April 1st has come and gone, marking the end of another round of April Fool's Day pranks in the video game industry. However, the playful jest from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 might linger in the memories of fans a bit longer.
On April Fool's Day, the game's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced a humorous addition to the game: a new Chaplain class supposedly coming as DLC. They cheekily claimed that players could "swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," likely stifling laughter as they crafted the announcement.
This faux DLC promised a new 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." Additionally, the Chaplain would boast a special ability called Discipline, which would supposedly report any minor deviations from the Codex Astartes, granting a 5% discipline bonus but a -20% brotherhood bonus.
The humor in this prank resonates particularly well with players familiar with Space Marine 2's campaign. Chaplain Quintus, who monitors protagonist Titus with a suspicious eye throughout the game, embodies the archetype of an overzealous enforcer. As Titus fights the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons, Quintus' vigilant scrutiny for any signs of heresy adds tension to the narrative, making him akin to an overbearing school prefect ready to report any deviation to the authorities.
This portrayal of the Chaplain has turned him into a meme within the Space Marine community, which the April Fool's Day prank cleverly exploited. Interestingly, some fans expressed genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game as a warrior-priest focused on venerating the Emperor, albeit without the exact skill set from the prank.
Enthusiasm for this idea is evident on the Space Marine subreddit, where fans like ResidentDrama9739 commented, "This would actually go hard if this was real," sparking discussions on how the Chaplain could be integrated into the game.
While the Chaplain's prank might have been in jest, Space Marine 2 is indeed set to receive a new class soon. Though the specifics remain undisclosed by Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive, speculation leans towards an Apothecary, akin to a medic class, or perhaps a Librarian, offering warp-powered abilities. The Chaplain's appearance in the April Fool's gag has fans wondering if it rules him out as a potential addition.
Amidst these developments, Space Marine 2's roadmap for the first year continues, with Patch 7 slated for mid-April. The game is also set to receive the new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons in the coming months, keeping the community engaged and excited about what's next.
