Space Marine Adventures: Tyranid Attack! review - "Simultaneously too easy and weirdly overcomplicated"

GamesRadar+ VerdictThis is a budget-friendly welcome to the world of Warhammer 40,000 that sadly doesn’t really work as a satisfying game. Its production values are excellent and it has ‘good stocking-filler’ written all over it, but its gameplay is unfortunately lackluster.Pros+Production values are solid all-round with good miniatures and gaming board+It’s an ideal cheap Christmas giftCons-The Tyranids don’t do enough to feel like a threat-It’s far too fiddly for a game this shallow GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict This is a budget-friendly welcome to the world of Warhammer 40,000 that sadly doesn’t really work as a satisfying game. Its production values are excellent and it has ‘good stocking-filler’ written all over it, but its gameplay is unfortunately lackluster. This is a budget-friendly welcome to the world of Warhammer 40,000 that sadly doesn’t really work as a satisfying game. Its production values are excellent and it has ‘good stocking-filler’ written all over it, but its gameplay is unfortunately lackluster. Pros+Production values are solid all-round with good miniatures and gaming board+It’s an ideal cheap Christmas gift Production values are solid all-round with good miniatures and gaming board It’s an ideal cheap Christmas gift Cons-The Tyranids don’t do enough to feel like a threat-It’s far too fiddly for a game this shallow The Tyranids don’t do enough to feel like a threat It’s far too fiddly for a game this shallow Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buyHow we tested Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buyHow we tested WithSpace Marine 2fever still rippling out across the world, it’s no surprise that Games Workshop want to have some budget-friendly products available to appeal to a new wave of fans. Tyranid Attack! is the third edition of the Space Marine Adventures series – a title that many in the UK will be unaware of, as it’s primarily aimed at the US market and specifically branches of Barnes & Noble. In the game, a diverse squad of Astartes make their way into a seemingly derelict Space Hulk, only to come face-to-face with hordes of Termagants, Genestealers, and Lictors. Can they make it out alive? The question, unfortunately, should be “will they want to?” Features & design Swipe to scroll horizontallyPrice$34.99Ages12+Game typeWargamePlayers1 - 4Lasts30minsComplexityLow - moderateDesignersIn-housePublisherGames WorkshopPlay if you enjoyCombat Arena, Space Marine Adventures, Darktide - The Miniatures Game Swipe to scroll horizontally Price$34.99Ages12+Game typeWargamePlayers1 - 4Lasts30minsComplexityLow - moderateDesignersIn-housePublisherGames WorkshopPlay if you enjoyCombat Arena, Space Marine Adventures, Darktide - The Miniatures Game In the box you get five Marine miniatures, representing the Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Salamanders, and Iron Hands. None of these miniatures are new – they’re actually repurposed from the Primaris Space Marine Heroes collectible range from a few years back, and are the exact same models that are included in the current Kill Team Starter Set, though here they’re each moulded on different colour plastic – a nice touch that means you’re not going to have to worry about painting these before playing. They fit together just fine, though for best results, you’ll want to slightly trim the pegs and glue the parts. (Image credit: Future) Despite the five included characters, the game is designed for a maximum of four players, meaning that one of the squad will always sit the mission out. There’s also an included card for Brother Titus of Space Marine fame – though the Titus miniature is, confusingly, not included here. For that, you’ll need to pick up Space Marine: The Board Game. Gameplay (Image credit: Future) And that’s… kind of it. The Marines trudge around the board shooting until they have achieved their goal and then they leave. The Tyranids, meanwhile, just sort of… sit there. No, honestly, they don’t move at all. It’s a far cry from the equally standalone but thoroughly excellentCombat Arena: Lair of the Beast. Breach and clear(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)Want a better entry-point to the grim darkness of the far future? Here’s our guide on theWarhammer 40K starter sets compared. Breach and clear (Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)Want a better entry-point to the grim darkness of the far future? Here’s our guide on theWarhammer 40K starter sets compared. (Image credit: Benjamin Abbott) Want a better entry-point to the grim darkness of the far future? Here’s our guide on theWarhammer 40K starter sets compared. That’s my biggest problem with Space Marine Adventures: Tyranid Attack! in a nutshell – it never truly captures the feeling of being trapped in a confined space with hordes of Genestealers and