Warhammer has been around for a while now as a tabletop wargame that has an expansive universe with different themes, the most popular being Warhammer 40K which takes epic fantasy to space. The series recently is garnering a lot of attention as talks of bringing the popular installment of the tabletop wargame to screen through Amazon Studios with the help of Warhammer fanboy, Henry Cavill. With that, the series is beginning to see new installments through video games expanding on the world of the beloved Space Marines. Focus Entertainment and Auroch Digital are allowing players to fill the large boots of a Space Marine in the retro fps, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun.
Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun is set after the events of Space Marine where the Inquisition has sent a group of Ultramarines to the planet Graia after a warp rift was opened and allowed Chaos forces to return. Players take on the role of Malum Caedo, the lone survivor of his group of Ultramarines who unsuccessfully landed on the planet and acquired an old holy relic known as the Boltgun.
Now onto the game itself! When it comes to the controls for Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun there is a tutorial as well as a controller map you can refer to if need be but in reality, the controls are pretty simple to remember and use, one trigger is for your chainsword and the other for the boltgun and other firearms you discover, you basically can fight however you want.
The sound design is really good as it contrasts with the retro look of the game but in a good way with decent sound effects and creature noises as well as dialogue. The graphics of the game is pretty well done being made to look like a retro FPS of the 90s while operating like a modern FPS.
The gameplay is pretty fun and addicting. Just like any old-school fps, you just go through the level and kill as many enemies as possible as you find your way out. There are secrets you can find in each level that can give you an upper hand against enemies such as damage boosts, infinite ammo (for a limited time), and so forth. The one part of Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun I don’t like is the Servo Skull that follows you around. I think it’s supposed to help you, but I found it to be quite annoying as it has a lot to say but nothing to say at the same time, also since it’s not voice acted it would make odd noises and have an area of the HUD where it’s text shows up and as mentioned, most of the time it’s nothing even worth reading. I really don’t think the Servo Skull really serves a purpose gameplay-wise and should have been left out.
Overall, I really enjoyed playing Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun. It’s my first Warhammer game and I’m finding the lore interesting. Whether or not you’re a fan of the Warhammer games or series, Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun is actually quite fun to play as it’s not that complex of a game to play and could be a nice break for some players who just want to play a retro style game that’s just simple yet rewarding to play.
On my scale of 1-10, I give Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun a 9.5!
Warhammer 40,000:Boltgun will be coming out on May 23, 2023, for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
