Warhammer 40K: Boltgun review: an absolute blast of a boomer shooter

The grim future is a world of war. The Emperor’s finest, the transhuman Space Marines, are the bulwark defending humanity from the malevolent forces of Chaos. A setting is sometimes a good indicator of the mood. Warhammer 40,000 is deadly serious. But it’s also an extremely silly galaxy, and Warhammer 40K: BoltgunIt is a good idea to indulge in lighter things.

BoltgunAuroch Digital has taken inspiration for its boomer shooting game from Doom, Wolfenstein, Duke NukemAnd other old-school FPS. I take on the role of an Ultramarine, one of the Emperor of Mankind’s Angels, dispatched to the world of Graia to clean up after the events of the 2011 action game Space Marine. I play as Malum Caedo, a Sternguard Veteran, and I’m the sole survivor of my squad.

Everything’s gone straight back to hell after the events of Space MarineThe previous Ultramarine Captain Titus had killed boatloads Orks, and Chaos Space Marines. Planet has once again been overrun by Chaos Space Marines and Daemons. Lucky for me, I’ve got a boltgun and the chainsword to praise the Emperor. The course of my action is obvious: I’ll tear it up.

The protagonist uses his chainsword to turn a heretic into guts and blood in Warhammer 40K: Boltgun.

First glance BoltgunThis is a clever joke. If you’re familiar with the 40K setting, then it’s a delightful jest that turns familiar tropes on their head. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s just an over-the-top, gory romp — a Duke Nukem game in which, instead of playing a red-blooded American who likes beer and boobs, the protagonist is an 8-foot-tall tank in power armor who turns daemons into red mist and praises his Emperor.

Most jokes eventually lose their appeal. When you’re unsure, ask someone else. BoltgunAfter the first few levels, I thought it was a stupid joke. Happily, there’s more meat on this particular bone, because the gameplay is actually quite good. It wasn’t long before I fell into a rhythm of slaying heretics.

I can close gaps and even take down the most powerful foes with the chainsword. The chainsword also places me into an animation where I am vulnerable to enemy attacks. With my boltgun I can mow down daemons in a distant area. This is less reliable but allows me to get a feel for the space and avoid shots.

The exploration is interspersed with combat. I’ll occasionally need to hunt down a key or knock down a secret wall. The more I explore, the more I’m rewarded. There are new weapons hidden in the levels like the Meltagun and the Vengeance launcher. Secret upgrades are hidden that can make grenades explode in black holes or create cones of flame. The powerful weapons are ridiculously overpowered and fun to use. I often wiped out an entire room full of enemies in fantastic form.

The protagonist in Warhammer 40K boltgun engages in a firefight with Chaos Space Marines.

If you ask whether Boltgun is a challenge or not — that’s really up to you. The difficulty level ranges from low to exterminatus. The accessibility menu has an option to make you invulnerable if all you want is to discover and explore the world. The Normal difficulty lets even the smallest of creatures, such as plague toads or cultists, pack a powerful punch. My enemies are also equipped with a similar arsenal, so I need to be careful about my position and the tools that I use.

More I explore Graia the more I enjoy the different environments. Boltgun. The game began with snowy peaks and metal Imperium structures built into the mountainside. I then fought through factories, habitation blocks, and giant Titan mechas in the distance. Graia’s stark surfaces are interrupted by colorful, vivid realms of Chaos, full of winged Tzeentch daemons and noxious little Nurglings.

Auroch Digital’s game is brought to life by combining retro graphics and trappings from older shooters with modern sensibilities. Even when captured with an old-school camera, the abyss looks very disturbing. The psychedelic environments, crude daemons and visceral combat combine to create a game that is both satisfying and engrossing. Boltgun a blast, and it’s nice to explore the world of Warhammer through such a ridiculous, blood-smeared filter.

Warhammer 40K: Boltgun The game was released May 23 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X. Focus Entertainment supplied a PC download code to be used for the review. Vox Media partners with affiliates. Vox Media can earn affiliate commissions, but this does not affect editorial content. Find out more about affiliate links. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.