That pejorative statement makes it sound like there is something "wrong" with complaining about the fact that GOG is receiving stripped-down, gimpy versions of these games.

But actually, nothing is wrong with complaining about that at all. It's a 100% legitimate and worthwhile and valid complaint.

Especially since GOG doesn't label the games accurately as by adding phrasing like "Stripped Down, Feature Removed, Gimpy Edition" to the games' titles.

GOG gets some credit for making clear the games are gimped via disclaimers that say so in a PR-friendly way on the store pages.

But nevertheless, GOG is still presenting the games as if they are the same titles are being sold elsewhere, when in actual fact, no they aren't. By way of the GOG versions having been stripped-down, that makes them actually become new & lesser & inferior versions of the titles they bear, not the actual real titles with all of the content that are implied to be contained with the game by those titles.

And I'm sure SEGA could have made GOG/S**** Crossplay work with these games had they bothered to put the effort in to do so.

But no, instead they decide to cheap-out, and not put in the effort, and act like they are doing GOG customers a huge "favor" by selling them stripped-down, feature-removed gimpy inferior versions of the games.

Releasing gimped versions is actually an insult to GOG customers, not a favor.

Played for about an hour, and here are some impressions:

1. Windows Firewall blocked the game from doing some functions, which is what I expect from a game with functioning multiplayer, but this version doesn't, so, uhh...

2. My computer isn't really great, so I like to buy games as a benchmark if they fulfill the minimum requirements. The game runs fine, not super smooth, but reasonably acceptable. Radeon says it averages about 32 fps. I noticed the cutscenes are much better optimized and run at a much higher framerate. I turned off post processing, ambient occlusion, and vsync, but otherwise kept the detail on high and the shadows on medium.

3. Despite putting it on hard, the game's pretty easy so far. Dunno if it's my gamerz skillz, but I remember dying quite a bit in the demo back on the 360. Maybe mouse and keyboard helps.

4. Spunkgargleweewee. The first hour is full of cutscenes, "epic" moments, extremely linear, and otherwise has setpieces made to make the player feel awesome. It's actually insulting but not surprising coming from this era of AAA games.

5. Controls well. I didn't have to do anything to the mouse settings, it feels concise. My only issue is it keeps bringing up MOUSE 5, which I suppose the F key is the same function, but it's rather distracting because I only have a 3 button mouse, and watching the prompts bring up CHAIN COMBO WITH MOUSE2 MOUSE2 MOUSE2 THEN F + MOUSE5 TO DO EPIC STUN is mildly confusing at best.

Bought the game as soon as it went on sale, and frankly I'd be a bit disappointed if my poor butt bought it for more than a fancy sandwich, at least within the first hour of play. But I did pay as much as a fancy sandwich, and I'm having fun, so I have no regrets buying it for ten bucks.

But then you would be whining that the game had some sort of DRM... I do wonder sometimes why you are here on the forums since you're mostly a negative Nancy. How come?

The version on gog is cheaper though. On Steam it's 45€ (60$). Here we pay 35€ (38$).
You could've looked the prices up yourself instead of assuming they are the same.

so when are you planning on deleting your GOG account?

Yes, but it's usually on sale for 4,99 €, it has been given away for free and I purchased it for 4,99 € in 2012, so this version is currently more expansive than the realistic sale price.

So the DLC is only relevant to multiplayer, or is it also single-player DLC that does not work because "multiplayer" ie. online requirement is cut off?

If it is the former, then ok, I most probably wouldn't play the online multiplayer anyway.

If the multiplayer part matters to you, why don't you just buy the Steam version then?

If you feel the GOG version is "overpriced", then just don't buy it. No lube needed for that decision.

I am interested in the GOG version due to offline installer and the ability to use gogrepoc.py to download it (along with the rest of my GOG game installers), something that the Steam version does not offer. So from my point of view, the GOG version offers more and is worth more than the Steam version. Your mileage may vary.

I'm not sure if I did mistake something, but wasn't the advertisement for Space Marine for the Anniversary Edition the last weeks?

Its a real bummer, they even cut out the survival levels you could play without multiplayer.

I refunded the game, as I'm not willing to pay for a second class product.

Technically (as far as I remember from playing the nonGOG version) the survival levels are in the multiplayer menu, but you can simply start a map without any interenet connection and other players) - meaning they cut a "single player" mode out of the multiplayer menu.

Yes, it seems it will be that way. Unless you try to restore the LAN or DirIP multiplayer functionality.

You can play solo in exterminatus mode. But had to be connected and played on a private server. We couldn't play offline.
So it's a multi online mode.

and for some who doubt my word. In 10s of research. Confirmed here too.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/55150/discussions/0/535152276587919511/

How is the actual gameplay? (never tried it back in the day). Nice for Sega to bring it over regardless of the missing multiplayer DLC

You are making the assumption that everyone wanting to play the multiplayer part of that game is also willing to buy the Steam version, when in actuality the reason some of us are even considering to buy that game now is because it finally is no longer a Steam-exclusive on PC.

Thanks for the clarification and sorry for the false information.