Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (v1.2.0.0.775)

Pixelated gore, thunderous bolter fire, and the oppressive grandeur of the 41st Millennium fuel this unapologetically old-school first-person shooter. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 continues Malum Caedo’s war against Chaos while expanding the conflict into a branching single-player campaign across hive-city towers, hostile jungle swamps, and the sinister Ark of Omen. The tone is gleefully excessive rather than tactical: enemies burst into chunks, weapons roar with satisfying weight, and every arena feels built for an aggressive charge rather than cautious cover shooting.

Combat revolves around relentless movement, rapid weapon swapping, and turning tightly packed heretic hordes into gore-streaked pixel art. Players choose between Caedo, the heavily armed Sternguard Veteran, and Nyra Veyrath, a fast-moving Sister of Battle whose mobility and flame-based attacks offer a distinctly different rhythm. Familiar tools such as the chainsword, shotgun, and flamer return alongside new destructive hardware, while Chaos forces from all four major god factions bring different threats, from charging Bloodletters and Juggernauts to evasive Daemonettes and punishing Noise Marines. Campaign branches lead through different levels, encouraging repeat runs, and optional navigation aids and an automap help keep the pace focused on fighting instead of hunting for an exit.

What separates it from many retro shooters is its commitment to Warhammer 40,000’s scale and faction variety without sacrificing the clean, immediate feel of 1990s FPS design. Its crunchy sprites, oversized weapons, and deliberately loud presentation evoke Doom, Quake, and classic Build-engine shooters, but the dual-protagonist structure and alternate campaign routes add more variety than a straightforward linear throwback. Mick Gordon’s guest music for the final confrontation is an appropriate fit for its maximalist energy. Fans of the original, Space Marine’s brutal power fantasy, or fast shooters that reward aggression should find plenty to enjoy, while newcomers can rely on the optional guidance tools to ease into the carnage.