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The Warhammer 40k franchise is one of the longest-running in the gaming world, and one of the most popular. I confess that I'm impressed by the fact that there's always a new game in the franchise coming out every year, and they're usually quite different from each other. I confess that I don't really understand the context and how they are connected, so please be aware that this analysis is made by a layman of the franchise. But a very curious layman.

One of the games that has caught my eye this year, and one that I'm really looking forward to playing, is Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2, which seems to be a very complete and high-quality AAA game. And then this game, which I didn't know existed until recently, fell into my lap.

Warhammer 40k: Boltgun, which I'll just call Boltgun from now on, is a super-frenetic first-person shooter with a cool retro look. It's been out for a while, but we only received it a few days ago, and I was selected for this task. I was afraid at first, but it turned out to be a very enjoyable task.

How does the game work?

Well, it's a fast and frenetic first-person shooter, very reminiscent of Doom, which is a franchise I'm very fond of. And maybe that's why I was surprised by this game. In my mind, the classic Dooms were exactly like this game, but it's clear that if you go back, they're much simpler than Boltgun.

But the crucial point, and one that Boltgun also brings with it, is fun. The game is very linear, with some more open maps, but structurally made up of several labyrinthine corridors. You move from stage to stage, completing objectives that range from defeating hordes of enemies to finding keys to open doors that block your path.

The number of enemies you face during the stages is quite large, and as you progress through the stages, more types of enemy appear. Each enemy has its own look, size, speed, type of attack and some unique characteristics, and this is one of the things that makes the game so much fun.

Enemies galore

The countless variations of enemies mean that combat is always dynamic and frenetic. And one point to add is that it's not easy. At various times the game becomes very challenging, due to the number of enemies, the amount of shots and blows coming our way, and the scenery is almost always unfavorable.

But to face these numerous enemies, we have a wide and varied arsenal of weapons at our disposal. Each weapon is very unique, with different ammunition that is not widely available, depending on the weapon. What's more, it's possible to find some upgrades for the weapons during the course of the stages that make you more powerful.

Some of the upgrades are for ourselves, such as one that slows down time. If all the available weapons run out of ammunition (which is not impossible), we have a melee attack in which we use our chainsaw sword, which is well known in the gaming world. You can also use a dash, which moves you more quickly.

The game has several difficulty levels, which in theory makes it very accessible to a wide variety of people. But I can guarantee that even on the lowest difficulty, the game will remain very challenging. Oh, and in some stages, you'll face some bosses, and they're usually quite challenging because they're never alone.

After completing a stage, you can return to it via the stage selector, and you can also challenge yourself to beat it at higher levels. It's also worth noting that not all difficulty levels will be unlocked at first. They are unlocked as you complete the stages.

Horde mode

Boltgun has a mode whose name is pretty self-explanatory, isn't it? In this mode, you'll face hordes of enemies on a larger map than you'll find in the game's campaign. You start with no weapons, but with each round you survive, you'll unlock a weapon, or sometimes an item that will help you survive the armies of enemies you face.

How does it look?

As mentioned, in terms of gameplay, the game has a very retro vibe, but, as you can see from the screenshots we've provided in the review, the game's visuals are also very reminiscent of old-school visuals. It's a 3D game, but it seems that many of the elements we find in the game are in 2D.

But despite this seeming limitation, the game uses this look very well. It's cartoonish 2D, but at the same time very detailed, with lots of gore and a few gags that make the bloodletting more fun. The look of the enemies is very cool, some very unique, including some animations that go beyond the attacks.

That said, Boltgun doesn't offer anything innovative in terms of visuals or even the soundtrack. The textures are simple and the scenery, although different from each other, is very similar, causing a feeling of repetition. There's not a lot of creativity in terms of setting, but I believe that when it comes to the game itself, it won't be something that bothers you.

Is there a story? Was it worth playing?

Well, in theory, there is, but in my opinion it only serves as a backdrop for our purges. The game is very, very similar to Doom, which is by no means a demerit. And just as in Doom we don't have an amazing story, in Boltgun it's the same.

What drives us in the game is the frantic gameplay and the endless shooting, in other words, the fun. And I believe that this was the goal in itself. So I think the game delivers what it promises, with a few caveats, of course. You can finish it in 7-8 hours, which I think is a reasonable amount of time so that it's not too short and not long enough to become boring.

Is the fun enough to make the game worthwhile for you? Well, if you're interested but still wondering if it's worth it, we've prepared a video of the beginning of the game. Check it out by clicking here and draw your own conclusion.

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Target

How does the game work?

Enemies galore

Horde mode

How does it look?

Is there a story? Was it worth playing?