Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, the retro first-person shooter sequel from Auroch Digital, launched Oct. 14 to strong early reviews. When RCG checked Wednesday afternoon, the game held a Metascore of 81 on Metacritic from 15 critic reviews, with 14 positive, one mixed and none negative.
OpenCritic showed a Top Critic Average of 84, with 76% of critics recommending the game. Players are warmer still: the Steam page carried a Very Positive rating, with 92 of its first 96 user reviews positive.
What critics liked
The sequel lets players choose between returning Ultramarine Malum Caedo and a new hero, Sister of Battle Nyra Veyrath, and that second character comes up in review after review. IGN‘s Sarah Thwaites gave it an 8 out of 10, writing that it “carries the torch of the original, amplifying its exhilarating gameplay with a compelling new character, detailed enemy and world designs, and level branches that offer a surprising touch of complexity in their objectives.” She also flagged that “technical hiccups can lead to moments of frustration that can stunt progress or the flow of action,” but called the game “a genuine blast and well worth your time.”
Some outlets went higher. Reloader scored it 95 on Metacritic’s scale, calling it “an ideal sequel to an already stellar game.” TechRaptor gave it a 9.5 out of 10 and said the choice between Nyra Veyrath and Malum Caedo “adds a lot of variety to the gameplay, as both move differently and have a different roster of weapons.” PlayStation Universe gave it a 9, calling it “essential fare for fans of both its titular dark sci-fi setting and classic first-person shooters.”
Where it falls short
The more measured reviews mostly ask whether the sequel goes far enough. The Games Machine gave it an 8 but called it “a solid old-style shooter that is consistently good, but never excellent.” Hey Poor Player, at 80, praised the two heroes and branching campaign paths but said “the inability to grow your character’s abilities between levels feels like a major missed opportunity.” GameStar’s 74 was the lowest score listed on Metacritic’s page at the time.
Boltgun 2 is out now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. Steam lists Big Fan Games and Devolver Digital as publishers and prices the game at $24.99. Warhammer fans looking for something different can also keep an eye on Warhammer Survivors, which arrives Nov. 10.
