In the dark world of Warhammer 40,000, genetically modified space marines and fanatical Sisters of Battle fight an all-out war against aliens and demonic gods. There is no “good guy,” there are no saviors and everyone works, according to the good reckoning of the Imperium of Man. Entire planets could be wiped out in an instant, and that would not move the needle in the war between the galactic empires. Nothing ever really changes.
Perhaps that’s why the latest build of developer Auroch Digital’s Warhammer 40,000 Boltgun 2 feels a lot like its predecessor. Perhaps we’re going through a lot of the same battles in the reruns — a familiar feeling in first-person shooter sequels. During a press preview event showcasing two levels of the upcoming game, developer Auroch told attendees that the focus was on capturing “what people love about Boltgun and [making] bigger and better.”
When I got my hands on the preview levels, I found an undeniable quality-of-life upgrade and a new set of weapons to complement the casual gunfights and satisfyingly badass heists. But the big new features — including a second playable character and radically different level design — don’t feel like they meaningfully change the sequel.
I’d be happy if every level in Boltgun 2 played like the ones shown in the demo, but so far I haven’t seen much in the way of real innovation over the original.
Worshipers of Khorne are a new faction in Boltgun 2. They add a melee force to fight battles.
More demons than you can shake a chainword at
If you’re a Warhammer fan who just wants another FPS hit, Boltgun 2 will be incredibly satisfying. There are many weapons, different levels and a lot of new types of enemies for fans of different factions to enjoy.
Even though I’m not very familiar with Warhammer history, I was pleasantly surprised to see Khorne cultists and new Nurgle-themed enemies scattered throughout the two levels I played. The original Boltgun allowed players to crush minions of Tzeentch, so it promises to see many new, richly detailed pixel art versions of iconic enemies (before you turn them into mulch).
Developers Auroch Digital obviously love the tablet game Boltgun is based on, because you can see where certain mechanics have been lifted and adapted in a completely different way.
Abominable poxwalkers will reanimate flesh and transform postmortem, returning from the dead to please you again. Khorne berserkers will fly into a rage when they reach a low health limit, they are fast and very dangerous. And the demonic infant units will mount up and ride their horses into battle.
All of these little interactions make the world of Boltgun 2 feel more functional. Best of all, navigating around these different enemy behaviors adds much-needed mechanical depth to an otherwise by-the-numbers shooter.
They are green in color! That’s a step in the right direction compared to the original Boltgun.
The new levels are nice but very open
When I think back to my time with the original Boltgun, I vividly remember the level that closed the first act of the game. In it, you are thrown into chaos, where the churches that have become the norm begin to disintegrate and collide in an environment beyond the control of the laws of physics.
A visual spectacle of purple hues and topsy-turvy gravity, it’s a truly beautiful backdrop that might just be the pièce de resistance of anywhere It’s an FPS game that was featured in it. But it stands out the most in Boltgun, because almost everything else is a grim gothic church or red-hot armage. The beauty of Warhammer makes for great fun, but the rest of the game is a jumbled mess of grays and reds that don’t really stand out.
Thankfully, the two levels available during the playable preview were varied and colorful: The shiny demon-infested military base was certainly modeled after some of Boltgun’s original stages, but the cult-infested jungle (complete with man-eating plants) was a welcome relief. I don’t think there was ever a splash of green in the first game, so I hope this preview of the multi-planet preview is a trend for the full release.
While these new levels look really cool, I have some reservations about how they play.
The damaged warp-purple architecture is back some time in Boltgun 2, which is encouraging — I just hope the levels aren’t vast expanses of lavender flat.
The original Boltgun may have put players in scenic locations, but the industrial nature of that game confines you to tight rooms and corridors more often than not. Wrapping up in these situations forces you to think quickly, moving to cover in time to avoid a hail of gunfire from enemies.
This combination fosters a real sense of danger, forcing you to manage health and bullets while maintaining the powerful mindset that comes with being a genetic brute who can tear through enemies with ease.
In contrast, the Boltgun 2 levels I played were very open. Most of the battles in the forest and swamps take place in open areas with only a few trees to eliminate the line of sight between you and your enemies. The icy military base consisted of an entire bridge filled with multiple enemies that could be slowly controlled and defeated before crossing over to your side of space.
