April 1 has come and gone, marking the end of another year of April Fool's Day antics in the video game industry. Yet, the playful jest from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one that might linger in fans' minds a bit longer.
Just yesterday, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, playfully announced that a new Chaplain class would be released as DLC on April 1. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," Focus quipped, undoubtedly with a chuckle.
This faux DLC would supposedly introduce the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, complete with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' Every five minutes, the Chaplain would remind his comrades that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and threaten to "tell the Inquisition."
The Chaplain's unique ability, named Discipline, would supposedly allow him to instantly report any minor deviations from the Codex Astartes, granting a 5% discipline bonus but at the cost of a -20% brotherhood bonus.
The humor in this April Fool's gag stems from the campaign of Space Marine 2, where Chaplain Quintus scrutinizes protagonist Titus for any signs of heresy, despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. Throughout the game, as Titus fights against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons, it becomes evident that there's something unique about him, which Chaplain Quintus finds highly suspect. He's akin to an overzealous school prefect, always on the lookout for rule-breakers.
The Chaplain has become a meme within the Space Marine community, and this April Fool's prank cleverly taps into that. However, some fans have expressed a genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game as a serious warrior-priest, dedicated to the veneration of the Emperor.
"This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, where fans have been buzzing about the Chaplain and brainstorming how he could fit into the game.
Interestingly, Space Marine 2 is indeed set to introduce a new class soon, though Focus and developer Saber Interactive have kept details under wraps. While many speculate it might be the Apothecary, akin to a medic class, others hope for the Librarian, bringing warp-powered space magic into play. The Chaplain's spotlight in the April Fool's Day prank might suggest he's less likely to be the new addition.
Despite the surprise announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2 remains active with its year one roadmap. Patch 7 is slated for mid-April, and fans can look forward to the new class, along with new PvE operations and melee weapons in the coming months.
