Skip to main content

ChromaGun

Overall, ChromaGun is a charming puzzle game with all the wits and humour of its bigger ‘stepbrother’, Portal.
ChromaGun Game Cover
76%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
81% User Score Based on 365 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 12 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchLinuxXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Mac OSPlaystation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
Buy Nowfrom $0.94
Buy NowGet on Steam $12.99Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store
ChromaGun Game Cover

About

ChromaGun is a single player arcade shooter game with comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Pixel Maniacs and was released on February 16, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"ChromaGun is a comedy shooter where you test a high-tech color-blasting gun in a lab, solving puzzles by coloring walls and attracting WorkerDroids to reach exit doors. Gamezebo praises its 'great mixture of careful puzzle solving and hectic danger-avoiding' in this single-player experience, receiving acclaim from YouTubers and Twitch streamers."

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
ChromaGun screenshot
+4
Skip User Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 365 reviews
gameplay44 positive mentions
story9 negative mentions
  • Clever and fun first-person puzzler that introduces interesting color-mixing mechanics.
  • The game features humorous narration that adds charm and keeps the experience light-hearted.
  • Puzzles gradually increase in complexity, providing a satisfying challenge without overwhelming the player.
  • The game can be frustrating due to the inability to undo mistakes, often requiring players to restart entire levels.
  • Some puzzles feel repetitive and lack variety, leading to a sense of tedium as the game progresses.
  • The graphics and overall presentation are basic, which may detract from the experience for some players.
  • gameplay
    136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Chromagun is characterized by its unique color-mixing mechanics, which provide a satisfying puzzle-solving experience reminiscent of Portal, though it suffers from issues like potential soft-locks and overly simplistic early levels. While the mechanics are generally well-implemented and the puzzles become more complex as the game progresses, some players find the level design lacking and the gameplay can feel tedious at times. Overall, it offers a fun and engaging experience for puzzle enthusiasts, but may not justify its price for some due to its short length and occasional frustrations.

    • “It very much lets you know it's a portal clone with the tongue-in-cheek humor and entertaining narrator keeping things light, while the color-mixing mechanics make for some genuinely interesting and satisfying puzzle solutions.”
    • “The gameplay premise is simple - armed with a color gun that can shoot blue, yellow, and red, you are supposed to solve puzzles by directing colored drones to switches in every room.”
    • “The use of primary colors throughout the game, and being a core mechanic, feels simple at first, but actually becomes challenging in ensuring you are applying those colors correctly while completing the puzzle.”
    • “The mechanics unfortunately mean that it's very possible (even easy sometimes) to softlock yourself and have to restart the level.”
    • “One frustration with the game mechanic is that you easily and often get yourself into an unrecoverable situation and need to restart the test chambers - especially as it isn't always obvious what order you need to do things.”
    • “The fact that if you mess up a color and you have to restart the whole level is a bad mechanic.”
  • story
    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in this game is widely criticized for being minimal and derivative, often compared unfavorably to the narrative of Portal. Many players feel it lacks depth and engagement, serving primarily as a backdrop for the puzzles rather than a compelling narrative experience. While some appreciate the voice acting and occasional humor, the overall consensus is that the story is thin and fails to leave a lasting impression.

    • “The story, such as it is (and there really isn't much of one), is actually remarkably well voice-acted!”
    • “This game is clearly inspired by Portal and also has a nice story narration accompanying the riddles.”
    • “Portal-esque in concept, where your character volunteered for a research program related to a new paint technology, and over the course of the story, the situation for your character goes from bad to worse.”
    • “The story feels like a watered-down version of Portal's story, and the narrator feels like a watered-down version of GLaDOS.”
    • “The story is paper thin and never captures you, unlike in Portal or even games like The Entropy Centre.”
    • “The story, narrative, and setting are all stolen from Portal, which frankly did it better.”
  • graphics
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting their simplicity and lack of detail, often comparing them unfavorably to titles like Portal. While some appreciate the clean and colorful aesthetic, others criticize the low-polygon and minimalist design as indicative of a lack of effort. Overall, the visuals are described as functional but basic, with limited customization options and a need for improvement to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “Beautiful graphics, smooth gameplay, simple rules, extra features allowing players to set their imagination free, what more would somebody want from such a well-crafted puzzle game!”
    • “The graphics are sharp and the colors vibrant as expected from @pixel_maniacs game studio.”
    • “The mechanics are smooth, the visuals enticing, and the narrator delightfully sadistic.”
    • “The lack of textures is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent or interest in doing the graphics properly, trying to disguise it under the name of 'art' or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
    • “The play concept seems fun, but the graphics quality themselves are poor, and in spite of what I read in other reviews, I thought the writing for the voice-over was a painfully not-funny amateur attempt at Portal 2-like humor.”
    • “You can't enable frame sync, and my graphics have distracting tearing and other distortions as a result.”
  • humor
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in Chromagun is often compared to that of Portal, with many players noting its attempts at witty and sarcastic narration. However, opinions are mixed; while some find the voice acting and dark humor entertaining, others criticize the writing as cringy and repetitive, lacking the cleverness of its inspiration. Overall, the game offers a blend of amusing commentary and quirky humor, though it may not resonate with everyone.

    • “Loads of fun and real puzzling challenges with a hilarious commentary throughout!”
    • “The sound is good and a special shout to the voice acting of John Sutton as the truly entertaining, sarcastic, funny, and slightly crazy computer voice that accompanies you on this adventure.”
    • “There is a good amount of humor and the narrator's voice is pure honey; you're going to enjoy listening to it even when it says how dumb you are for failing the puzzle for the 22nd time in a row.”
    • “The narrator has a nice voice, but the jokes are extremely unfunny.”
    • “The not funny narrator; not every first-person puzzle game has to be like Portal.”
  • music
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its calming and beautiful qualities, while others find it bland, repetitive, or even maddening. Although the soundtrack is often described as unobtrusive and suitable for the game's puzzle-solving nature, several users criticize the reliance on stock music and the lack of variety, leading to a somewhat forgettable auditory experience. Overall, while the music complements the gameplay for some, it fails to leave a lasting impression for others.

