General Gaming Warhammer 40K: Boltgun (23 May 2023) - a 90s style, retro-inspired "boomer shooter" that includes a "Purge the Heretic!" taunt button, update: reviews from OpenCritic posted

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Hands-on previews from today:

 

Warhammer 40k Boltgun is the 90s FPS you never knew you missed | Wargamer

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Retro FPS Warhammer 40k: Boltgun promises old school thrills in the 40k universe - the preview build already suggests it’s going to deliver

 

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Combat is fast and vicious. The titular boltgun is gloriously violent. It spews out shells at a ferocious rate, tearing apart cultist enemies into sprays of pixelated gibs. Some inspiration has been taken from the more recent Doom games, your foes bursting like pinatas full of pickups. Mortal enemies drop health, daemons produce faith (which takes the role of Doom’s ‘armour’), and Chaos Space Marines always leave behind a frag grenade pickup as a treat.

 

There are some conveniences to make the rapid skirmishes more readable. Grenades show blinking red blast radiuses until they explode. Bullets are projectile objects rather than rays, giving you a chance to dodge. Health-bars let you know how close an enemy is to exploding, and display the enemy’s toughness value. True to the tabletop game, your selected gun needs to match or beat the enemy’s toughness to inflict appreciable damage.

 

 

 

Warhammer 40K: Boltgun imagines the grimdark setting as a Doom-esque FPS

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It’s the setting of 40K explored through the classic Doom

 

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Boltgun feels like it was made by 40K nerds; there’s lots of tie-ins to the larger lore. The game opens with a cutscene where an Inquisitor, an agent of the Imperium of Man’s secret super police, briefs the Space Marine on what to expect. Boltgun follows the events of 2011’s Space Marine, where the Ultramarine Captain Titus stopped an Ork WAAAGH! (that’s how the big green lads refer to a sustained war campaign) and a Chaos incursion. The Inquisitor thinks there are loose ends left after that campaign, and they need to be investigated.

 

Boltgun does a great job of straddling the line between two possibly divergent directions for the game. On one hand, it’s wonderfully silly. There’s a dedicated taunt button, which has the protagonist Space Marine shake his fist and yell something like “For the Emperor!” or “Purge the Heretic!” at enemies (or at no one in particular, if you’re feeling spicy). If the player is idle, the protagonist takes out his trusty Codex Astartes and flips through the pages.

 

 

 

Warhammer 40K: Boltgun is the perfect blend of classic FPS gameplay and stylish visuals

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An impressions video for Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun on its frenetic FPS gameplay, stylish visuals, and elements of 90s nostalgia.

 

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Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun looks to offer something both familiar, and wholly new, within the Warhammer space. To get a better idea as to how the game accomplishes this, Shacknews’ own Greg Burke recently spent some time with the game and shared his impressions in an informative video.

 

To start, Greg points out how Warhammer 40K: Boltgun has clearly been inspired by retro PC shooters with its hidden secrets, fast-paced FPS combat, and retro-inspired art design. Being a modern game, however, some updates have understandably added to complement the overall experience. For example, being able to make quick work of foes with a chainsaw, with enemies exploding in a delightful burst of red.

 

 

 

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Is an FPS That Parties Like It’s 1996 - IGN

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Boltgun isn't taking any inspiration from the modern drift of first-person shooters. Players aren't going to find any RPG meta-progression, open-world stat grinds, or quasi-MMO multiplayer mandates. This is a video game that could've easily arrived in 1996, and. Boltgun eagerly leans into those tenets with its art style. This is an old-school PC experience, replete with paper-thin enemy models, static death animations, and color-coded keys and doors. But that vintage ideology has been souped up by 2023 engineering, like a 1958 Jaguar converted into an EV. Boltgun might play like Doom, but id Software certainly wasn’t drumming up the gory particle effects and psychedelic bullet trails that fill the screen in developer Auroch Digital's firefights.

 

After an hour with Boltgun, I can safely say that the action comes together beautifully. This is not a shooter about making tough tactical decisions. The space marine is big, beefy, and generously durable — he compels players to switch their brains off — so I found myself absorbing a ton of punishment as I eviscerated any who stood against the glorious Imperium. Boltgun gets increasingly unhinged when the bullets start flying and the corpses start rupturing. Every inch of the terrain is smeared with bright, crimson blood, to the point that it becomes difficult to remember, exactly, what you were aiming at. Trust me, I mean that as a compliment.

