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ChainStaff

ChainStaff embraces the past to fuel its patently insane premise, execution, and creature design. This is one weird game that, through its minor annoyances, should delight retro fans seeking an 2D shooter that frequently surprises.
ChainStaff Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
story
98% User Score Based on 45 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCXbox OneXboxSteam DeckWindowsNintendo Switch 2
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ChainStaff Game Cover

About

ChainStaff is a single player platformer game with violence and science fiction themes. It was developed by Mommy's Best Games and was released on April 7, 2026. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Our planet is under attack from the Star Spores, and they've warped life on Earth into ferocious uber-bugs. Even worse, a nasty alien has made its new home directly attached to your head. But it's not all bad news - your new best friend has provided both the strength to fight back against the mutated horde, and control over a weapon that can tip the balance of the battle in humanity's favor: the…

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ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
ChainStaff screenshot
+8
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98%
Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews
music11 positive mentions
  • Unique and versatile ChainStaff mechanic that enhances movement, combat, and puzzle-solving, providing a fresh take on the run-and-gun platformer genre.
  • Stunning and original art style combining surreal, grotesque, and psychedelic visuals inspired by 70's prog rock album covers, speculative evolution, and body horror.
  • Engaging gameplay with challenging bosses that require strategic use of the ChainStaff, a rich soundtrack featuring intense and relaxed tracks, and rewarding exploration with multiple paths, secrets, and endings.
  • Some control and mechanical frustrations due to the ChainStaff and grappling hook sharing the same button, leading to occasional misinputs and clunkiness.
  • Minor technical issues including bugs, collision problems, and checkpoint triggers that can interrupt flow but generally do not break the experience.
  • The story and cutscenes are simple, B-movie style and somewhat lightweight, which may not appeal to players seeking a deep narrative.
  • music
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's music is widely praised for its dynamic, headbanging metal soundtrack, offering both intense and relaxed tracks with great variety. It significantly enhances the experience, complementing the unique, psychedelic visuals and engaging gameplay, making it a standout feature often described as a major reason to play.

    • “It's one thing seeing Chainstaff's environments, enemies, and bosses in screenshots, but it's another witnessing it all in motion alongside dynamic metal music and extra crunchy sound effects.”
    • “Chainstaff looks great, plays well, and the soundtrack is straight aces.”
    • “The music and the level design are also great.”
  • gameplay
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay stands out with its innovative chainstaff mechanic that combines combat, movement, and platforming in a fresh, engaging way, offering fast, tight, and rewarding run-and-gun action. Players enjoy multiple playstyles, high replay value, and well-designed levels that balance intensity without excessive difficulty, all enhanced by distinctive visuals and polish. Minor technical issues were noted but did not significantly impact the overall fun and unique experience.

    • “The Chainstaff is a really cool weapon that can also be used for other purposes like swinging, shield, platform, wedging, etc. It takes some getting used to the mechanics but feels really good when you get it.”
    • “The gameplay is so cool and fun, there are multiple ends for the levels and upgrades/soldiers to find, with choices that unlock very different playstyles and builds, and again the chainstaff as a grappling hook is incredible, as you can also use it as a mobile platform.”
    • “Gameplay is fast, tight, and the chainstaff adds so much to the standard platformer formula.”
    • “There were a few collision issues, such as offscreen enemies teleporting into me and being pushed through a solid wall by the chainstaff, which affected the gameplay somewhat.”
    • “The gameplay tries to add a unique twist with its chainstaff mechanic, but some mechanics feel unpolished.”
    • “Despite the fast and tight gameplay, occasional glitches with enemy collisions and chainstaff physics detract from the overall experience.”
  • graphics
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics feature a unique, hand-drawn art style that combines bizarre, trippy, and nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic heavy metal and prog rock album covers, as well as iconic indie visuals. The visuals are vibrant, detailed, and psychedelic, evoking a mystical and spacey vibe that stands out in the indie scene. Overall, the artwork is widely praised for its originality, beauty, and strong thematic cohesion.

    • “The graphics and the art are absolutely phenomenal, resembling a living version of the best covers of 70s prog rock albums.”
    • “Also a killer art style that reminds me of the classic heavy metal magazines and a headbanging soundtrack.”
    • “The art style and colours really pop on the Steam Deck OLED screen.”
  • story
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is light, humorous, and intentionally styled like a B-movie, featuring simple yet charming cutscenes that complement the game's quirky plot. While not deep or sophisticated, it effectively drives the gameplay forward without overstaying its welcome. Overall, the narrative's campy and fun approach suits the game's unique tone.

    • “The story scenes were pleasant and interesting enough to drive you forward, but short and never dragged.”
    • “The cutscenes are fairly simple due to the low budget and small team, but they are charming with b-movie dialogues and a plot that is light and funny, fitting well with the game.”
    • “The whole plot starts as a crazy idea, then gets riffed on until it becomes a good video game story.”
    • “The story is shlocky and awful but is really just there so you can have a centipede on your head.”
    • “And the whole plot of the story is definitely the sort of thing that starts as a crazy idea, you keep riffing on it, and eventually decide 'you know what... that would make for a good video game story...'”
    • “And the whole plot of the story is definitely the sort of thing that starts as a crazy idea, you keep riffing on it, and eventually decide 'you know what... that would make for a good video game story...'”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is praised for its originality and charm, blending unique art styles with body horror and recognizable creatures in a bizarre, speculative evolution-inspired way. The light, b-movie-esque dialogue and cutscenes add a funny and fitting touch, enhancing the overall experience despite their simplicity. Overall, the humor is considered hilarious and well-integrated into the game.

    • “The art style is so unique, combining body horror and recognizable animals and bugs, like some of those 'speculative evolution' concepts but more bizarre and with humor.”
    • “The cutscenes are fairly simple due to the low budget and small team, but they are charming with b-movie dialogues and plot that are light and funny at times, fitting well with the game.”
    • “What a hilarious and original game.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers high replayability through features like ng++ with upgrades, branching paths, secret collectibles, and varied gameplay mechanics such as the chainstaff. Playthroughs last around 6 hours, but the engaging mechanics and rewarding exploration encourage multiple play sessions.

    • “Playing in NG++ with all the upgrades added to the replay value.”
    • “Branching paths and secret collectibles also add a lot of replay value to go back and find things you missed on your first playthrough.”
    • “A playthrough takes around 6 hours, but I think the replay value is high as the chainstaff makes the gameplay very varied.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features highly efficient optimization, with complex physics calculations running smoothly on modern desktops while using minimal system resources, resulting in excellent overall performance.

    • “The physics calculations that govern its movement would have made an old arcade cabinet go on fire, but with a modern desktop computer, they only use a fraction of the total power. The game is very well optimized in general and this optimization is literally a game-changer.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews
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Trippy, psychedelic alien shooter ChainStaff shows there are still new ways for games to be 'retro'

April 8 on pcgamer.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

ChainStaff is a platformer game with violence and science fiction themes.

ChainStaff is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One and others.

ChainStaff was released on April 7, 2026.

ChainStaff was developed by Mommy's Best Games.

ChainStaff has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked ChainStaff for its music but disliked it for its story.

ChainStaff is a single player game.

Similar games include Axiom Verge, Valfaris, Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, Cyber Shadow, Guns of Fury and others.