I was even able to kill some enemies from far enough away that they didn’t register me as a threat, allowing me to blast them with guns while being completely unopposed. But even if the enemies react to my presence, the wide open air makes it very easy to dodge the bullets flying at you. At worst, Boltgun 2 feels like it’s emulating Serious Sam’s platform-style maps, which don’t fit well with other game bases like Doom.
There is little challenge in these stages, which is a shame because the game shines when you put it in difficult situations. The most notable battle from my time was fought with a mob of poxwalkers who gathered around me as I defended the landing area. The enemies themselves began to limit the playing area, which was a clever way to stick to the cavernous area of the map.
I’m left hoping that the levels in the preview build were chosen to reflect the visual direction of Boltgun 2, and that there’s a better balance between large battlefields and claustrophobic corridors in the full release. If Auroch Digital continues to have poxwalker-fight creative levels, that would address my design concerns.
I much prefer Sister of Battle’s slow-firing weapons, thanks to the high damage output of each shot.
The atmosphere of the sea? Sister of War? What is the difference?
Heading into the preview event, the biggest new feature in Boltgun 2 appeared to be a second playable character: a Battle Sister with access to a variety of weapons and tried-and-true sea skills.
Members of the media were told that Malum Caedo, the Ultramaine character from the first game, is an infantry tank with access to a standard set of guns. On the other hand, Battle Sister Nyra Veyrath comes with a new set of weapons as she navigates the battlefield with wisdom.
These well-defined characters feel like the perfect answer to the latest entry in the Doom franchise. Caedo’s gameplay loop felt like it would borrow cues from the slow, weighty Doom: Dark Ages power fantasy, while playing as the fast, weak and aggressive Veyrath would make the game feel more like Doom Eternal.
Unfortunately, after playing the preview build, I came away with the feeling that the biggest impact any character has on gameplay is likely to be the taunting voice lines. Although Caedo and Veyrath have different dashes, bombs and passive abilities, those differences feel pretty good. Their unique weapons provide a significant change, but the weapons available to each character fill similar roles.
Caedo gets a Boltgun that removes chaff while Veyrath gets a small, heavy Bolt Pistol that does a lot of damage but requires frequent reloads. Caedo uses his trusty rifle to take out the larger targets while Veyrath holds on to a bow that… well, does the same thing.
These weapons do to hear they’re very different to use — Sister of Battle’s high-damage weapons are huge and satisfying — but they don’t encourage players to change their gameplay in any tangible way, which feels like a missed opportunity. It’s possible that the full release of Boltgun 2 will also separate Ultramarine and Sister of Battle, but my experience in the preview is about the same.
The iconic chainword ultimately feels visceral to use, delivering conflict as satisfying as melee combat in developer Saber Interactive’s latest Space Marine 2.
The basics are still there (and strong)
Even though some aspects of the Boltgun 2 preview seemed a little overwhelming to me, Auroch Digital has covered the biggest issues I had with the first game.
The levels are no longer confusing to navigate and the weapon power and enemy toughness levels have been completely removed, making the entire gun arsenal feel more worthwhile, especially when you’re up against bigger and meaner enemies.
Melee weapons now feel like an effective way to close range and take down easy enemies. Using a chainword in the first game was a great way to turn into a swiss cheese as the enemy that attacked you blew you up at point blank range, but now it feels like a viable option.
The original Boltgun also featured the worst, most fragile gun I’ve ever used in a video game — the cardinal sin of shooting a boomer. The following is consistent, however, as Caedo’s boomstick now does a decent job of turning bad guys into puddles on the floor.
Enemies are generally less bullet-spongy this time around, which makes the weapons feel more powerful while better delivering space’s innate naval power and avoiding the frustration of longer battles.
Boltgun 2 is simply a smoother, more polished version of what came before it. Despite the introduction of new guns and a bunch of great levels, I left the preview with the understanding that this game will be another high-octane “Doom clone” rather than the boomer shooter experience in the same way that games like Ultrakill, Selaco and Turbo Overkill does.
But retreading an old place doesn’t sting as much when it’s littered with demon bodies and shells, and stepping into the shoes of one of Warhammer’s living tanks is still a treat for the novel. If you’re looking for another three-step heavy metal FPS campaign, I think Boltgun 2 might be one of the best of its kind in 2026.
