Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

The only thing they fear is you.

"I SHALL FINISH THE WORK CAPTAIN TITUS STARTED! BY KILLING THAT LITTLE BITCH LEANDROS!!!"

– Malum Caedo’s true endgame goal

Warhammer is a pretty old franchise, dating back all the way to the late 80's. Seeing as the property is extremely grimdark, filled with vile Xenos and demons alike, you'd think some companies would have jumped at the opportunity to use the setting as a basis for a cool boomer shooter, it sounds like it writes itself! Sadly, due to 40k's tabletop nature, the only games that came out for it in that era were slow, clunky RTS games. They had their chance, and they blew it...

Then, Auroch Digital said "fuck that" and decided to make a good ol' boomer shooter 29 years late (but you know what they say about "better late than never"). Announced during the 2022 Warhammer Skulls event, very little of the game has been revealed, although there are some highlights. The game seems to be going for the 3D environments, prerendered sprite-based enemies style, which while aesthetically pleasing, runs into that Sonic Mania problem where there's too much detail for it to have actually run on DOS like OG Doom, although that's not a big issue (given that unless you want to play on a pregnancy test the modern computer should be able to run it just fine), and overall it looks to be doing a pretty good job of retaining that good old 90s Doom aesthetic. The only other things of note are that you seem to be only fighting Chaos (fitting), you will once again be playing an Ultrasmurf (and, fittingly since it's a boomer shooter, a Beakie at that), and launched on May 23, 2023.

Story

According to news articles and leaked game play, the game is connected to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, taking place several years after the events of the first game. Given that Space Marine it self is getting a sequel it's unclear how or if Boltgun connects to that. While the second game seemingly has a Tyranid Focus, the first game only had chaos come in by surprise after a few hours fighting orks so all three games could be connected.

The player takes the role of an Ultramarine Sternguard Veteran Sergeant named Malum Caedo who is dispatched to the Forgeworld of Graia under orders from an Ordo Malleus Inquisitor. His name is something to call out as just a fun fact. His last name Caedo means means to "I Cut, Hew, Fell", while his first name Malum means 'evil' or 'wrong'. If you put his name into a google translate the answer you get from is Latin is: "I kill Evil", at which your computer explodes from having a name that Fucking Metal on it's screen.

The Inquisitor explains that the Graian Mechanicum managed to salvage pieces of Inqusitor Drogan's power source and began experimenting on the device. Now because this worked so well the first time, the tech priests' experiments have caused Graia to once again be invaded by the Forces of Chaos. The Inquisitor has ordered the Ultramarine squad to descend to Graia and retrieve the power source fragments.

Unfortunately for the Ultramarines, their drop pod suffers critical damage that leaves all of them dead except one (Malum Caedo) surviving the crash. Now it's up to Malum to rip and tear his way through Graia to complete the mission.

To the rage of Leandros, the taunt key lets Malum shout epic one liners like “I shall finish the work captain Titus started!” and "Sidonus laid down his life for this planet! I protect his sacrifice!" All while cracking his power-armored knuckles, making any heretic nearby shit themselves in terror. This also indicates that Malum respected Titus' deeds of badassery and no doubt shoved Leandros' head into a toilet as he lubed up the codex for "tactical insertion".

Gameplay

What has been confirmed so far from it's pre-release FAQ is that the game will only be a Single-player experience and that there are no plans for a Multiplayer or Horde mode at launch.

Weapons

• Chainsword: Your basic weapon. Unfortunately, unlike Doom or even Space Marine, killing enemies with it won't give lots of health and ammo. Still, it's good at making you able to clear gaps between yourself and the enemy, and is particularly strong against anything that's not a Chaos Space Marine or a Terminator. Use this to interrupt your enemies and stagger and more importantly, to essentially grapple to enemies, locking to them and jumping up ledges.
• Bolter: What 40K game would it be without one of these? A pretty reliable basic gun that can handle most things. Can be upgraded by grabbing Hellfire, Vengeance and Kraken Rounds. Also gets upgraded to S5 when Machine Spirit'd.
• Shotgun: No self-respecting Boomer Shooter is complete without a shotty. This one appears to be based on a Deathwatch's Assault Shotgun, though oddly not having the S4. Despite that, it's very good at making Cultists, Horrors, Nurglings and Plague Toads into paste. Turns into a nasty ricocheting weapon when upgraded by the Machine Spirit.
• Heavy Bolter: The heavy machine gun version of a bolter, essentially. Best for clearing out entire rooms or big targets without moving.
• Meltagun: Pretty much treated as an upgraded Shotgun (makes sense because it's been described as basically being a fusion shotgun in lore before). While it has more range, it's still best suited for up close. Its ability to mow through multiple targets in a line arguably puts it in a similar family as an FPS railgun.
• Plasma gun: Packs a punch, but it has a cooldown period that you can't ignore just by switching weapons. Interestingly, its initial niche is more akin to a traditional rocket launcher with high area of effect and high contact damage, but it does turn into a more rapid fire version when you overload the gun or get the Machine Spirit.
• Grav-Cannon: The Big Fucking Gun. A giant laser that turns Termies into paste in seconds.
• Vengeance Launcher: Because this game takes place in Graia, it obviously makes a return... with a vengeance. Upgraded to hold a 6th round and automatically detonating, this thing mulches groups of cultists and other low health T3 and lower enemies whilst also being a credible threat against most other targets with multiple stickies. Upgrades to S4 with the Machine Spirit.
• Volkite Caliver: The first appearance of a Volkite weapon in video games. Essentially a lightning gun that melts Chaos Marines, Terminators and Aspiring Champions... as well as cultists, horrors and nurglings.

