What is Warhammer 40k: Boltgun 2?

Being a millennial, we go back a long time when it comes to shooters. We saw the advent of Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, Duke Nukem, Half-Life, and of course Halo: Combat Evolved. Millennials saw the genre begin, expand, narrow, and go mainstream with Battle Royales and Extraction Shooters. 

Of course, developers who also grew up on FPS games saw an opportunity to bring that old-school nostalgia into a new wave of shooters. That’s right: Boomer Shooters started becoming popular on Steam with games like DUSK, Project Warlock, and many more! The fact that this sub-genre only continued to grow shows its popularity from players yearning for simpler times, but with the latest quality-of-life features to give them a modern feel to them. 

Once again, Auroch Digital transforms the Warhammer 40k universe back into the Boomer Shooter mold with fantastic results. That’s right, Boltgun 2 picks up where the first game left off and delivers a bloody pixelated ride within the wider Warhammer 40k universe. 

Developer & Publisher // Auroch Digital, Big Fan Games, Devolver Digital

Platforms // PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC

MSRP & Release Date // $24.99, October 14th 2026

Reviewed On // PC

Boltgun 2 Story – Context 

• Boltgun 2 takes place after the events of the first game. The story follows the advent of a powerful demigod, Vashtorr, as he takes on the Empire.
• Players can choose between 2 characters: Ultramarine Malum Caedo and Battle Sister Nyra Veyrath.
• The story fits the Warhammer 40k universe well, but takes a backseat to the gameplay.

Unsurprisingly, Boltgun 2 takes place immediately after the events of the first game. Ultramarine Malum Caedo and Battle Sister Nyra Veyrath travel to a far-out star system to investigate reports of high Chaos activity. Once there, both heroes face off against Vashtorr the Arkifane, a powerful demigod that awakens an army of daemonic machines. Naturally, this causes a catastrophic explosion that destroys a majority of the Imperial fleet. The fleet’s destruction forces Malum and Nyra to planet-hop to quell the corruption powering Vashtorr’s daemonic machinations and send the demigod and his minions back to the Warp.

By pressing T (or Y/Triangle), your character will pull off some on-character Warhammer 40k quick quips -often in praising the Emperor god or purifying heretics and abominations. To my surprise, Nyra is actually voiced by Alanah Pearce, while Malum is voiced by reprised by Rahul Kohli.

Boltgun 2 throws in some brief pixelated scenes that act as set pieces that slightly add to the game’s narrative. No doubt, the game’s context and pixelated scenes add nostalgic art design flair, but in reality, it is the gameplay that takes center stage. 

Level Design

• Boltgun 2 delivers simple old-school level design with smart access points when acquiring keys.
• A world map allows players to select different missions and optional side missions.
• The game takes around 8-12 hours to complete, to play through each character.

Similar to the predecessor, Boltgun 2 has an old-school level design that keeps the game simple and streamlined. However, unlike other shooters of the past, the game has a dedicated guided line to help you move through the level if you ever feel stuck or lost. It’s a nice feature, honestly, and great for gamer dads/moms who have limited time per gaming session. 

I love it when you’re searching for a key (you do that a lot in the game) and once you get it, there’s a clever shortcut that drops you right next to the locked door. The same goes for boss fights where adjacent corridors open up, triggering the next phase of a boss fight. The interconnected and well-designed levels were satisfying to my core, and that is what sets an average boomer shooter apart from an excellent one. Of course, when finishing a level, a familiar nice timer and objective/serets unlocked list pop up.

A world map between level sets helps players choose which missions to embark on. There are optional side missions that players can complete. It does give a slight sense of agency, which is a nice touch. Overall, each character will take around 4 to 6 hours. So for the modest price, it’s a decent amount of content. 

Boomin’ & Shootin’ Excellence

• Boltgun 2 has satisfying, impactful shooting mechanics that feel hefty and are quite bloody.
• When holding down the grenade button, it produces time dilation and a trajectory vector.

Let’s not beat around the bush: Boltgun 2 has impeccable shooting mechanics. From the hefty gun sound effects to the strategic diversity of weapons, Auroch Digital and Big Fan Games absolutely nailed the feel of the guns in the game. Of which there are over 10 weapons to choose from between Malum and Nyra. Of course, all the weapons are true to the source material, and if you’ve ever played any other Warhammer 40k game, you’ll find familiar weapons seen in other games.

Gunplay feels distinctive and satisfying to control. Best of all, shooting never got old during my playthrough. Killing Chaos Marines, Heretics, or the new Bloodletters faction was always thrilling. Seeing them turn into gory blood sacks is indeed part of the game’s charm. Though the default mouse sensitivity is quite, well, sensitive, notching it down by half felt right for me. 

There are also some nifty features in combat that are worth noting. For example, holding down the throw grenade key/button prompts a trajectory vector and, in my opinion, more cleverly, slightly slows time, creating a wicked semi-bullet-time feel of old Max Payne games (Yes, I am old). Nyra’s grenade can be detonated mid-air with the press of a button.

Gun/Melee Combo Reign Supreme

• Similar to other Warhammer 40k games, both guns and melee combat are intertwined in the controls
• Malum Caedo uses his Chainsword that can home in on enemies in quick succession, moving from enemy to enemy easily. 
• Nyra uses her Fervent Slide to quickly move on the battlefield, while her Power Sword impales enemies. Though its range is questionable. 

Similar to Space Marine 2, the alternative attacks are reserved for the mighty Chainsword and Power Sword. This creates the trademark on-the-fly gun and sword switching the franchise is known for. For example, players can unload their Meltagun while pressing the alternative attack to rev up the Chainsword and eviscerate enemies. Best of all, you can move from enemy to enemy with the tap of a prompt, which just creates a trail of blood and gut sacks. 

