If E3 2015 was any indication, Warhammer 40k is currently an incredibly popular property on which to base games. While other games took more fringe approaches with their gameplay, Space Hulk: Deathwing is an FPS that puts you right in the middle of the action. I saw a hands-off demo at the event, during which the presenter and his squad of Space Marines continued their expedition into a space hulk.

In the Warhammer 40k universe, a space hulk is what happens when the wreckage of ships and debris combine over time. These mangled wrecks attract others, and the cycle repeats until you have some fabled hulks that have their own atmosphere and gravity. These hulks can be a treasure trove of lost technology, but they are also often infested with any number of hostile forces. Chaos Marines, Genestealers and other enemy forces have all been known to inhabit space hulks, making their exploration one of the most dangerous tasks that a Space Marine can be asked to perform.

In the demo, the presenter was the leader of a five-marine squad, capable of giving them limited orders and otherwise leading them down the space hulk's narrow walkways and more open rooms. Frequently, enemies such as Genestealers would be lying in wait in the darkened corridors, and they can quickly close the distance to batter your squad. Of course, turnabout is fair play, so the Space Marines can use everything from melee weapons, such as a war hammer and shield, to the minigun-esque Devastator cannon and flamethrowers.

At times, the presenter would happen upon a locked door, which in other games would require a key or puzzle to open. However, when you are a badass Space Marine, you need no such trivialities, so you can often punch your way through and send the crumpled door sliding into the room. Some corridors will be legitimately blocked due to collapsed roofs or other obstructions, but it was nice to see that trope literally punched into submission.

The squad eventually found its way to the objective, a church-like room with vaulted ceilings with a thick door that blocked further progress. The "numerical prayers" were enacted (a hack was started), which took some time to complete. During this timeframe, enemies were attracted to the location, with the squad fending off numerous alien foes of varying sizes. During this fight, I noticed that you can take damage in five key areas: head, torso, each arm, and the legs. It was said that damage to these areas affects your abilities, but from the demo I saw, that wasn't readily apparent.

I could easily see myself getting some friends together to play some Space Hulk: Deathwing in the five-player co-op. The game isn't just set in the Warhammer 40k universe, but it also uses it to colorfully and violently guide its gameplay. The title will be released in 2016 on the PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.