Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 Review

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 Review

An explosive sequel that packs a bloody punch.

Posted : Oct 14, 2026 4:00pm UTC

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 wastes no time hooking you into its blistering, blood-soaked world. Seriously, there are only a few minutes of speedy exposition before you're sent diving through a battered spaceship, hurling bullets and slicing rogue enemy agents to pieces – all while shouting sanctimonious battle cries as innards slosh against the tarnished metal flooring. With a breakneck pace and plenty of pixelated gore, it's clear developer Auroch Digital isn't messing with the magic in this first-person shooter sequel. Instead, the team has elevated the original's frantic run-and-gun style with boosted enemy counts and demanding level objectives that'll have you shouting 'For the Emperor.'

Boltgun 2's story kicks off with a literal bang; your ship is destroyed at the hands of the Great Daemon Vashtorr. Hungry for revenge, you respond (somewhat reasonably by Warhammer standards, might I add) by launching a brutal intergalactic campaign, fighting through bile-filled swamps to demonic dwellings, frozen facilities, and beyond. Joined by a sassy Servo-skull companion to guide you through the crimson haze, your mission is all about survival, clearing out hordes of vicious heretics while collecting enough ammunition and health kits at a cadence that's unapologetically old-school. It's repetitive by its very nature, and the story can feel a bit like Warhammer word salad at times. Still, thanks to the mesmerising enemy designs and level variety, as well as the breakneck pace, it's easy to enter a flow state of slicing and dicing through some of Games Workshop's most imposing baddies.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 Screenshots

There are four difficulty options to work through, ranging from Low, where your health is bolstered and your damage increased, to Exterminatus, which is about as terrifying as the term would imply. For those looking for more control, you'll also have your pick of game-modifying settings like the ability to disable head bobbing and screen shake, or toggle on invulnerability, too. While I opted to play on the recommended Medium difficulty – with the campaign taking around eight or so hours per protagonist – it's nice to see Boltgun 2 accounts for all kinds of player preferences here.

While there's a lot to shout about, my favourite new feature in Boltgun 2 is the addition of a second playable character. Joining the first Boltgun's Space Marine Malum Caedo is the badass Sister of Battle, Nyra Veyrath. While both are fanatical in their devotion, as often heard in their intense, toggleable taunts, the major difference between them lies in their combat styles. Where Caedo is akin to a hulking mech kitted out with a buzzing Chainsword and frag grenades, Veyrath is much more nimble, wielding a Powersword and hefty Melta Bomb. They feel pleasantly distinct in both their personalities and weaponry. Initially, I was enamoured with Veyrath's Fervent Slide attack, which lets you blitz forward and bisect any fodder in your way, but in playing Caedo's campaign, I was equally enamored by his Chainsword Lunge, which felt more decisive and controlled, great for dealing with squishy hordes. All this to say, there really is no wrong option when choosing your warrior, and the thrill of playing as either adds to the replayability of Boltgun 2, further emphasized by the campaign's branching level options.

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As you complete levels, you'll make cartographical choices throughout Boltgun 2's campaign to determine your path forward. Alongside a few optional side missions, there are specific battle locations you'll have to choose between as you advance to the big finale. On my first playthrough as Veyrath, I had to choose between dropping into a dense rainforest overrun with blight or working through a fortified beachhead with enemies hidden in sandy trenches. While I initially opted for the former, it was energizing to know that on a second playthrough, not only could I choose an alternative character with a unique loadout, but I would also have entirely new levels waiting for me.