In the retro first-person boomer shooter Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, players engage in fast-paced, pixel-bloody combat against low-resolution heretics. This time, there is greater variety in the levels and enemies, as well as two different playable characters.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 picks up where the original game left off. This boomer shooter takes players to new locations in a branching single-player campaign featuring an array of weapons, foes, and areas to explore. These range from the heights of a hive city to the mangrove swamps of a jungle and an ice world. Players can choose to play as either the tanky, charging powerhouse Malum Caedo (Ultramarine; voiced by Rahul Kohli) or the agile, sliding, blade-wielding Nyra Veyrath (Sister of Battle; voiced by Alanah Pearce).
Each playable character has their own unique weapons, abilities and playstyle — and both characters play differently, even though the forward-driven mix of ranged and melee combat with various Warhammer weapons stays the same. For example, Nyra can use a flamethrower (effective against Nurgling swarms) or a heavy crossbow (Condemnor Stake Thrower). Malum Caedo, meanwhile, has his Chainsword plus Plasma Gun and Heavy Bolter. Despite the deliberately choppy retro animations, particularly when reloading, the gunplay and feel of the weapons is really strong.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 © Auroch Digital, Big Fan Games, Games Workshop
The main antagonist is Vashtorr the Arkifane. This powerful demigod has awakened a daemonic machine at the centre of a planet. Malum and Nyra must therefore purge the corruption fuelling Vashtorr's machinations. To stand any chance of banishing the demigod to the Warp, they must battle foes such as the plague-spreading Nurglings and Chaos Cultists, as well as new enemies like the Bloodletters and their Juggernauts. Compared to the first instalment, there are significantly more enemy types that behave in a wider variety of ways. The same applies to the levels. There are also more expansive outdoor areas. Furthermore, the developers have made the levels more complex. There are branching paths, secrets, and some puzzle sections that break up the fast-paced action if players choose to explore them. Nevertheless, the game could easily be a bit longer.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 © Auroch Digital, Big Fan Games, Games Workshop
To help players navigate the more complex levels, an optional navigation aid has been included: the navigation guide. This was only available as DLC in the previous game. Regarding the previous game, weapons dealt less damage if the opponent’s toughness exceeded the weapon’s strength. This system has been removed to make combat feel faster and more direct, partly because the arenas have been better designed. Compared to the previous game, everything is bigger — and bloodier, of course — and the developers have also captured the essence of the classic boomer shooter combat, complete with forward momentum, powerful weapons and pixel gore. Incidentally, Mick Gordon, known for his work on Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal, has composed a driving track specifically for the final battle.
"Most of our improvements to Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 have been focused on adding variety to the gameplay to make each level interesting and distinct. We did this by diversifying the level environments and level design, adding two new Chaos factions as well as fleshing out our existing factions, and introducing a second playable character Nyra Veyrath to compliment Malum Caedo. The sequel will also include the navigation guide that we added to the first game alongside the DLC. (...) There are a lot of games with lengthy introductions and cut scenes, whereas we've stripped that almost all away in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2. Instead, you start up the game and within minutes you're into the fast-paced, bloody gameplay. We're light on story, but heavy on packing a punch," said Jack Midgley-Munns, Lead Programmer at Auroch Digital, in an interview with GamesMarket in the summer of 2026.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 © Auroch Digital, Big Fan Games, Games Workshop
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is being developed by Auroch Digital. Founded in 2010, Auroch Digital is a Bristol-based studio that works remotely and comprises around 100 developers from across the UK. The studio develops its own IP games, such as Brewmaster and Mars Horizon, while also collaborating with licensing partners on projects like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (publisher: Focus Entertainment), Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War (publisher: Dotemu). The studio is currently working on Warhammer Survivors, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 and several other unannounced projects. The studio also publishes console ports, such as Megaquarium, Wildermyth and Democracy 4, and undertakes co-development work-for-hire projects, including Sea of Thieves and V Rising.
The publisher of the game is Big Fan, a Devolver Digital label. The label specialises in indie adaptations of films, comics, TV shows, and cult heroes. These include Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, John Wick Hex, Reigns: Game of Thrones, Tron: Catalyst, and Monster Train 2. "But when it comes to 'licensed games', Big Fan Games thinks there's a new approach. One where Indie developers get to take some risks and explore things in new and exciting ways," states the publisher.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 © Auroch Digital, Big Fan Games, Games Workshop
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 was released on 14 October 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at a price of €24.99. The game will also be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 after its debut on other platforms.
Intense gunplay, two distinct characters and a better sense of the action: Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is a worthy sequel to the boomer shooter.