 

 

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

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If the player is idle, the protagonist takes out his trusty Codex Astartes and flips through the pages.

 

This is peak Ultramarines right there.

[Keyser_Soze]

They will literally make any game and put the 40k name on it.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

[stepee]

@Zaku3 hope all is well check this out 

[Remarkableriots]

I'll definitely get it when it goes on sale.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

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Game Information

Game Title: Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

 

Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (May 23, 2023)
• Xbox Series X/S (May 23, 2023)
• PC (May 23, 2023)
• PlayStation 4 (May 23, 2023)
• Nintendo Switch (May 23, 2023)

 

Developer:  Auroch Digital

Publisher:  Focus Entertainment

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 76 average - 66% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

GameMAG - Russian - 9 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a gift to anyone who have strong feelings towards the universe. It's a great shooter, the best one that came out under 40K brand, and probably one of the best games this whole year.

Impulsegamer - 4.5 / 5

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is an absolute treat for fans of the grim, dark future of the 41st Millennium and a superb shooter in its own right.

PlayStation Universe - 9 / 10

The best boomer shooter I've played in a long time, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is weapons-grade catnip for genre fans and Warhammer 40,000 fans alike. Indeed in retrospect, crafting a retro style FPS in the Warhammer 40,000 universe feels like something we should have had long before now - so perfect is the fit of form and function. In the Warhammer 40,000 universe there is only war. Apparently there are also supremely great shooters too. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a riotously violent and thoroughly entertaining shooter that everybody needs to play.

PC Gamer - 85 / 100

Boltgun is stupendously fun-a treat for Warhammer players and a worthy member of the growing legion of retro shooters.

Generación Xbox - Spanish - 83 / 100

It is true that a shooter of these characteristics has its own well-known limitations and a structure that does not invent the wheel, but as I often say in my texts, there are times when more is not always better. And in their own limitations, the good folks at Auroch Digital have created a little gem.

GGRecon - 4 / 5

In a time when retro graphics have been done to death, Warhammer 40K Boltgun still manages to impress with its visual style. Better still, it feels amazing to play. Your Space Marine feels weighty, but also extremely quick. You get to be just as deadly as an Ultramarine should be, and you will need to be to take on the horde of classic Chaos monsters this game throws at you.

Many fans regard Warhammer Space Marine as the gold standard of games from this setting, and I can say wholeheartedly that this game belongs in that conversation. The upcoming Warhammer Space Marine 2 will have to fight to get my attention away from Warhammer 40K Boltgun, because I cannot imagine it having as good a Boltgun as this game does.

GameSpot - 8 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun captures the fast-paced action of classic '90s shooters and accentuates it with an assortment of the Space Marines' finest weaponry.

God is a Geek - 8 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be. It sets out its stall early and rarely deviates from the plan.

NookGaming - 8 / 10

All in, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is exactly what I expected when it was announced as "Boomer Shooter" and that is a damn good thing.

When it comes to this franchise, you usually have to go into it expecting certain levels of jank much like Necromunda: Hired Gun. Fortunately, here the developers have put out a jank-free, high-quality product that should bring Boomers and Gen Z kids together in a bloody ballet in the glorious name of the Emperor.

The Games Machine - Italian - 8 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a solid boomer shooter whose service honors the Emperor, and will certainly be very welcome by those who have been waiting for a 40k FPS since Fire Warrior. However, while it doesn't have any significant flaw it also never really excels.

TheSixthAxis - 8 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a brisk, brutal boomer shooter and another great reason for a visit to Games Workshop's science fiction theatre.

WellPlayed - 8 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun successfully captures the dark and expansive lore of the Warhammer universe, immersing the player in a grim and pixelated future that will appeal to both fans of the franchise and FPS enthusiasts.

Windows Central - 4 / 5

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a fun and nostalgic gore-fest that will satisfy fans of the tabletop classic and retro first-person shooters. The fast-paced gunplay combat is challenging and enjoyable, with plenty of entertaining weapons for blowing enemies up. Its 2.5D pixel-art graphics are particularly gorgeous, oozing charm and adoration for the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Worth Playing - 8 / 10

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is everything that retro first-person shooter fans can enjoy, even if they have no love for the grimdark space setting. The action is constant, and the gore is plentiful, but the game forces you to play smart, even at the lower difficulty levels. The gameplay loop doesn't deviate from the classic key-finding formula, but the levels are larger, which means more enemies to shoot and a higher chance of getting lost, whether or not you're trying to find secrets. The game is long enough that multiplayer isn't needed, but it also never feels tiring despite some things that may be irksome. Boltgun is a solid piece of work and one that we'd definitely recommend checking out.

