With its addicting visceral combat and engaging co-op capabilities, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is shaping up to be one of the biggest heavy hitters of the year by far. Placing a heavy emphasis on how much each class can drastically affect the gameplay experience, all six of the classes available at launch have unique styles and specialties. Thankfully, in the grim darkness of Space Marine 2, players will be aided by up to two Space Marine companions, without overlapping classes to ensure a well-rounded team is deployed each time.

With so many unique classes to choose from, it can be hard for players to know which to invest their valuable time into upgrading first. Every class will come with numerous perks that can be customized to make each player's experience different, even after multiple playthroughs. Understanding each class and its role in a squad will provide players with a tactical advantage in difficult combat scenarios, being the key difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat.

The Valiant Sniper Class

Rain Down Powerful Fire From Any Distance, Even In Stealth

The Sniper Class does powerful damage, as the name implies, and while this class excels in long-range combat, it's by no means limited by it. Using its Camo Cloak ability, players can turn invisible to easily position themselves for a surprise attack, silently take down enemies, or revive fallen comrades in the heat of battle. Being one of the most mobile heavy hitters in the game, the Sniper class is excellent at taking out elite enemies while using its abilities to remain out of harm's way.

Being the only real stealth option in the game, the Sniper class is excellent for players who love dealing quick bursts of damage while outsmarting foes at close or long range, or anyone dying for more stealth experiences.

Tactical Class Battle-Brother

The Balanced Class With A Strategic Team Focus

The Tactical class is one of the more versatile and balanced options in the Space Marine 2, offering a wide range of primary weapons that makes it great for beginners trying to experience as much as they can in one go. The main combat ability for this class is the Asupex Scan, which scans and highlights enemies, causing them to take additional damage from all sources.

The tactical class stands out with its enhanced utility options and team-based abilities that can make players the core of a solid battle-brother trio. The Tactical class is a great starting option for new players but offers unique utility options that make it shine when combined with coordinated team-play.

The Honorable Vanguard

A Deadly Combination of Precision Melee Attacks And Mobility

The Vanguard is a blend of powerful melee and ranged combat in Space Marine 2, excelling at precise hit-and-run attacks and evasion. Unlike the Assault class, the Vanguard is more focused on single-target melee and ranged attacks as opposed to its AoE counterpart.

For players who want to get up close and personal while dashing around the battlefield, the Vanguard allows for great survivability without relying on teammates for cover.

Using its Grapnel launcher, the Vanguard can quickly jump into combat by pulling themselves into a target and knocking it back, precisely maneuvering through groups of enemies. Mobility is a powerful tool for navigating combat, and it is incredibly fun.

The Aerial Assault Class

A Close Combat Brute For Hit-And-Run Tactics

Excelling at aerial dominance and crowd control, the Assault class is excellent for mowing down hordes of Tyranids with ease. Assault Marines are equipped with a jump pack that can be used to quickly escape dangerous situations, float in the air while laying down fire, or explosively launch themselves into the action. With its unique rotation of crashing down into groups of enemies and dashing away to safety in the skies, players will have a better view of the battlefield to coordinate with teammates.

The Assault class is perfect for players who want to get as close to the bloodshed as possible, blowing enemies away with explosive close-range firepower.

Paired with these abilities, the Assault class comes equipped with incredibly powerful melee weapons that will devastate large groups of enemies. The devastating Thunder Hammer is an exclusive weapon to the Assault class, making it unmatched in of raw melee and AoE damage compared to the other classes.

The Indomitable Bulwark

A Bastion Of Defense To Become The Shield Of Humanity

The Bulwark is the pinnacle of defensive combat in Space Marine 2, wielding a titanic shield that can block just about anything to protect themselves while drawing out enemy fire. On top of their defensive prowess, Bulwarks can quickly turn the tides of battle by deploying powerful banners to buff teammates, providing AoE effects like restoring allies' shields. While it's the most defensive class in the game, its electrifying Power Sword gives it an edge through high-damaging melee combat, keeping their squad alive by any means necessary.

The Bulwark class is perfect for team players who want to their friends while feeling unstoppable. With a shield in one hand and a bolter pistol or Powersword in the other, the Bulwark is a force to be reckoned with.

The Heavy Weapons Specialist

Survive onslaughts of Tyranids With Powerful Firepower And Defensive Buffs

The Heavy Class has an overwhelming presence on the battlefield, utilizing an arsenal of crushing weaponry that strikes fear into the hearts of Tyranids. Being the ultimate heavy gunner, its special weapons can provide consistent covering fire over long engagements, while its iron halo can shield them from ranged attacks. Out of the two tank options in the game, the Heavy turns a powerful offense into an excellent defense, taking fire while dishing out as much damage as possible to anything caught in its path.

Creating The Perfect Ultramarine For Any Encounter

Coordinating With Teammates Is The Key To Survival For Space Marines

After successfully picking the class that fits their preferred playstyle, the next most important step before braving humanity's greatest threats is finding what direction to build their class. Each of the 6 classes has numerous available perks that affect gameplay through various buffs or skills, but only a couple of each kind can be equipped at once. Each class can have 3 gear perks, 3 core perks, and 1 team perk that affects the whole squad, on top of a signature perk that greatly enhances the effectiveness of each class.

There will be an even greater pool of players thanks to its crossplay capabilities, and while each Space Marine is worth an army of soldiers, an effective team of classes that mesh well together can make combat all the more satisfying. For one example, the tactical class can target high-value enemies for the sniper to deal overwhelming damage in short bursts, while a melee-focused Assault class takes care of smaller hordes of enemies.

New updates and a Space Marine 2 roap for 2024 outline additional changes in the future, and while there's been no announcement on new classes, there is a host of unique cosmetics on the way. Ultimately, whatever class combination players use, there are so many options for weapons, perks, and class combos to try out that will make each battle in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 a wholly unique experience.