Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun has released on Steam and it works out of the box on Steam Deck and desktop Linux thanks to Proton 8. With thanks to Focus Entertainment for sending a pre-release key.
To get two notes out of the way first: the videos are currently broken, with it giving a Proton test screen. This is usually solved when Valve can recode them into a different format, which they give out with the shader cache. Another issue is that on Steam Deck, external controllers didn't work right at all. On desktop Linux controllers worked without a problem.
It’s a blend of Warhammer themed visuals with the retro feel of 90's shooters, what everyone calls boomer shooters. It’s a homage to the classics much like DUSK, Ion Fury, Prodeus, ULTRAKILL and the list goes on and on. We’ve certainly not been short on retro shooters these past few years. Here's my video thoughts:
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Stuff like this continues to show that you developers don't need to constantly chase realism, there’s plenty of room for games like this to be a whole lot of fun, which it is. I’ve been playing it on Medium and I’m surprised by how good the combat felt here, I might have to play again bumping the difficulty up and that’s saying a lot, I don’t often replay games on a higher difficulty because I’ve just enjoyed it that much and feel like I want it to hurt me plenty.
The video features the gameplay on Steam Deck but on desktop Linux the performance was great as well. It also sees the momentary shader stutter, which will no doubt get smoother later on when Valve has a cache ready. On all max settings at 2560x1400 with my NVIDIA 2080 Ti and AMD Ryzen 5800x it's been looking great!
Pictured - Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun on Fedora KDE 38.
Overall, if the video issue doesn't bother you and the external controllers aren't a problem for you on Steam Deck (if you don't dock it), then it's an easy recommendation.
You can buy it on Humble Store and Steam.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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14 comments
Here's also one boomer to add: Hrot
released a few days ago after Early Access period and has user score of 97% positive ~ 2500 reviews. Works under Proton but dev (single person) promised a Linux version. Who knows if it comes though, take it as it is.
adding here because I really like level design in this one and the score is quite there where the best are.
Cheers
released a few days ago after Early Access period and has user score of 97% positive ~ 2500 reviews. Works under Proton but dev (single person) promised a Linux version. Who knows if it comes though, take it as it is.
adding here because I really like level design in this one and the score is quite there where the best are.
Cheers
7 Likes, Who?
Here's also one boomer to add: HrotYeah that seems good too, but the performance was really rough on Steam Deck. Edit: actually, going to test some stuff on it to see if I can get it up. Will video if I can :)
released a few days ago after Early Access period and has user score of 97% positive ~ 2500 reviews. Works under Proton but dev (single person) promised a Linux version. Who knows if it comes though, take it as it is.
adding here because I really like level design in this one and the score is quite there where the best are.
Cheers
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 23 May 2023 at 8:11 pm UTC
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Yeah that seems good too, but the performance was really rough on Steam Deck.Indeed.
It helps to
1. Disable FPS limit on the Deck settings
2. Use Proton 8.0-2
3. Disable FPS limit in-game
4. Disable the last option in video options
Well, I'd say wait for the dev to deliver on promise before spending
Last edited by FSFmember on 23 May 2023 at 8:59 pm UTC
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StoneColdSpider May 23, 2023
Woooooooooo Ive been looking forward to this......... As soon as it goes on a 50% sale im all in baby....... 
1 Likes, Who?
Dana Souly May 23, 2023
Yeah, was hyped on this game. And HROT was released as well, finally.
I hope that Graven gets better, it's Silver on Proton and the reviews are mixed.
I hope that Graven gets better, it's Silver on Proton and the reviews are mixed.
1 Likes, Who?
Hey Liam mate, cheers for that article! I was wondering whether it would work and there are no reviews up on protondb so that is quite some good news indeed. :>
2 Likes, Who?
Seems very similar in design to Prodeus and I almost expected the same Devs to be involved. Adding to wishlist, heh.
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Should I not be offended by the term "boomer shooter?" "Boomer" has become a derogatory term since the "OK Boomer" meme to signify older people whose opinions, knowledge, and experience we no longer care to hear. I assume it is being used at least partly in that way here, since the games in question hearken back to the mid-90s, which would have been Gen-X era (maybe millennials, though I suspect they were mostly too young). Likely most baby boomers don't even play video games.
