Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 76 | 81 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 89 | 4 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 89% | 83 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 77 | 56 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 87% | 80 | 3000 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jul 4, 2024) · 300 reviews sampled · 4866 total reviews in window · weighted 167 up / 27.1 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (68)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 75
“Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun absolutely delivers on its promise of 40K-meets-Doom. Its guns are deliciously punchy, the chainsword is a consistent thrill to wield, and everything is presented with fantastic period graphics and a suitable riff-heavy soundtrack. The game’s overzealous commitment to one single note is a sadly undermining affair, eventually transforming an exciting experience into one that runs out of content long before it runs out of levels. Nevertheless, it’s fundamentally entertaining for as long as one remains invested, and I definitely had enough of that entertainment to feel like I got what I wanted out of it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a gift to anyone who have strong feelings towards the universe. It's a great shooter, the best one that came out under 40K brand, and probably one of the best games this whole year.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“For Warhammer 40,000 lovers and old-timers, Boltgun is a fantastic game. It has a nice graphical styling combining pixel art and simple models. A minor problem, however, is the outdated gameplay. The game can be frustrating at times.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Boltgun tooks a lot of inspiration from old-time classic like Doom, Quake and Build-engine games, but lacks their top-notch gameplay rhythm.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is by far the best first-person shooter set in the Warhammer universe, but more importantly, it’s also an excellent game in its own right. The boomer shooter subgenre has been bustling in recent years, and many titles boast high quality, yet Boltgun still shines a mile away from the competition, just like a space Ultramarine.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It may be confusing to navigate, but Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun has definitely got it where it counts. When you aren't busy trying to remember how many times you've been through a certain room, the comically violent combat sequences offer up consistently thrilling engagements with just the right amount of difficulty. We wish that it controlled a little better, but it's impossible to deny that Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is just a plain fun game to tear through. We'd recommend this to anyone looking for a solid boomer shooter to add to their library; it's not a game that you need to rush out and play right away, but you'll probably be satisfied once you get around to it.”
read full review ↗ - 80
““Boltgun” is specifically aimed at Warhammer 40K fans rather than shooter fans in general. Auroch Digital manages to mix the “retro” style with some new additions, but some level layouts and the extensive use of arenas makes this chaos-filled trip less than the sums of its parts. But, if you’re even remotely interested in the setting, it’s a no-brainer.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“I didn’t enjoy Boltgun that much. However, I’m sure it will appeal to gamers who don’t pay a lot of attention to gameplay balance or difficulty level. And if they are fans of the W40K universe and old-school first-person shooters, they will most likely love it.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Warhammer 40000: Boltgun has released on pretty much every platform, and at a decent budget price point, making it an easy recommendation to anyone who enjoys a solid action game, with bonus points if they think the genre peaked a decade ago or have a weakness for Games Workshop’s grimdark setting. It’s solid, unpretentious fun with a keen eye for the appeal of the 40k universe and a good grasp of what makes a good shooter tick.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“Even not really knowing or caring about the Warhammer 4k universe, there’s no question that this visceral retro RPS is a lot of fun”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a competently made FPS that’s exactly what it’s advertised to be, a no-nonsense, Boomer Shooter with tight controls and satisfying combat loop. The fact that it looks amazing is the Daggerfruit on top. While the game plays it safe and doesn’t deviate from the established formula, it nevertheless offers over 10 hours of entertaining gameplay. At the same time, there is plenty of room for improvement. Even though multiplayer is out of the question, the addition of an endless mode, extra challenges, and even a map editor will go a long way in ensuring that the game is replayable. Boltgun is a purchase retro FPS fans won’t regret.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is an explosive and charismatic experience that kept us smiling throughout the entire campaign. While it is not a flawless game, we believe it is the best first-person shooter in The Realm of Chaos.”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
3DNews
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Hu3br
GRYOnline.pl
VGamingNews
Nindie Spotlight
Gameffine
LevelUp…and 56 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch notes - List of changes of July 4thJul 4, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes - What's new in the latest update?Jun 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Boltgun Forges of Corruption DLC is now available!Jun 18, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Exciting patch for all Boltgun’s players!Jul 6, 2023