Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 review: the retro shooter turns it up a notch
Auroch Digital’s pixel-art shooter launched on 14 October for PC, PS5 and Xbox. Critics give it an average of 84 points.
Photo: John Sutton / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Trailer: YouTube · Big Fan Games · youtube.com
Critics' rating
Scores: OpenCritic 84 · IGN 8/10 · PSU 9/10
- Platforms
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S (Switch 2 später)
- Studio
- Auroch Digital
- Release
- 14.10.2026
+ Pros
- More varied, more interactive levels
- Greater enemy and weapon variety
- Second playable character: a Battle Sister
- Punchy gunplay and melee
– Cons
- Gameplay grows repetitive
- Story often buried in Warhammer jargon
- Some critics see little progress over the original
Critics' verdict
Most critics call it a better sequel in every respect – a brutal retro shooter for Warhammer fans.
Summary of published reviews – sources below.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 has been available for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S since 14 October, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version to follow later. The 90s-style shooter was again developed by British studio Auroch Digital and is published by Big Fan Games. Alongside Space Marine Malum Caedo from the first game, a Battle Sister is now playable. Doom composer Mick Gordon makes a guest appearance on the soundtrack. The game costs $24.99 on Steam.
On OpenCritic the game holds a critic average of 84. IGN awards 8 out of 10, praising the fast, gory pace, the enemy designs and the variety of levels. PlayStation Universe gives 9 out of 10 and sees a sequel that improves in every way. TechRaptor even awards 9.5 out of 10 for its tighter level design and visuals. Germany’s GameStar is more reserved with 74 points.
Criticism focuses mainly on the gameplay loop, which becomes monotonous over time. IGN calls the repetition deliberate and faults a story that often gets lost in Warhammer jargon. Some reviews miss a bigger step forward from the 2023 original, and GamesHedge finds some encounters punishing at times.