The Imperium of Man doesn’t do redemption. There are no saviors in Warhammer 40k. Just genetically engineered killers and fanatical zealots fighting a war they will likely lose anyway. Planets burn. Bodies pile up. Nothing changes.
That stasis feels familiar. Auroch Digital’s latest build of Boltgun 2 looks a lot like the original. Same enemies. Same gore. Same grimdark despair. During the press preview, developers said they focused on taking what people liked about the first game and making it “bigger and better.”
I played the levels. They are smoother. The gunplay hits hard. But do these new features—new character, varied maps—actually transform the experience? Not really. I’m happy enough to play it. But innovation isn’t on the menu here.
Зміст
Demons With Personality
If you just want to blow things up, this is your game. It delivers.
But look closer. The enemy roster is richer now. In the first game, you mostly fought Tzeentch’s followers. Here, Khorne cultists rage against you. Nurgle’s creations fester. Poxwalkers regenerate after you shoot them dead. Khorne berserkers go faster when they are nearly killed. Demons even mount steeds for combat.
These little mechanical hooks make the world feel reactive. You can’t just button mash. You have to adjust.
It adds depth to the formula.
Space Is A Problem
The levels are pretty. Distinct. The first game was mostly grey stone cathedrals and red forges. This one has glaciers and jungles.
But openness hurts the tension.
Boltgun worked because it was tight. Corridors cramped you. Enemies cornered you. You had to think. In Boltgun 2, I spent a lot of time in open clearings. Wide fields. Bridges.
I could see enemies from miles away. I killed them before they noticed me.
Open air makes bullets easy to dodge.
It stops feeling like a boomer shooter. It starts feeling like Serious Sam. The claustrophobia that made the first game scary is gone. I waited for a level to trap me. I got a boss fight against poxwalkers blocking a landing zone. That worked. But most of the time? I was just wandering in the snow.
Two Characters. Same Game.
The big headline feature: you can play as a Sister of Battle named Nyra Veyrath.
Previously, you were just Malum Caedo. An Ultramarine space marine.
The idea sold me.
Caedo should be slow and tanky. Veyrath should be fast and fragile. It promised a Doom -style split in gameplay styles. Doom Eternal versus The Dark Ages.
The execution is hollow.
Their unique weapons are different shapes but fill identical roles.
Caedo has the big boltgun. Veyrath has a heavy bolt pistol that deals more damage but requires frequent reloads. Caedo has a shotgun for close crowds. Veyrath uses a crossbow. Same job.
Different skins.
Same gun.
The dash abilities and passive stats exist. They matter. But not enough to change how I play. I stood still and shot. Whether I was Caedo or Veyrath didn’t matter. A missed opportunity? Yes.
Better Tools. Same Foundation
This isn’t to say the game is broken.
It is fixed.
Auroch addressed the worst sins of the original.
Weapons feel strong again. No more bullet sponges. Melee attacks with chainswords used to be suicide. Now they work.
Shotguns? They actually do something.
Level design navigation? Less confusing.
The game runs smoothly. It looks great. It satisfies.
But does it move the genre forward? No. It is a polished iteration of an established formula. Not like Ultrakill. Not like Selaco.
Does it matter?
Probably not. The demons die loud. The shells click. You feel like a tank. That feeling is still good.
If you want another high-octane FPS in 2026, Boltgun 2 might be one of the safest bets available. Just don’t expect the rules of engagement to change. They never do in this galaxy.
