14 DAY TRIAL // 
I drop a grenade to deal with a group of guardsmen, before moving to higher ground via double jump. I then deliver a few shotgun blasts straight down, taking out a grenade-wielding officer that can pose problems if he gets on my level. The red lines of two snipers follow me and I get hit once before I slide over to the edge of a platform, notice the group, switch to a better long-range fun, and drop them. More enemies are streaming in from conveniently located doors. My Ork hero moves towards the group, using a flamethrower to ignite them and an explosive barrel.
The blast hurts me a little, so I go hunting for a health drop, taking out a few more guardsmen in melee as I get to it. I push a level to open up access to the next area, which will probably lead to a boss fight in a bigger arena. Warhammer 40,000 Shootas, Blood & Teef is developed and published by Rogueside. I played on the PC via Steam, and it is also available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The title delivers fun and fast action adventure.
Players will take on the role of an Ork leader who was enjoying the assault on Luteus Alpha when he gets his hair squig stolen by Warboss Ogruk Gutrekka. This starts a quest for revenge and leadership that will; bring chaos and Waaaaagh! to the planet and all the factions that dwell there, including the Imperium of Man, the Orks that are invading, and a secret cult that includes Tyranid genestealers. The story is not original or deep, but it keeps players moving and features some good, clean, and violent Ork fun.
Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef is played from a 2D perspective and uses classic action-adventure mechanics. Players will swiftly move through a variety of environments, killing anything that stands in their way, looking for ways to open doors and make progress.
There are four classes to choose from and each of them can use five weapons as well as a close-quarters attack and explosives. The Orkz of the universe are known for throwing numbers as enemies to win but in this game, one determined Ork can push through huge numbers of his own race, as well as Guardsmen, genestealers, and more.
The action is frenetic. Our hero moves fast and has impressive mobility thanks to his double jump. And he needs this to avoid incoming fire while he blasts away with his favorite weapon. It’s not crucial to be accurate, you just have to find good positions, take out a few enemies, and move before the rest can concentrate their attacks. While killing enemies, keep an eye out for health squigs running around.
Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef has a good variety of opponents, and the combat arenas are well designed to support a range of approaches. When things get tough don’t forget to throw grenades and use the Waaaagh! power. And don’t forget to check in with the Mek Boy to buy new weapons and snazzy hats.
Boss battles are another high point, with clever designs that test a gamer’s skills without constantly escalating frustration levels. My Ork took down a Baneblade in a two-phase fight after three tries and I rarely felt more invested in the Warhammer universe. Shootas, Blood & Teef understands the genre it is working in and how to make everything feel fun and fast.
The game features allow players to cooperatively tackle the campaign, either locally or via the Internet, with the most fun happening when all four classes are in play. There’s also a player-versus-player action available. Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef might not aim to deliver the most detailed look yet at a genestealer but it does have style. The hand-drawn look and copious amounts of violence work together well.
The action is fast and colorful but intelligible and I never got tired of seeing enemies splattering around. But the soundtrack is the true highlight of the presentation, filled with heavy metal that is perfectly suited to the action and the world of Warhammer. The Orkz might not be the brightest inhabitants of the violent far future, but they certainly have great taste in rock and composer Deon van Heerden needs to be recognized for his achievement.
The Good
- Combat mechanics and bosses
- Excellent soundtrack
- Class and weapon variety
The Bad
- Limited story
- Needs a little more enemy variety
- Sewer level
Conclusion
I would have liked a chance to kill members of all the races of the science fiction Warhammer universe in the game. And I hope that the team at Rogueside takes the design of Shootas, Blood & Teef and expands them to give me and other players that experience.
Review code provided by the publisher.
