Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 has a spaceship level built around linked rotating rings, moving enemies and pickups, and a huge cog finale. Principal designer Matt Bone says the level—informally known as “Puzzle Box”—created unusual challenges for the programmers and artists who had to make its shifting geometry playable, performant, and free of visual clipping.
What is Boltgun 2’s rotating “fleshmetal” level?
The level is called “Vicious Circles”; “Puzzle Box” is the team’s informal name for it, not necessarily its public title. In comments attributed to Bone in an October 5, 2026 report by Maxbit, republished from Rock Paper Shotgun, he describes a spaceship environment made of connected rotating ring sections and a giant, slowly turning cog at the end.
Players move one of the rings at set points in the level. Changing its position opens routes to other areas, letting players advance or explore for secrets. The sections also carry enemies and pickups, so the moving architecture is part of the action as well as the route through the level.
Why did the level challenge programmers?
Enemies had to work on moving, connected platforms
Rotation affects more than the player’s path. Enemies also have to navigate the interconnected surfaces and fight the player as those surfaces move. Bone called that a “bit of a headache,” and joked that the sections’ enemies and pickups were one reason “coders will never forgive me for this level.”
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
- Produced By JOYTOY. Model: JT03677, Proportion: 1:18
- The Action Figure Is Highly Articulated, Let You Easily Assume Various Classic Combat Postures
- Equipped With Iconic Weapons And Replaceable Hand Parts, It Increases The Diversity And Playability Of The Model
- Classic Color Coating And Meticulous Treatment, Like Retro Colors And Traces Of War, Make It Have Higher Collection Value
- Whether For Personal Collection Or As A Gift, This Figure Can Bring Great Satisfaction And Display Value. If You Have Any Quality Issues With The Warhammer 40000 JOYTOY Product You Received, Please Contact Us And We Will Reply To You Within 24 Hours
The finale put pressure on performance
The level ends with a large cog turning slowly. Bone said it was covered in “hundreds of meshes” and described spinning it as a performance challenge. That is his qualitative description of the asset’s complexity, not a published mesh count, benchmark, or frame-rate result.
Why did the rotating layout challenge artists?
The environment uses a “fleshmetal” style, combining body-like forms with machinery aboard antagonist Vashtorr’s ship, as described in the report. Its intricate objects had to work in several level configurations rather than only the original layout.
Rank #2
- Produced By JOYTOY. Model: JT03639, Proportion: 1:18
- The Action Figure Is Highly Articulated, Let You Easily Assume Various Classic Combat Postures
- Equipped With Iconic Weapons And Replaceable Hand Parts, It Increases The Diversity And Playability Of The Model
- Classic Color Coating And Meticulous Treatment, Like Retro Colors And Traces Of War, Make It Have Higher Collection Value
- Whether For Personal Collection Or As A Gift, This Figure Can Bring Great Satisfaction And Display Value. If You Have Any Quality Issues With The Warhammer 40000 JOYTOY Product You Received, Please Contact Us And We Will Reply To You Within 24 Hours
Bone gave the example of a fleshy tendril that looks right in one arrangement but could clip through a wall after a ring rotates. Artists therefore had to account for how decorative details behaved across the different configurations, while preserving the disturbing visual style.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How does the level fit into Boltgun 2?
In the same report, Bone said the team wanted more variety through more diverse biomes and novel mechanics. “Vicious Circles” combines both: its distinctive spaceship setting supplies the visual variation, while the movable rings change how players navigate and explore.
Rank #3
- Warhammer 40,000
At the time of the official Steam news announcement, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 was scheduled to launch October 14, 2026, on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version planned for later. The announcement also describes a branching campaign and an automap. Release dates and platform plans can change, so check the official listing for current availability.
Auroch Digital’s earlier announcement describes the sequel as a branching single-player campaign that follows directly from the original game. The official game announcements provide broader context; the specific “Vicious Circles” details and Bone’s comments come from the October 5 report.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Brand Name: Starforged
- Material: Zinc Alloy
- Dimensions: 29.4 x 63.6 mm
- Weight: 43.2g
- Any questions, you can contact customer service for consultation
Rank #4
- Games Workshop - Warhammer - Horus Heresy: Legion Astartes Melee Weapons Upgrade
- Upgrade your MKIII and MKVI Legionaries to Despoilers, and equip squad leaders with versatile melee weapons
- Smash your foes with power fists, duel with power weapons, and blast them at point-blank range with pistols
- Extra bits like augury scanners, melta bombs, and slung bolters add character to your army
- Plastic model kit - requires assembly and painting
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
