Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun | PC Review

Do you ever find yourself yearning for the boomer shooters of yesteryear? If you’ve had that itch to play a game in that vein, rejoice! Auroch Digital has you covered with Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. This title fully evokes the past while updating its mechanics for today’s gaming standards. Another plus? You don’t need to know a lick about Warhammer to enjoy Boltgun; you’re just rewarded with Easter eggs and known characters if you are a fan of this universe.

You’ve Got Red on You

You play as Malum Caedo, a Sternguard Veteran that is sent with his squad to the planet of Graia to purge heretics and to retrieve a crucial power source. After their ship crash-lands, though, Malum and his Servo-skull companion Incommodus are the lone survivors. A mission is a mission, so you venture forth anyway to slay thousands of enemies on your journey to obtain the power source.

This is a gleefully violent game. Enemies explode in chunks and blood plasters not only the floors and walls, but your screen as well. The variety of weapons is satisfying, and discovering creative ways to eliminate foes is an absolute delight. I had a little too much fun jumping on top of and dashing through cultists and Nurglings in my heavy space suit, leaving only bits and pieces behind in my wake of carnage. I never grew tired of varying up my strategies and playing around with different weapons. Gameplay can become repetitive, though. Most levels task you with finding colored keys to open doors in order to progress. This objective became tiresome to me after a while, but the rush I got from mowing through the opposition alleviated this aspect of the game.

Modern Days

The gameplay evokes that of boomer shooters of the past, but modernizes them for the current generation. You can jump and platform in Boltgun, as well as aim your gun freely. Movement is mostly smooth, but platforming is a tad too sensitive. It’s easy to under or overshoot your jumps due to the sensitivity, and I found myself stuck for minutes at a time trying to complete some of these segments.

You’re also encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of each level. You don’t have to, of course, but you’re rewarded for taking your time. Secrets are scattered around in random spots, and these often consist of imbuing you with a limited time powerup or a new magazine for one of your guns. You can also find hidden enemies to defeat. You’ll be reminded at the end of each level how many enemies you killed and the number of secrets you discovered, which encourages completionists to revisit levels to try to completely clear each one.

I’m the Best Thing at This Party

The graphics and sound design are simply exquisite. The default visual setting is pleasing to the eye and provokes a wonderful sense of nostalgia. I found myself admiring the detail of the levels more than once. The score is thrilling and intense, even if it doesn’t quite hit the highs of the games it’s paying homage to. Hearing the sound of Malum’s heavy footsteps and the falling of shotgun shell casings added a realistic touch to the gameplay as well. The addition of a dedicated taunt button was also a delight. Press Y on your controller and you’ll hear Rahul Kohli (Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor) spout insults as Malum. It’s a small touch, but a fun one.

Boltgun is wonderfully accessible and customizable. If you suffer from motion sickness like I do, I highly recommend turning off head bob and screen shake. The option to become invincible and unlock all levels from the start is an excellent touch, as well. I did not utilize these features but it’s a wonderful addition. You can also make the graphics more or less pixelated, allowing you to experience the game in the way that is the most pleasing to your eyes.

The Final Verdict

I had a total blast playing Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. It took me eleven hours to complete the game on the Medium difficulty setting, and that’s without finding all the secrets in each level. The gore and gunplay is extremely satisfying, while the graphics and sound design were the bloody cherries on top. The gameplay does become somewhat repetitive and the platforming segments were a tad too sensitive for my liking, but the sheer joy in blowing away scores of enemies quickly eased these frustrations for me. If you’re looking for an exceptional boomer shooter, Boltgun is shouting your name.

To hear me talk more about Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, be sure to listen to the May 31, 2023 episode of the Gaming Outsider podcast around the 38:05 time stamp.

This review is based on a PC copy of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.