other flesh-tearing gribblies. Tyranid blips spawn, but the only way they can harm a Marine is if he is positioned on top of a xenos entry point. (The rules never specify how they attack, but as they’re coming up from the ground I’m going to take it as canon that they’re biting the Marines on the bum.) Once you get to Level 3 then the Infestation Cards do have a decent variety of events (as does an included Advanced players deck), but otherwise it’s all very slight, easy and, honestly, pretty dull. It doesn’t help that the Marines each have a special skill and access to a deck of 28 Special Cards that offer cool buffs, weapon, or tactics. These have the annoying effect of making the game simultaneously too easy and weirdly overcomplicated if you’re a total newbie. It’s an unnecessary level of additional detail that suggests a complexity to the game that just isn’t there. Should you buy Space Marine Adventures: Tyranid Attack? (Image credit: Future) As a game, though, Tyranid Attack! is unsatisfying. The Tyranids being largely static obstacles means that they never feel like a threat. The small size of the boards, meanwhile, makes everything feel cramped – and not in a cool, tense, claustrophobic way. Marines can walk past and shoot through each other so there’s no good reason for tactical play in the way you deploy your troops. It’s just a short, repetitive game that takes place in a small, uninteresting space. Look, I appreciate that this is becoming a bit of a recurrent theme on this site, but Tyranid Attack! really does leave you wondering why Games Workshop don’t just give us a new Space Hulk – or even just a reprint of the third edition from 2009. There’s an obvious appetite for it both inside and outside the company, and as a title that was traditionally really successful at introducing new players to the incredible worlds of Warhammer 40,000, it’s honestly baffling that they’re keeping that in the wings and releasing weird, underwhelming sets like this. Buy it if… ✅You want a Warhammer-shaped stocking fillerIt’s both cheap and decent enough value to make a good gift for young gamers. ✅You want a Warhammer-shaped stocking fillerIt’s both cheap and decent enough value to make a good gift for young gamers. ✅You want a Warhammer-shaped stocking fillerIt’s both cheap and decent enough value to make a good gift for young gamers. ✅You want a Warhammer-shaped stocking fillerIt’s both cheap and decent enough value to make a good gift for young gamers. ✅You want a Warhammer-shaped stocking fillerIt’s both cheap and decent enough value to make a good gift for young gamers. ✅You want a Warhammer-shaped stocking fillerIt’s both cheap and decent enough value to make a good gift for young gamers. ✅You like the miniaturesYou can get them elsewhere, but these are still really nice models and in a range of appealing colors. ✅You like the miniaturesYou can get them elsewhere, but these are still really nice models and in a range of appealing colors. ✅You like the miniaturesYou can get them elsewhere, but these are still really nice models and in a range of appealing colors. ✅You like the miniaturesYou can get them elsewhere, but these are still really nice models and in a range of appealing colors. ✅You like the miniaturesYou can get them elsewhere, but these are still really nice models and in a range of appealing colors. ✅You like the miniaturesYou can get them elsewhere, but these are still really nice models and in a range of appealing colors. Don’t buy it if… ❌You want a good, compelling gameThat sounds harsh, but this is unsatisfying, too easy, and also needlessly fiddly. ❌You want a good, compelling gameThat sounds harsh, but this is unsatisfying, too easy, and also needlessly fiddly. ❌You want a good, compelling gameThat sounds harsh, but this is unsatisfying, too easy, and also needlessly fiddly. ❌You want a good, compelling gameThat sounds harsh, but this is unsatisfying, too easy, and also needlessly fiddly. ❌You want a good, compelling gameThat sounds harsh, but this is unsatisfying, too easy, and also needlessly fiddly. ❌You want a good, compelling gameThat sounds harsh, but this is unsatisfying, too easy, and also needlessly fiddly. How we tested Space Marine Adventures: Tyranid Attack! Disclaimer After constructing the featured miniatures and poring over the rules, our reviewer played Space Marine Adventures: Tyranid Attack! multiple times to get a better sense of the game’s mechanics. They also compared it to previous versions of the game, and modern competitors as a whole. For further details on our process, check in with this guide onhow we test board games, or the general GamesRadar+reviews policypage. Want more adventures? Don’t miss these essentialboard games for adults. If you’d like to stick with the Warhammer World, though, then check out our thoughts on whyKill Team: Hivestorm might be the best starter set Warhammer has made. 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