other heretical factions, like the Chaos Space Marines. Although this would be a lot for most universes, War Hammer 40,000 It has so many factions that would be perfect to delve into in a sequel. Neither Orks nor Tyranids are likely to be revisited in any meaningful way in the future, so perhaps one of the best options for a sequel would be cybernetic Necrons.
Why Necrons Should Be Space Marine 3’s Villains
Variety is the name of the game
Necrons have some major advantages over many other factions when it comes to being a video game villain. For one thing, the faction has been around for a while in the real world and there are a lot of different units to choose from in the tabletop game. This would translate well into Space Marine 3since Necrons coming in all sorts of shapes and sizes would make for a brilliant array of enemieskeeping them fun to fight through a robust campaign and co-op PvE missions.
From long-range Deathmarks to Canoptek Spyders, the Necrons’ technology would mean that the player would also need to take different approaches against different enemies. The Deathmarks in particular would be a tricky enemy that hides and attacks Titus and his squad, while the Skorpekh Destroyers would advance into melee range without worrying about stealth. They may not have the large number of Tyranids they did Space Marine 2 so visually stunning, but your weapons will likely have amazing particle effects.
Another point that has nothing to do with the technical aspects of the Necrons is their visual design. They are cool creatures, with skeletal, cybernetic designs that contrast perfectly with the bulky Space Marinesbut they also fit the tone that many casuals or newcomers associate War Hammer 40,000. Newcomers may not expect how goofy the Orks can be with their belief-based reality-warping powers, but the deadly Necrons with their skeletal designs are something most wouldn’t bat an eye at.
Necron Lore makes them a terrifying threat
When everyone wakes up, they could end up ruling the universe
Despite the cybernetic and technologically advanced nature of the Necrons, they are actually an ancient threat in 40K universe. They were once a race called the Necrontyr and started out as organic rather than mechanical, but were attacked by radiation sickness thanks to the hostile nature of their home world. A recurring theme with the Necrontyr is the fear of death and the search for immortality, and this led them to look to the stars for answers long before Space Marines and Custodes existed.
Simply put, the Necrontyr declared war on the Old Ones after they refused to make the race immortal, lost badly, and came into contact with C’tan, or Star Gods, after figuring out how to communicate with them. They created these Star God bodies from living metal and worshiped them as divine beings. Unfortunately for Necrontyr, they found themselves enslaved by the C’tan and granted immortality. This immortality resulted in the Necrontyr becoming the Necrons, as their flesh became living metal like that of the C’tan.
Now immortal and with metal flesh, the enslaved Necrons once again declared war on the Ancients, 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 series of successful wars, defeating the C’tan and imprisoning them. They now ruled the galaxy, but the Silent King knew this would not last and made his people fall asleep, in part to prevent the rise of the Aeldari.
The Necrons were forced to sleep for sixty million years. At the time of Space Marine 1 and 2when Titus and the Space Marines are running with Boltguns, the Necrons have woken up, but not all together. Billions still sleep and those who woke up are dividedwith some still following Szarekh while others follow the revolting Imotekh, another Necron leader. While this is a gross simplification of events, it proves that the Necrons have a lot to work with from a story perspective, and ancient evil always works for a video game villain.
Space Marine 3 has so much material it can use
May not be restricted to use by just a few factions
There are very few universes in fiction as a whole that are as deep and detailed as war hammer‘s. Diving into this can sometimes be like falling down an endless rabbit hole of strange facts, for example, how Orks can breathe in space because of their reality-warping powers and as a result can open windows on their ships. Space Marine 3 There’s so much lore to work with, you could spend hours upon hours of a campaign delving into it and still feel like you’re only scratching the surface of what the entire universe has to offer.
So many of War Hammer 40K factions also have a lot to offer aesthetically, from the Leagues of Votann (space dwarves) to the brand new (and amusingly hated) Tau. A new Space Marine the game could showcase the variety the universe has to offer. One problem can be the conflicting tone that some factions can bring, which is fine for tabletop games, but it can be difficult to tell a cohesive story in a video game without feeling jarring. The next Space Marine you may have to be tough with some factions you exclude.
Still, there’s no reason why Saber Interactive can’t break the current mold it created for the Space Marine games and have as many factions as you want. Pretty much every faction is at war with each other, and most are at war with themselves, so having a bunch of factions would make the sequel feel like a war on many fronts. Still, if the formula presented in Warhammer 40,000: Marine 2 must be followed, then the Necrons should be the main villains of the sequel.