    • “Some of the music is genuinely beautiful.”
    • “The music is nice and calming too; it goes well with this game.”
    • “Great soundtrack, and I also love the color theme.”
    • “The soundtrack is bland but unobtrusive, and the overall visual aesthetic is actually nice, if simple!”
    • “Throughout the game, the same soundtrack plays practically all the time, aside from a few exceptions.”
    • “I actually had to turn off the music to concentrate because it was so maddening.”
  • grinding
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and artificially prolonging gameplay, with some achievements feeling unnecessary and frustrating. While the initial gameplay is enjoyable, it becomes repetitive and tiresome, particularly during later chapters and certain missions, leading to a mixed overall experience.

    • “A stupid grinding achievement that synthetically stretches gameplay time.”
    • “Although it can be tedious, you have to put it down every once in a while.”
    • “I just found it far too tedious and I rarely found any satisfaction in solving a puzzle.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, fitting the environment and drawing inspiration from Portal, which adds to its appeal. However, some players find it lacking in engagement, describing it as somewhat boring and anticlimactic at times. Overall, while opinions vary, there is a sense of anticipation for how the atmosphere will evolve in future chapters.

    • “It fits the environment and builds an atmosphere for the game.”
    • “Overall, I'd say it deserves a neutral, but since that's not an option, I'll give a thumbs up for the fun atmosphere.”
    • “Not much going on, kind of boring with the atmosphere, and mostly empty/anticlimactic.”
    • “The atmosphere is very clearly inspired by Portal, which isn't a bad thing.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is inconsistent; while it generally runs smoothly at 60 fps, players have reported occasional drops to 30 fps during intense events like explosions. Some users experienced stuttering, which can affect gameplay that requires precise placement, though others found the performance satisfactory with no bugs encountered. Overall, opinions on optimization vary significantly among players.

    • “Runs smoothly, and I didn't manage to find any bugs while playing it; not sure about other players.”
    • “Nicely made, well narrated, runs smoothly... all in all, I'm happy to have played it!”
    • “As for the performance of the game, it runs at 60 fps almost perfectly throughout the game but drops to 30 fps on some occasions (like when the fire and explosion events occur).”
    • “Lousy optimization makes this game stutter randomly, and it needs to run smoothly in certain areas due to the requirement for super precise placement.”
    • “The performance of the game runs at 60 fps almost perfectly throughout, but it drops to 30 fps on some occasions, such as during fire and explosion events.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a sense of unresolved emotions after completing the game, feeling as though they haven't truly solved the challenges presented. The interactions with droids evoke a mix of harmlessness and aggression, contributing to a complex emotional experience as players navigate the consequences of their actions.

    • “Even though I finished them, they made me feel like I didn't actually solve them.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report a high level of stability, noting the absence of glitches, bugs, or texture issues, which contributes to a smooth gaming experience.

  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express that the game's replayability could significantly improve with the addition of a level editor and Steam Workshop support, potentially offering endless content. However, concerns arise regarding the game's length, with some feeling that if it concludes around three hours, it may not justify its price.

    • “If a level editor is added along with Steam Workshop support, this would truly have the potential to be an infinitely replayable game.”
    • “The variety of choices and paths in the game makes each playthrough feel unique, encouraging me to dive back in for a different experience.”
    • “With multiple endings and character builds, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility the game has to offer.”
    • “If a level editor is added along with Steam Workshop support, this game could truly have the potential to be infinitely replayable.”
    • “I feel like I'm two-thirds of the way through, so I'm a little concerned about the size of the game and its replayability. If it ends in three hours, I don't think it's worth the $14.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of Chromagun has been criticized as exploitative, with users labeling it a cash grab that feels more like a poorly adapted mobile app than a legitimate PC game. Reviewers express concerns over its spyware issues and its lack of originality, comparing it unfavorably to established titles like Portal and Q.U.B.E.

    • “Chromagun is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game. It's not; it's a spyware-riddled cash grab from greedy mobile developers. This mobile app is a somewhat lazy ripoff of real games like Portal and Q.U.B.E.”
Skip Critic Reviews

70%Critics’ scoreBased on 12 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy ChromaGun

5h Median play time
5h Average play time
3-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like ChromaGun

Games Like ChromaGun

Lightmatter Image
84%1.8kreviews

Lightmatter

2020Puzzle
PCPlaystation 4Xbox One+3
Magrunner: Dark Pulse ImageMagrunner: Dark Pulse ImageMagrunner: Dark Pulse Image
73%521reviews

Magrunner: Dark Pulse

2013Shooter
Playstation 3Xbox 360PC+6
Nihilumbra Image
77%2.6kreviews

Nihilumbra

2013Casual Platformer
Nintendo SwitchAndroidPlaystation 4+13
The Turing Test ImageThe Turing Test ImageThe Turing Test Image
81%8.2kreviews

The Turing Test

2016Shooter
Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPC+6
The Entropy Centre Image
89%2.4kreviews

The Entropy Centre

2022Platformer
Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPC+6
More games like ChromaGun
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

ChromaGun is a arcade shooter game with comedy and science fiction themes.

ChromaGun is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing ChromaGun.

ChromaGun was released on February 16, 2016.

ChromaGun was developed by Pixel Maniacs.

ChromaGun has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

ChromaGun is a single player game.

Similar games include Lightmatter, Magrunner: Dark Pulse, Nihilumbra, The Turing Test, The Entropy Centre and others.