PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Warhammer 40k Boltgun may be one of the best classic Doom homages I’ve ever played, and no, you don’t have to be a Warhammer fan to enjoy it. Much like its predecessor, you have to fight your way through corrupted soldiers and interdimensional Daemons (pretty much the same as demons) presented as 2-D sprites. Throughout each level, you have to find colored keys that open the corresponding doors, while keeping an eye out for secret rooms and any means to improve your arsenal.
As the lone survivor of a crash, with nothing but a chainsword (a big heart sword with a trigger-operated chainsaw blade), you have to make your way through snowy mountains on a foreign planet, investigating the cause of the presence of Chaos cultists and Daemons. When you find your first gun, the titular Boltgun, the real fun begins.
The story of Boltgun takes a backseat here. While it isn’t bad by any means, the gameplay is clearly where the time was spent in development. The pulse-pounding gunplay is backed by a beautiful Gothic orchestral score blended with industrial elements as you blast your way through swarms of cultists and Daemons. Be warned, the game will lull you into a false sense of security at first as it feels way too easy for the first few stages, but the difficulty ramps up as you go with some pretty sharp difficulty spikes that can catch you off guard.
The map design is great, for the most part. Personally, I have a terrible sense of direction, and with there being no in-game map, I found myself getting lost until I noticed there are certain elements within the maps to help guide you along your way. You’ll find yourself trying to make your way through some quite trippy portal mazes, doing some platforming, and navigating some labyrinthine corridors. The variety is nice as well as you’ll be traversing several different types of environments both indoor and outdoor. The mammoth, Gothic architecture combined with the score sucks you right into the Warhammer 40k universe.
The gunplay and frantic and intense. The guns feel and sound meaty and powerful. Your arsenal at most will consist of 8 different guns, your chainsword, and several types of hand grenades, and they all feel fun and unique to use. It’s important to pay attention to your enemy’s health bars as there is an indicator that will show you how effective each gun is against that enemy type. While it won’t matter as much in lower difficulties, it will add a layer of strategy for those who brave the harder ones.
But what if you aren’t into the look of retro games? You spent all that money on a high-end gaming system and don’t want to waste time on dated graphics? Boltgun actually has a Retro Slider in its options where you can decide how retro or how modern you want the game to look. The screenshot below will show you the two most extreme settings.
However, the game isn’t perfect. There are some frustrating, sudden difficulty spikes that can seem pretty extreme, and half the time when I found a powerup I don’t actually know what it does. Most of the story is told from text scrolling along the top corner of your screen, but the game doesn’t stop when this is happening, so when your servitor (biomechanical floating skull assistant) is explaining things while you’re in a firefight, good luck reading any of it. Lastly, the enemy A.I isn’t the best. I’ve been able to cheese my way through some situations that should have been a lot more difficult.
In conclusion, Boltgun is not only one of the Best retro shooters I’ve played, but it’s also one of the best Warhammer 40k games I’ve played. It’s drenched in atmosphere with pulse-pounding gameplay that always makes me say “Just one more level” after completing one. Boltgun is clearly a passion project from its developers and every ounce of love they put into it can be felt throughout the game.
(All images captured on a PS5)