In contrast, Nyra’s Powersword impales enemies in a gratifying gore-tastic manner. However, I just wished the range of her Power Sword was slightly increased when impaling enemies back-to-back. It can break up the flow a little bit, unlike Caedo’s homing Chainsword.

Other weapons will prompt a tried-and-true Space Marine punch that’ll send sacrilegious heretics flying to the other side of the room. But I must say my all-time favorite weapon is a tie between the splattering shotgun and the frag cannon, which feel amazing to use and produce quite a satisfying bloodgultch when unleashed. Conversely, Nyra uses her Fervent Slide to quickly move, making her more agile than her Ultramarine peer.   

Smooth Killing Machine

• Movement is smooth on both keyboard and mouse and gamepad. 
• Boltgun 2 also implemented great quality-of-life features like ledge climbing.

When it comes to movement, Boltgun 2 nails the feel and controls. Playing on both keyboard and mouse and controller, the game’s movement felt smooth and less “ice-skatey” than other boomer shooters. There’s even a ledge pull mechanic, which is an underrated quality-of-life feature. 

Abilities 

• Both Malum and Nyra have abilities. Malum has near-death life regen that hardly works, while Nyra has Enduring Faith, which regenerates her shields when depleted

In Boltgun 2, the game offers two playable characters to master: the mighty Ultramarine Malum Caedo and Sister of Battle, Nyra Veyrath. We all know who the Ultramarines are, and Malum’s core ability is health regeneration right near death. Though in my experience, I’ve ended up dying before the ability kicks in. Nyra’s ability is called Enduring Faith, which regenerates her shield when depleted. Overall, Nyra had more useful and consistent Abilities compared to Caedo’s. 

Warhammer 40k: Boltgun 2 Graphics

• Boltgun 2 graphics fit the retro Boomer Shooter mold perfectly with 2D sprite characters on 3D environments
• The game fits the Warhammer 40k universe perfectly

Boomer Shooters have a distinct art style that stands out in a non-stop ocean of game releases. The pixelated sprites on a 3D plane are quite the sight for old, sore eyes. It harks back to a nostalgia-filled era that we will never get back again, while conversely making them relevant and enjoyable once again. 

Of course, since the game is a Warhammer 40k product, the art style stays in line with Games Workshop designs and doesn’t deviate at all. It just has a pixelated sprite coat of paint on it. Chaos Marines are massive and bulky as they should be; heretics are average humanoid shapes that remain faithful to the W40k universe. All the while, vehicles look like they were ripped right out of the 90s, as if the game had been developed during that era.  It all fits perfectly within the Warhammer 40K universe. 

Pixelated Enemy Design

• Boltgun 2 recreates the Warhammer 40k world in a beautiful, nostalgic pixelated art style
• Character sprites on 3D environments give the game a retro look
• Environments are varied enough but sit well within the source material

Boltgun 2 vistas, like the enemy design, remain well within the Warhammer 40K universe. So if you played any other game from the universe, like the stellar Space Marine 2, you’ll feel right at home here, albeit with a pixelated twist. 

There is some diversity when it comes to biomes. You have your tried-and-true spaceships, ruined cities, and winter zones that should keep things mildly interesting. My favorite were the sprawling cultist industrial locations, especially the ones with the mounds of pixelated skulls, which sum up beautifully how entrenched Boltgun 2 is within the wider Warhammer 40k universe. 

Audio Design

• Warhammer 40k: Boltgun 2 has impeccable audio design. Gun sound effects sound hefty and dynamic, such as the bloody messes from killing enemies and the Plasma Gun hissing.
• A track from the soundtrack was produced by legendary composer Mick Gordon from the DOOM series.

Boltgun 2 has an impressive and well-known composer who should give you goosebumps. That’s right, the iconic Mick Gordon, celebrated for his legendary work on DOOM (2016), DOOM Eternal, and Wolfenstein: The New Order, is credited on the game’s soundtrack through the track “Ascent of the Arkifane”. The chunky 8-string goodness keeps it simple but revs up the hype in typical fashion.

Through the remaining Boltgun 2 soundtrack, the heavy metal riffage remains core to the audio experience. It does pick up when the action comes in thick. In contrast, in the quieter parts of the game, the music plays a more ambient and atmospheric role, just to remind players of the dreaded and never-ending war of the Warhammer 40K universe. 

As mentioned above, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 ‘s audio design is impeccable. From the deafening weapon sounds to the visceral blood and guts sound effects, the sound design is just as impactful as the game’s brilliant retro graphics and art style. In particular, the hissing of the Plasma Gun is a nice tell of when the gun is near overheating. These subtle touches add to the game’s immersion.

Accessibility Glory

• Warhammer 40k Boltgun 2 has tons of accessibility options, including unlimited ammo, undying mode, different visual cues, and many more toggleable options. 

Boltgun 2 doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to accessibility options. Toggleable options can help fine-tune players’ experience, such as Invulnerability, Unlimited Ammo, Undying Mode, Unlocking All Weapons, Reducing Head Bopping, Time Dilation toggle, Screen Damage Effects, and so much more. The fact that the game gives plenty of options means that more people can enjoy turning cultists and demons into bloody mulch messes. 

Final Thoughts on Warhammer 40k: Boltgun 2

Boltgun 2 is rancid, violent, boomer shooter goodness. The tight gunplay and beautiful retro art style take me back to simpler times. Boltgun 2 sticks firmly within the wider Warhammer 40k universe and does so magnificently. Yes, my glasses are rose-tinted, but that doesn’t change the fact that Boltgun 2 absolutely delivers a phenomenal boomin’ shootin’ experience. 

Note – A key was provided for the purpose of this review.