Boltgun Boom's crunchy pixel violence is a delight when movement doesn't feel stuck in the mud
When Boltgun Boom was announced in May, I was excited. Not because I'm a huge Warhammer fan. I'm not. I have no idea what any of it means, for which I can only offer an insincere apology. No, my excitement entirely stemmed from my love of the horrendously named - still, I'll use it anyway - boomer shooter sub-genre. That anticipation only increased after our recent interview with Nitro Games, where it sounded like it was in good, caring hands. However, after battling through the free trial, I've come away a little disappointed.
Upon booting up Boltgun Boom, you're encouraged to use a controller. For any ardent mobile gamer, that's worthy of an eyebrow raise and perhaps a slightly concerned, 'hmm.' While not always the case, it can mean the touch controls aren't up to standard. I gave it the benefit of the doubt, though. This is a Doom-like shooter aimed at folks with undying 90s nostalgia. A controller in the hand is akin to a safety blanket when it comes to mowing down hordes of pixelated demons and soldiers.
But then I played through the first three levels the free trial affords you and... yeah, they're not fantastic. The main culprit is the movement, which is handled entirely by the left side of the screen. The idea is that the further you push your thumb forward, the faster your character moves. Several times, this just didn't work for me. Even when it did, it felt like I’d run out of metaphorical tarmac before my guy reached his lightning-fast top speed.
In a genre where being in constant motion is key, feeling like you're stuck in the mud isn't ideal, particularly when a gaggle of blue demons are doing their utmost to pin you into a corner. Not only does it make it easier for them to get in a swift swipe, it kills the momentum that builds when you circle-strafe around enemies and pump them with bullets.
It's a shame because the controls are otherwise fine, once you've tinkered a little more than should be necessary. Shooting is set to automatic initially. I immediately wanted to change that since it felt truer to what Boltgun Boom is supposed to be. To do that, you must switch off automatic aiming, then remember to tap the option to show the fire button. The button also, bafflingly, defaults to the left. Again, this can be changed to the correct place on the right, but it's a strange number of additional steps.
Once sorted, it all works great, with all the buttons being responsive. It means those wonderful explosions of pixelated gore are thoroughly delightful every time. The shooting is fabulously chunky, and if I were able to charge around at full speed, decorating the arena with my enemies' blood, I'd likely love it a whole lot more than I do. As it is, it's more like my character keeps stalling, making it better to move a bit slower instead, killing the frantic pace Boltgun Boom clearly wants to have.
Of course, a controller is still an option. If you want that true boomer shooter experience, it's probably the way to go here. The touch controls are serviceable, but the movement isn't quite where it needs to be, hindering your experience rather than enhancing it. It's a shame because I love so much about the rest of Boltgun Boom.