CGMagazine - 7.5 / 10

Boltgun unleashes a torrent of satisfying carnage with a lot of sharp levels over a good-sized campaign, but repetition and the lack of a sense of progression hold it back some

Destructoid - 7.5 / 10

Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.

GameWatcher - 7.5 / 10

Drenched in retro nostalgia, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a straightforward boomer shooter with a 40K skin. Its minimal story is as bog-standard as Warhammer gets, but is enough to justify the on-screen slaughter, while allowing for a pure focus on satisfying action.

Spaziogames - Italian - 7.5 / 10

Warhammer 40.000: Boltgun is a fast paced retro-shooter. It's fun and gory, but don't expect to find some kind of revolution.

Try Hard Guides - 7.5 / 10

While Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun might be one of the more visually impressive retro shooters in a long time, it also provided me with plenty of frustration during my playtime. The monsters, guts, and gore make for exciting gameplay, but it feels like Auroch Digital is trying to milk it for all that it’s worth at times. Boltgun is a natural successor to retro 90s shooters, for better or worse.

XboxEra - 7.5 / 10

Old school DOOM + Warhammer 40,000 are a match made in Hell

Hardcore Gamer - 3.5 / 5

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a solid throwback FPS that makes up for being too generous with the resources by its excellent weapon, monster and level design.

IGN - 7 / 10

Retro-shooting and fast-paced arenas suit the Warhammer 40K setting nicely, but Boltgun falls short of greatness because its ideas peter out too quickly. Some good level design and nice environments make up for a lack of variety.

Eurogamer - 3 / 5

Boltgun's boltgun earns a place in the pantheon of great video game weapons, but the rest of the game's arsenal doesn't quite live up to it.

MonsterVine - 3 / 5

While there’s some mindless fun to be had here for Warhammer enthusiasts, Warhammer 40k: Boltgun is a perfectly passable entry in the genre that maybe relies a bit too much on its IP than trying to do something new.

Push Square - 6 / 10

If you can look past the repetition and the roadblocks, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a largely solid shooter. It nails the visuals, the guns generally feel great, and the sound design is suitably punchy — just don't expect it to push beyond those foundations.

Saving Content - 3 / 5

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a solid first-person shooter that captures the 90s era well, it’s hardly anything revolutionary. It’s a nice homage that does a solid job of making you feel like the game existed back then, but modern things like mantling, bloom, and 21:9 support give way to its immersion. The game is unapologetically Warhammer 40K, and the weapons and enemies are true to the source material. The Warhammer 40,000 Universe has nothing else like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun , and that’s what makes it so distinct in the space and genre.

Expansive - 2.5 / 5

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun does a great job of blending classic and modern day shooters. They’ve done all the hard work in building an authentic aesthetic, as well as making grenades, charge attacks, shields, twin stick shooting and jumping all feel natural, working well within the confines of the game. Unfortunately, the desire to focus around enemy waves, arena shooting, overpowered strikes and overly long levels undoes a lot of that, leaving a lot of potential buried beneath unsatisfying, frustrating content.

We Got This Covered - 2 / 5

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun belongs in every game dev's syllabus, filed under "why encounter design is a pillar of any retro shooter."

ACG - Buy

"Boltgun is a game that embraces games from "back in my day" but doesn't do as much for newcomers as it could. I enjoyed my stay, however I can see it not appealing to many."

Polygon - Unscored

Auroch Digital has done a great job of deploying retro visuals and the trappings of older shooters alongside modern sensibilities to bring the game to life. The abyss of Chaos looks downright disturbing, even captured through an old-school lens. These trippy environments and crude daemon designs combine with visceral and satisfying combat to make Boltgun a blast, and it’s nice to explore the world of Warhammer through such a ridiculous, blood-smeared filter.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Unscored

A fast and joyously entertaining rampage through a spot-on recreation of the Warhammer 40,000 setting, Boltgun is the FPS that 40k fans have dreamed of since the first time they inexpertly splodged too-thick paint all over a Space Marine. Pacing issues can't prevent it from being a bloody good time.