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
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Should I not be offended by the term "boomer shooter?" "Boomer" has become a derogatory term since the "OK Boomer" meme to signify older people whose opinions, knowledge, and experience we no longer care to hear. I assume it is being used at least partly in that way here, since the games in question hearken back to the mid-90s, which would have been Gen-X era (maybe millennials, though I suspect they were mostly too young). Likely most baby boomers don't even play video games.That and you get the added bonus connotation of "things go boom".
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
1 Likes, Who?
Should I not be offended by the term "boomer shooter?" "Boomer" has become a derogatory term since the "OK Boomer" meme to signify older people whose opinions, knowledge, and experience we no longer care to hear. I assume it is being used at least partly in that way here, since the games in question hearken back to the mid-90s, which would have been Gen-X era (maybe millennials, though I suspect they were mostly too young). Likely most baby boomers don't even play video games.It's a matter of perspective. When I hear boomer I hear experience, wisdom, humility... What others make of it is their own thing. Embrace the dark side Maath. Being called derogatory terms is no longer what it used to be, due to the simpletons who overuse them terms and whitewash them by doing so... (I don't mean the word boomer in this case :) And I genuinely think being boomer is pretty cool
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
I'm a boomer and I'm proud of it! see? it's easy.
Last edited by FSFmember on 24 May 2023 at 8:18 pm UTC
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They really missed the boat with the soundtrack, obviously they should have used Realm of Chaos by Bolt Thrower ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlTMjXMK3dc&t=1351s&ab_channel=CKRock
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Should I not be offended by the term "boomer shooter?" "Boomer" has become a derogatory term since the "OK Boomer" meme to signify older people whose opinions, knowledge, and experience we no longer care to hear. I assume it is being used at least partly in that way here, since the games in question hearken back to the mid-90s, which would have been Gen-X era (maybe millennials, though I suspect they were mostly too young). Likely most baby boomers don't even play video games.
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
The phrase never made sense to me whatsoever. Boomers were already 50 years old in the mid 90s so yeah, almost none of them would have played doom / quake. My father is a boomer and he's 80 years old now! Wouldn't even know what the words Doom / Quake / FPS / etc mean.
My guess is that "boomer shooter" just sounds good rolling off the tongue and is way easier to write / read than "Genx Shooter" so it stuck.
1 Likes, Who?
Yes, well, speaking as early GenX myself, when it comes to anything like that you have to remember: We don't exist. Just like for quite a while everyone was still "Millennials" even if they weren't; the people who came after Millennials just got rolled into them as far as all the pundits were concerned.Should I not be offended by the term "boomer shooter?" "Boomer" has become a derogatory term since the "OK Boomer" meme to signify older people whose opinions, knowledge, and experience we no longer care to hear. I assume it is being used at least partly in that way here, since the games in question hearken back to the mid-90s, which would have been Gen-X era (maybe millennials, though I suspect they were mostly too young). Likely most baby boomers don't even play video games.
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
The phrase never made sense to me whatsoever. Boomers were already 50 years old in the mid 90s so yeah, almost none of them would have played doom / quake. My father is a boomer and he's 80 years old now! Wouldn't even know what the words Doom / Quake / FPS / etc mean.
My guess is that "boomer shooter" just sounds good rolling off the tongue and is way easier to write / read than "Genx Shooter" so it stuck.
0 Likes
Should I not be offended by the term "boomer shooter?" "Boomer" has become a derogatory term since the "OK Boomer" meme to signify older people whose opinions, knowledge, and experience we no longer care to hear. I assume it is being used at least partly in that way here, since the games in question hearken back to the mid-90s, which would have been Gen-X era (maybe millennials, though I suspect they were mostly too young). Likely most baby boomers don't even play video games.That and you get the added bonus connotation of "things go boom".
Or maybe I'm over thinking it and it just rhymes better than Gen-Xer FPSer.
Not to mention that the term is completely wrong as well. Every one who was around at the time knows that the proper term for these types of games are Doom Clones.
1 Likes, Who?
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