Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2
Review
What a blast
by Alex Moretti
reviewed on PC
A GREAT ENTRY FOR NEWCOMERS
Like with most boomer shooters, the story carries little weight. You can choose between two characters at the beginning of the game - Ultramarine Malum Caedo or Sister of Battle Nyra Veyrath - though it doesn't seem to make much of a difference to the overall narrative. The plot revolves around you being an overpowered space soldier who has to race from world to world to stop Vashtorr the Arkifane and save the Imperium, or something along those lines. Trust me, it really doesn't matter. Nobody plays these types of games for the story; boomer shooter fanatics are here for the epic action, fun unlockables, and memorable weapons - the latter of which this game does a great job of making a blast to experiment with.
BY THE NUMBERS, BUT STILL A BLAST TO PLAY THROUGH
While the game might not add much new to the genre outside of a kick-ass melee attack that uses your chainsword to tear through enemies, and the simplistic retro visuals will likely not blow anybody away, the art direction is top-notch and does a great job giving each level some personality. There are multiple secrets to unlock in each level which will give you cool modifiers for either your character or your weapons, rewarding players who take the time to explore off the beaten path.
The further you traverse, the greater variety of enemies you will encounter, many of which have unique features that make them feel like more than just a reskin of a previous foe. Some enemies are toxic to the touch and require you to keep your distance when fighting them. Some are faster than others but have less armor, or vice versa. Some are proficient snipers while others sacrifice accuracy for sheer firepower. I had a lot of fun trying out different gun types on different enemies to see which combat style worked best for me.
A SOUNDTRACK THAT SHREDS
If there is one thing that elevates the chaotic, blood-soaked gunplay, it's the audio design. Boltgun 2 brings the heavy artillery in the music department, highlighted by an original guest track from renowned Australian composer Mick Gordon - the mastermind behind the iconic soundtracks for DOOM (2016), DOOM Eternal, and Wolfenstein: The New Order. His screaming, high-octane track fits the unrepentant strafing action like a glove, injecting an extra layer of adrenaline into the firefights and making every chainsword tear and bolter blast feel that much more impactful.
A FUN SPIN-OFF THAT EXCEEDS ITS PREDECESSOR
The first Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun was a fun little spin-off title that you could probably beat in about 10 hours if you just wanted to complete the base game. Boltgun 2 is marginally longer, clocking in at about 12 hours for story completion, and around 40 hours to see 100% of what the game has to offer. Though it's not just the length - this sequel feels as though the developers really wanted to expand on what they did in the first game in as many ways as possible. It isn't revolutionary and it's probably not going to set your world on fire, but it is a genuinely fun game with lots of cool enemies to fight and a killer soundtrack to back it up.
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8.7
fun score
Pros
Plenty of secrets to unlock, huge variety of enemies, awesome soundtrack
Cons
Little story to speak of