• Frag Grenade: Basic grenade, detonates after its fuse burns out and has a convenient AOE indicator. Best used to handle mobs of chaff. Hits surpisingly hard too.
• Krak Grenade: Slightly rarer grenade that detonates upon contact. Great for dealing with problem single targets, in particular one-shotting Chaos Marines.
• Vortex Grenade: Only found in secret areas, and for good reason. This thing is so powerful it can easily help you turn bosses into paste.

Enemies

• Cultist with Autogun: Your basic mooks. Staring at them too long will cause them to die (probably of fright given who they're going up against).
• Heavy Stubber Cultist: The most annoying of the cultists, they fire a gun that has the spread of butter and the ability to suppress you outright. Prioritize these guys over cultists and Chaos Space Marines.
• Cultist Champion: Shotgun-toting Cultists who, judging by the name, are the Head Goons of the cultists. Take them out from a distance.
• Plasma Gun Renegade: You'll want to take these guys out ASAP. They're able to take out a good chunk of health with a charged up plasma shot but one melee attack will cause them to explode.
• Chaos Space Marine: One of the stronger enemies you fight (fittingly), it's better to prioritize them, especially if there's multiple in the same place. Try to spam grenades at them or hit them with Plasma, as otherwise they can outshoot you or kill you just as fast as you can kill them. They can also throw grenades, so keep an eye out for red - that means danger.
• Aspiring Champion: A chainsword-toting Chaos Marine, meaning that you don't want to get near them. Has a chance of coming back from the dead with a massive rage-on, cementing their place as the biggest pains in the ass you can face (quite the feat, given how many irritating enemies there are here).
  • Chosen Champion - The aforementioned return from the dead, having been given a huge dose of Chaos Juice by the Gods. Tougher than the Aspiring Champion and gains all their health back. Prevent them from reviving by destroying their body whenever possible, such as with revving the Chainsword until the Aspiring Champion is a bloody pulp.
• Chaos Terminator: These guys are tough and even plasma struggles to take them down. You'll want to employ cover and get the hell away from their Autocannon. Interrupting their ranged attacks with intermittent melee strikes to bait them into a long melee attack is advisable.
• Lesser Plague Toad: Not a problem individually but in enclosed areas with multiple of them, your life becomes hell. They have two attacks: licking you and spitting slime, which will attach to a region and explode. Prioritize eliminating these guys ASAP.
• Plague Toad: A bigger Plague Toad that's tougher, grosser, et cetera. Dangerous on its own, lethal if it has a Lesser Plague Toad posse. Once you get the Heavy Bolter, it's pretty good at keeping these overgrown frogs at bay.
• Nurgling: One of the more annoying enemies. They are weak and go down in one hit, but they can easily swarm you and waste your ammo. Don't waste a plasma bolt or grenades on them, instead take them out with a bolter shot or a shotgun blast.
• Pink and Blue Horror: The pink horror is the ranged one. When he dies, two blue horrors spawn who will want to enter melee. Blue Horrors can also spawn on their own, and when they die, they spread fire around their corpse (no Brimstone Horrors here).
• Screamer of Tzeentch: Annoying flying mantas which'll lunge at you. Thankfully, they're not that well armored, and your standard Bolter will get the job done (and a Heavy Bolter will shut them down completely).
• Flamer of Tzeentch: They act more like a shotgun than a "flamer" despite the name, shooting a 5 pellet shot at you. Ironically closing the distance is not a bad idea, as your chainsword can take them out relatively easily.
• Exalted Flamer: An upgraded Flamer with a bird head, tougher defense, and stronger flame pellets. Nothing a well-placed Plasma or Melta shot can't fix, though.
• Foetid Bloat-Drone: Dangerous armored flyer that throws a bunch of Nurgle AIDS at you. Careens and crashes when you kill it, so be prepared to dodge if you get unlucky. Use plasma.
• Ambull: Big xeno brutes that charge at you...or your enemies. Yep, they're just as likely to maul the cultists as they are to attack you. Can possibly be used to your advantage.

Bosses

• Greater Plague Toad:
• Lord of Change: For some reason this is the first boss you fight, but since you're a Veteran you don't give a shit. A spellcaster (duh) which warps around the arena and casts various magics, from Bolts of Change to an annoying life sap ability that gets applied instantly when cast with line of sight. Using the Plasma Gun is advised.
• Great Unclean One:
• Ancient Ambull
• Tumulus Samael, Chaos Terminator Sorcerer: The BBEG of the game. Wants to use Drogan's power source and your conveniently present ship's warp drives to open up a massive rift into the Warp and overrun Graia with Daemons. Obviously taking after Nemeroth, except instead of ascension he just seeks to ruin things for everyone. In battle he summons mooks and has an annoying psionic laser attack, as well as a wave of force if you dare get too close.

Links

• Reveal Trailer
• Release Date Trailer
• Developer Gameplay
• Boomer Shooter Gameplay Trailer
• Extended Gameplay Trailer