Double the Bolt, Double the Gun.
Boltgun was a fairly impressive shooter when it was released back in 2023. Auroch Digital took Warhammer 40K and made it work within the aesthetic and frantic pacing of the original Doom. For what it was, it worked extremely well and was a blast to play. However, it had a few issues. First, maps were far too maze-like and getting lost was an unfortunate part of the experience. Second, its story and characterization of its lead, Malum Caedo, was disappointingly flat, as the character was nothing more than several battle taunts. While Boltgun 2 is certainly a better experience, it still lacks anything compelling about its two leads, and their collective mission.
When Boltgun 2 was announced as having a whole new character in Nyra Veyrath, voiced by Alanah Pearce, who joins real-life partner Rahul Kohli in yelling taunts at the top of their lungs, I was really hopeful this wouldn't have been another Rivet situation.
For those unaware, Rift Apart, the latest entry in the Ratchet and Clank series, featured a new protagonist in the form of Rivet, a female counterpart to series lead, Ratchet. However, for as great as a character Rivet was, she was, for all intents and purposes, a Ratchet skin. Hell, she didn't even have one single weapon that wasn't already available to Ratchet. She was, and still is, a completely wasted character.
Like Malum before her, Nyra is a largely flat character with no character depth, story, or reason to really be here. Malum, in Boltgun, was at least given the mission and had some element of structure to his quest. However, both Malum and Nyra don't feel built up here, and that causes them both to suffer. If we don't care about the heroes, do we care about their mission?
So, after beating the campaign with both Malum and Nyra, Auroch Digital does a fine enough job at making the two at least feel different, with slightly different abilities, and a host of personable weapons. However, both are still just vessels for destruction and carnage, spouting their war taunts at the tap of a button. No more, no less.
At the start of the campaign, you'll get to choose if you want to play as either the Ultramarine, Malum Caedo, or the Sister of Battle, Nyra Veyrath. Each has their own unique grenade, melee weapon, and a unique skill, such as Malum’s Obliterating Charge or Nyra’s Fervent Slide. And, to separate the two further, they each have their own assortment of weapons, due to them wielding weapons normally associated within their roles in the Warhammer 40K universe.
For what it's worth, those differences are pretty good, but it does sort of sting when the campaign is more or less the same for each of them, at least to a point. In the original Boltgun, you took on each mission as it came, a roughly 12 hour campaign told across 24 levels via 3 chapters. Here, you have 30 levels to explore, but a single playthrough is only about 4 to 5 hours in length, due to choosing a path to get to the game's main villain, Vashtorr the Arkifane, a demonic demigod who has activated a demonic machine in the far reaches of space, obliterating the Imperial forces in that sector.
Once you have completed a mission, which can consist of anywhere between 2 or 3 levels, you'll then be presented with a choice of your next destination. Boltgun 2 is designed around multiple playthroughs, hence the second character, as choosing one mission will move on and omit the other option until you replay the game again and take the other path. So, while the campaigns for each of them are this same selection of choices, you can take the other paths with the second character and have what is essentially a totally different campaign. That said, don't expect much in the way of the story playing out any differently, as you all end in the same place.
As the demonic machine has laid waste to the Imperial Fleet, the holy war has spread rapidly across multiple worlds, forcing the pair of warriors to kill and purge their way across these battlefields. Each location has its own objective, but similar to Boltgun, that simply means to kill everything, collect keys, and find the exit.
Boltgun 2 does have a few advantages over the original despite having many of the same flaws. Level variety is greatly enhanced with far more unique biomes and less of the same aesthetic that was rinsed and repeated in the original a bit too much. The fact that Malum and Nyra have their own weapons does help a lot, with Malum's shotgun feeling far different than anything Nyra has equipped.
While a minor addition, Boltgun 2 has more platforming elements, such as shooting switches that power up moving platforms, elevators, or doors. In regards to platforms, there are a few instances where these switches will extend out temporary platforms as you jump to them, shoot the next switch, and repeat. Granted, there are also safe guards in case you cannot make most jumps as jumping platforms are active during a few of these obstacles.
Another area where Boltgun 2 excels over the first game is the enemy variety. Here, Malum and Nyra have to contend with the Four Chaos Powers. From Khorne’s Bloodletters and Juggernauts, Nurgle’s Plague Marines, Tzeentch’s Rubric Marines, and Slaanesh’s Daemonettes alongside returning Black Legion enemies.
While some of these forces are certainly just fodder for your arsenal, a few really stand out. The Daemonettes, for example, which are also known as the Maidens of Ecstasy, are these almost planeshifting daemons that zigzag and leap around the battlefield, leaving a purple trail behind them. As they are one of the prominent units under the control of Slaanesh, the Prince of Pleasure, they are an important unit to Warhammer 40K and Auroch has done them justice.
