ChromaGun

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 164 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • humor
ChromaGun Game Cover
Overall, ChromaGun is a charming puzzle game with all the wits and humour of its bigger ‘stepbrother’, Portal.
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"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."

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 164 reviews
gameplay18 positive mentions
story7 negative mentions
  • ChromaGun features a unique color-based puzzle mechanic that is enjoyable and engaging, allowing for creative problem-solving.
  • The game has a charming aesthetic and humorous narration that adds to the overall experience, reminiscent of the Portal series.
  • Despite its short length, the game offers a variety of puzzles that gradually increase in complexity, providing a satisfying challenge.
  • The lack of a mechanism to undo mistakes forces players to restart entire levels, which can lead to frustration and tedium.
  • Many players find the puzzles to be too easy or simplistic, lacking the depth and challenge found in other puzzle games like Portal.
  • The game suffers from a lack of narrative depth and character development, making it feel less engaging compared to its inspirations.
  • gameplay49 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a color-based puzzle mechanic that some players find clever and engaging, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and poorly explained. Many reviews highlight the lack of verticality and creativity in level design, with frustrating mechanics that require players to restart levels after mistakes. Despite some well-designed puzzles and polished controls, the overall experience is marred by repetitive gameplay and a lack of diverse mechanics, leaving players wanting more depth and innovation.

    • “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.”
    • “Great voice acting, funny dialogue, perfect controls, and unique puzzle mechanics are a few of the many positives.”
    • “The basic mechanic of manipulating droids by changing their color, or the color of their surroundings, is a neat one.”
    • “Aside from all the small things that degrade gameplay, the puzzles were completely boring to solve (when they weren't extremely broken - I swear I completed several puzzles where I had no clue what the developer intended, because I didn't need even half of the testing elements).”
    • “The fact that if you mess up a color and you have to restart the whole level is a bad mechanic.”
    • “It's color matching mechanic isn't fun, coming off as the slightly educated version of a slow game of bop-it.”
  • story39 mentions

    The story in Chromagun is widely criticized for being minimal and uninspired, often compared unfavorably to Portal's narrative. Many players found the narration lacking, with some describing it as "paper thin" and feeling that it fails to engage or develop a compelling plot. While some appreciated the humor and voice acting, the consensus is that the story serves primarily as a backdrop for the puzzles rather than a meaningful component of the game.

    • “This game is clearly inspired by Portal and also has a nice story narration accompanying the riddles.”
    • “While I found a moment here and there humorous, the story was mostly benign, merely acting as a vehicle for the puzzles.”
    • “The story, such as it is (and there really isn't much of one), is actually remarkably well voice-acted!”
    • “The story is paper thin and never captures you, unlike in Portal or even games like The Entropy Centre.”
    • “The 'story' (if it can be called that) was so minimal that, near the end, I had to check settings to see if I accidentally turned off the narrator's voice.”
    • “The story, narrative, and setting are all stolen from Portal, which frankly did it better.”
  • humor15 mentions

    The humor in the game is often compared unfavorably to that of Portal, with many reviewers noting that it attempts to replicate the witty and darkly humorous style but falls short, resulting in a mix of unoriginal and sometimes obnoxious dialogue. While some players appreciate the occasional funny moments and good voice acting, the overall consensus is that the humor lacks the cleverness and charm of its inspirations, making it feel more like a pale imitation.

    • “Inspired by Aperture Science and how funny GLaDOS is, Tom Hanks creates his own company and a less interesting science gun to laugh at people as he subjects them to human testing.”
    • “Great voice acting, funny dialogue, perfect controls, and unique puzzle mechanics are a few of the many positives.”
    • “There's also some good voice acting, with the person I assume is in charge of the test facilities guiding you and giving some funny comments.”
    • “The narrator is not funny; not every first-person puzzle game has to be like Portal.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced, making the experience less enjoyable.”
    • “I expected clever jokes, but instead, I got tired clichés that didn't land.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet well-executed, with a clean and bright aesthetic that supports gameplay without causing confusion. However, there are criticisms regarding the limited graphics options and some technical issues like screen tearing, which detract from the overall experience. While not as realistic as other titles, the visuals effectively convey the necessary information for puzzle-solving, though some players feel improvements are needed for a more polished look.

    • “The graphics are simple but well done.”
    • “The graphics are, while not as realistic as some other games, as good as needed that there are no misunderstandings in the puzzles, so you can see the difference between a 'stalking' bot and a normal, lazy one.”
    • “The graphics and sound are solid and unpretentious; it's slick and bug-free, and there's a welcome side serving of humor in the voice over.”
    • “The only graphics options are for resolution, motion blur, and a toggle for image effects.”
    • “All it needs are some quality of life improvements, some better graphics (I mean, look at the hand, just look at it!) and another voice actor, and this game could be great.”
    • “But you can't enable frame sync, and my graphics have distracting tearing and other distortions as a result.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its beauty and relaxing qualities, while others find it bland and repetitive. Although the soundtrack is generally unobtrusive and complements the gameplay, there are criticisms regarding the use of stock music and a lack of variety. Overall, while some enjoy the aesthetic and thematic elements of the music, others feel it detracts from the experience.

    • “Some of the music is genuinely beautiful.”
    • “Furthermore, the game looks nice and the music is relaxing.”
    • “Great soundtrack and I also love the color theme.”
    • “Throughout the game (which, by the way, I did finish in 4.5 hours around a year ago), 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.”
    • “Also, I’m really not a fan of the usage of stock music in the game.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly as the puzzles become less engaging in later chapters. While some appreciate the low cost relative to playtime, the repetitive nature of dodging enemies and completing missions detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “I just found it far too tedious and I rarely found any satisfaction in solving a puzzle.”
    • “The puzzles started off decent, but got more tedious in the later chapters, and dodging and running from workerdroids got tiring.”
    • “The tedious, run for your life missions got kind of annoying after a while but it was fine.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally well-integrated with the environment, contributing to its overall feel. However, some players find it lacking in engagement, describing it as somewhat boring and anticlimactic due to a perceived emptiness.

    • “It fits the environment and builds an immersive atmosphere for the game.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredibly rich, drawing you into the world and making every moment feel significant.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, creating a sense of tension and wonder that keeps you engaged.”
    • “Not much going on, kind of boring with the atmosphere, and mostly empty/anticlimactic.”
  • stability2 mentions

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

  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express a sense of unresolved emotions after completing the game, feeling as though they did not truly overcome the challenges presented. This suggests a disconnect between the gameplay experience and emotional satisfaction.

    • “Even though I finished them, they made me feel like I didn't actually solve them.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is criticized for causing random stuttering, which negatively impacts gameplay, especially in sections that require precise placement.

    • “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even in complex scenarios.”
    • “I appreciate how well the game runs on lower-end systems, showcasing excellent optimization.”
    • “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the game, ensuring a seamless experience across various hardware.”
    • “Lousy optimization makes this game stutter randomly, and it needs to run smoothly in certain areas due to the requirement for precise placement.”
    • “The game's performance is severely hindered by poor optimization, leading to frustrating lag during critical moments.”
    • “I frequently experience frame drops and stuttering, which ruins the immersion and makes gameplay feel unresponsive.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players express concerns about the game's length and replayability, suggesting that if it concludes around three hours, it may not justify its price point of $14.

    • “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.”
    • “The game lacks enough variety to make me want to play it again after finishing it once.”
    • “Once you complete the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay the game, as the side quests feel repetitive.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

Buy ChromaGun

Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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