Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Developer: Auroch Digital
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 5
I am Proud to Serve, and Proud to Die!
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is the first boomer shooter I have played, and needless to say, I am a big fan of this ‘new’ and growing genera. While I think the term boomer shooter is a little dumb, I will admit that it does sound better than gen X and millennial shooter, so I’ll let it slide. This modern blast from the past was a lot of fun, if a bit repetitive at times. I feel that repetitiveness is par for the course when you’re trying to emulate an FPS from thirty years ago; variety was not really the name of the game back then. That is not to say that the game is a one trick pony, because it is much more than a by the number’s corridor shooter, much, much more.
Now, let us pick up our holy weapons, and take the fight to the Heretics!
Suffer not the Heretics to Live!
You take on the role of Malum Caedo, an Ultramarine tasked with retrieving Inquisitor Drogan’s Power Source from the planet Graia. A group of heretical techpriests have used this power source to open a warp rift allowing the forces of Chaos to invade the forge world, and it is up to you and your squad to put a stop to this heresy. As you make planet fall, your companion’s drop pods are destroyed, leaving you, and you alone, to find the Power Source and stop the forces of Chaos. What follows is a game of cat and mouse across three chapters, as you chase down the Sorcerer Tumlus Samael in an attempt to stop him from acquiring the Power Source and using it to further his heretical schemes.
Over the campaign’s three chapters, you battle the forces of Chaos across the surface of the planet, down in the hive world’s crypts and archives, and eventually it all culminates in a battle against Tumlus aboard the Crown Station high above Graia. You have a good number of weapons at your disposal in your fight against Chaos ranging from your trusty Boltgun and amazing Chainsword, to the demon shredding Heavy Bolter, a Shotgun for those close encounters, and a couple of more fantastical guns like the Grav-cannon (which does more damage the heavier the foe is) and the Volkite Caliver (your classic beam weapon of choice). All of the weapons sound great, with each of them conveying the power and size of the Imperium’s munitions and destructive power. Slaughtering the enemies of Man is so satisfying, and once you start waging war in game’s more open spaces, where verticality is a much more important, your arsenal truly shines.
The Chaos forces you fight against are a bit of a mixed bagged. You will kill countless generic grunts armed with guns for most of the game, which is fine enough, but they do get old by the end. The Chaos marines and terminators are fun to fight, and I am a big fan of the demons that appear more and more as the campaign goes on, if only because they add some nice visual variety to the fight. The big bosses are fun too, and since I don’t want to spoil anything, just know they’re a good time and a good challenge. I hope the upcoming sequel has a bigger roster of enemies to battle, because by the end of this one I was getting bored of blasting the same grunts and lesser demons over and over.
I am Cleansed in the Blood of my Enemies!
The modern-retro look of the game is a massive plus for me. I am a huge fan of the boomer shooter aesthetic, especially when it is channeling the build engine; the 3D maps with the pixelated textures, and the 2D sprites that only have one viewing angle are just so awesome to me. The sound design is also great: the music is hard and heavy, helping to really bring you into the grim darkness of the 41st millennium; the battles sound effects are also amazing, with the gun fire from both sides sounding weighty and loud, and the death wails of your enemies sounding oh so delightful. All in all, I am a big fan of the presentation and how Boltgun invokes the games yesterday, while still playing like a modern FPS.
The map design is really good too. It starts off pretty basic, with liner levels moving you along at a brisk pace, but the maps become more labyrinthine and start to incorporate a lot more verticality as the campaign plays out. At first, I was thinking it was going to only be a corridor shooter, but I was pleasantly surprised that was not the case. The map design, and gameplay as a whole, reminds me of Doom 2016, which is a good thing in my books. The more intricate level design of the later levels is great, and I found the more open arenas let the combat really shine.
There is also a horde mode, which is no joke. I have only tried it a few times, and I have yet to beat it; it’s a good challenge, and it really lets the fast-paced combat truly shine.
None can Stand Against our Hatred!
If it wasn’t evident, I am a big fan of Boltgun. The modern take on the classic FPS formula from decades ago hits hard, and I am looking forward to the upcoming sequel. It will be interesting to see what they do in Boltgun 2, but even if they just tighten things up, I know we are in for a damn good time. If you’re a fan of classic FPS games, I would highly recommend Boltgun, and I think you should get to slaying sooner rather than later!