Another is the Bloodcrusher, under the control of Khorne. This is the first mounted unit in the series, and they are not just a rider and beast, they are two different creatures that can act independently of one another as the rider can leave their mounted position if the need calls for it. The Juggernaut mount also will consume bodies to refill its health, and that can include its former rider, should they be dead.
Auroch Digital had claimed that if they were going to feature the four Chaos factions that they would include the Chaos Marines as well. This meant adding such forces as the Plague Marines and Blightlord Terminators of the Nurgle faction. This also meant leaning into the gloriously disgusting pox-ridden and pestilent nature of these enemies. Other forces include the Rubric Marines and Scarab Occult Terminators as well, which are a joy to square off against.
From a glacial military base to overgrown jungles, a dilapidated prison, and a colossal Hive City, Boltgun 2 has you planet hopping through a variety of choices as you carve your path to the finale. These new areas and biomes offer up far more memorable locales than the original, which sometimes felt like it had moody gothic cathedrals on repeat. Here, it feels like the battles are taking place across every sector of space. Nearly every conceivable idea of a Warhammer 40K world is present here.
However, I do wish that variety applied to the structure and level design. Most locations have you moving through areas as you attempt to track down red, purple, and yellow keys ad nauseum, and this rarely changes. And if it's not those, you are moving from room to room activating green panels to trigger more doors with more green panels. Occasionally, the game breaks out of this via those powered up panels that activate platforms, which do shake up parts of the game, but rarely enough to feel revolutionary. Boltgun 2 is certainly more of the same when it comes to the bigger picture.
Series starter, Malum Caedo comes stock with his original assortment. From his Boltgun, Shotgun, and Frag Cannon and Heavy Bolter, he is also back with his Grav-Cannon and Volkite Caliver. Overall, he seems added in here as more of a favor to fans who wanted him back, as opposed to feeling as if he was built for this particular adventure at all, hence the lack of any narrative. It's not a slight at his inclusion here, but a bit of disappointment that more wasn't done here to make him feel freshened up for the sequel.
Nyra Veyrath, however, has her own unique set of weapons. Her starter is the Bolt Pistol, Condemnor Stakethrower, which is the closest we get to her wielding a shotgun, to her Flamer and Storm and Heavy Bolter. Lastly, her arsenal consists of her Meltagun, and its cousin in the Multi-Melta, to her Plasma Pistol, and Heavy Flamer. And, as you can see in her options, she has two versions of several guns, which does diminish her overall variety.
Both Malum and Nyra each have their own grenades type with the Frag Grenade and the Melta Bomb, respectively. The Melta Bomb can vary from a radius to a line, and to be honest, I'm not sure what triggers the different pattern. Both have a charge, with Nyra having a slide that has her sword present as she drives into her foe. While the variety between the two is quite similar, which is odd given their very different roles in the universe, these are still some differences that can make them feel somewhat unique.
With several pixelated filter options to choose from, including one that removes the visual filter altogether, Boltgun 2 offers the same visually pleasing style that compliments the style of game Auroch Digital is looking to craft here. The new enemies and planets are decently crafted, and the new guns, gore effects, and addition of Nyra Veyrath add a new flavor to the experience. I just wish the cutscenes were a bit more coherent as to what is going on.
If I had to make one pretty substantial criticism here, it would be the lack of being able to scale the font for the dialogue to be readable on the Steam Deck. Currently, there is no way to increase the font for dialogue or the mission briefings.
And, while more of a nit pick, I still wish that the servo-skulls had voices, since it isn't a great design choice to have written dialogue in a game where you are frantically running around and blasting enemies to hardcore metal music. It just gets lost in the noise as the font is small and hard to read on the portable screen, especially during all the chaos.
Boltgun 2 doesn't have anything in the way of a compelling story, or even anything to define its aesthetically pleasing protagonists. However, smart quality of life choices and those lifted from later versions of the original Boltgun do make for a more directed and refined sequel. With strong enemy variety and far more engaging environments, Boltgun is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the Warhammer 40K universe. I just wish I cared about the characters, even a little bit.
Developer - Auroch Digital. Publisher - Focus Entertainment. Released - October 14th, 2026. Available On - Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, PC. Rated - (M) Blood and Gore, Intense Violence. Platform Reviewed - PC - Steam Deck. Review Access - A review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Jeff is the original founder of Analog Stick Gaming. His favorite games include The Witcher III, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Hi-Fi Rush, Stellar Blade, Hellbade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and the Legend of Heroes series, especially Trails of Cold Steel III & IV.