Review: Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2

Developed by Auroch Digital and published by Big Fan Games and Devolver Digital, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is the second game in the retro FPS series. Boltgun 2 builds on the success of the first game and brings back everything bigger and better. Growing up in the 90s allowed me to play some of the best shooting games that ever graced our screens, and I never give up any chance of playing a similar shooter. While there have been many retro shooters that tried to bring back nostalgia, the original Boltgun certainly nailed the concept. Now, the series is back with Boltgun 2, and I am happy to report that it has not lost its charm at all. This is our review of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 on PC via Steam, in which we blast some enemies and try not to get lost in toxic swamps.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 features a choice-based campaign, where you will need to decide where you want to go next. After completing the first mission, which primarily serves as a tutorial as well, you are taken to the main campaign screen, which gives you a look at the current planet where you are present and gives you a selection of multiple missions that you can complete. During certain instances, you will get a chance to complete an optional mission, which will allow you to dive deep into the lore of the game. During the choice-based missions, the game will lock out the other mission, and you will need to start a new playthrough to try out that branching path of the campaign. This gives a good reason for jumping back into the game’s roughly 10-hour-long campaign.

Unlike the first game in the series, Boltgun 2 expands nearly in every aspect. Starting with the very first, the game now offers you two different characters to choose from: Malum Caedo and Nyra Veyrath. Malum Caedo, returning from the first game, is an Ultramarine and brings with him Frag Grenades and the Chainsword melee. His special ability is the Obliterating Charge ability, which allows him to run through a horde of enemies while dealing damage to them. Nyra Veyrath, on the other hand, is a Sister of Battle and has the Melta Bomb throwable along with a Power Sword for melee combat. Her special is Fervent Slide, which grants her the agility to move around the battlefield quickly.

Apart from the unique melee weapon, throwable, and special ability, both characters share the same ranged weapons in the game, and this time, there are plenty of them to choose from. The weapons get a special circle this time around for easy switching. Naturally, you start with only your abilities and a melee weapon, but as you progress through the levels, you start to find more devastating weaponry in the game. The game does not limit you to a specific number of weapons that you can carry this time around, and this is one of my favourite features because it gives you the freedom of blasting the enemies with any weapon that you like.

Combat in Boltgun 2 is extremely satisfying. I did not had the guts of trying the hardest difficulty, as the second-last difficulty is brutal enough. I did complete a full playthrough on the normal difficulty before trying out the great difficulty, and it was intense. Even on the normal difficulty, some of the bosses really pushed my limits because the game does not really give you a break when it comes to enemies in boss fights. Some of the early weapons are really powerful, and they can take you to the very end of the game just fine, but the rest of the weapons just give you different ways to explode everything that comes in your way.

I also noticed that some weapons worked better against certain types of weapons. For example, at the Nurgle levels, I had more success with weapons like the Shotgun and Boltgun than the Pulse Rifle. The Pulse Rifle did a decent amount of damage as well, but the Boltgun or the Shotgun just blasted away the enemies. Boltgun 2 is not short when it comes to enemies as well. There are four different factions that you will be fighting this time around. These include Nurgle, Tzeentch, Khorne, and Slaanesh. Each faction controls its own territories, and they will be throwing everything they have at you. At no point does the game feel boring when it comes to enemy variety.

Each faction has a tiered system for its enemies. You get the regular small enemies, which serve as fodder, and their task is mainly to take off small chunks of your armor and health to prime you for the bigger enemies waiting at the back. These smaller enemies usually appear in larger numbers and will sometimes also accompany the boss of their respective factions. For example, the Nurgle boss, The Great Unclean One, was constantly accompanied by smaller nurglings and even bigger enemies, which made this a boss fight to remember. Auroch Digital has done an amazing job in designing these enemies and boss battles because despite having retro visuals, there are enough details to enjoy in the enemy and boss models.

Shooting enemies makes them explode, and certain weapons like the Shotgun and Grenade Launcher are better at exploding enemies. As I mentioned above, combat is one of the strongest features of the game. It feels very rewarding, and every hit is a happy thump that makes your weapons feel meaty. Even the Boltgun, which is a starting weapon, feels pretty powerful and satisfying while killing enemies. While killing bigger enemies is always fun, when you come across smaller enemies in greater numbers, you can literally turn the entire area into a pool of blood and exploded insides. The game also has sounds for small details like enemy bits falling down from roofs and other high spots to the ground, and it just gives you a small idea of how much chaos you just caused.

Ranged combat is not the only fun part when it comes to combat. Melee combat is enough on its own as well. Both characters excel at taking out enemies in close quarters, with Malum using his Chainsword and Nyra sticking to her Power Sword. Malum can lock onto an enemy with his Chainsword, and if it is a bigger enemy, you can continue tapping the attack button until the enemy is killed. Since Nyra is an agile character, you can incorporate her melee attacks into her movement as well, such as sliding into enemies and slicing them up with the sword. You can easily incorporate melee combat into ranged combat, as the game’s combat system is flexible enough to give you this freedom.

Boltgun 2 also makes the level bigger and more varied than the first game. Instead of just adding more paths or creating big open areas, the levels in the sequel are more complex, with increased verticality and more dangerous elements involved in the mix. Platforming is not too difficult, but at times, you will be expected to sprint and jump in order to reach the next area. I loved the different level types, which is a massive improvement over the first game. The levels are completely different from one another. In one level, you will be exploring a ruined outpost with its industrial build, and the next, you will be shipped to a swamp, deep inside a forest. Next, you will find yourself at the top of an icy mountain. Each level brings something unique to the table and gives plenty of exploration paths and secrets, such as hidden power-ups for you to find.

The retro visuals are not the only good thing about its design because the game’s soundtrack is composed by none other than Mick Gordon, the same person who composed the soundtrack of 2016’s Doom. This upbeat soundtrack keeps your blood pumping as you explore the different levels in the game and blast enemies to smithereens. There are many other additions in the game as well; for example, in different scenarios, the Death Korps of Krieg will support your fight against the enemies and will allow you to defeat massive hordes of incoming enemies. Navigation is also much easier since the game features a map along with the original navigation markers from the first game.

Coming to the technical aspect of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, the game ran pretty smoothly for me throughout without any sort of glitches or bugs. I completed my main playthrough for the first time and then played once again on a higher difficulty with another character. I completed both playthroughs just fine without any sort of issues or errors. As far as I can remember, I did not notice any enemy getting stuck behind any sort of invisible wall or floor as well, so the game is optimized very well in all aspects.

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Final Verdict:

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is an excellent sequel that builds on everything that made the original such a satisfying retro FPS. Its brutal gunplay, rewarding melee combat, diverse enemy factions, challenging boss fights, and more complex level design make every encounter an absolute blast. The addition of Nyra Veyrath gives players another way to experience the campaign, while the branching missions provide a solid reason to return for another playthrough. Most importantly, Boltgun 2 captures the spirit of classic shooters while improving on its predecessor in nearly every aspect. Its challenging encounters can be punishing at times, but for fans of retro FPS games, this is an easy recommendation.

Final Score: 9.0/10

Disclaimer: A PC Steam code for Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 was provided by Tinsley PR on behalf of Big Fan Games and Devolver Digital for this review. For a detailed breakdown of our scoring and review process, please refer to our Review Policy.