Chrome

 PC
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
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  1. PC Format
    58
    A promising shooter which ultimately ends not with the final movie, but an impassioned cry of “What the hell were you thinking?!”
  2. Gamers' Temple
    74
    Has enough going for it in terms of graphics and gameplay to make it a better than average shooter.
  3. ActionTrip
    81
    Chrome's strong points make it a shooter worth playing. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good, albeit rough around the edges shooter experience.
  5. GameZone
    88
    The type of game that you know you should find fault with, because the enemy is not real bright, but it is so much fun to go through the levels, solving the puzzles and completing your objectives while liquidating all opposition.
  6. Armchair Empire
    70
    A wholly decent entertainment experience although it won’t change anyone’s opinion about the genre it unfortunately sits in.
  7. Game Chronicles
    77
    It also gets bogged down in it’s own self-induced complexity. The clumsy inventory and totally outrageous enemy AI will scare off all but the most diligent of gamers.
  8. Computer Games Magazine
    40
    Most of the guns are uninspired and even boring - even the shotgun seems dull. [Feb 2004, p.60]
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  9. Play Magazine
    83
    A vast sci-fi universe to explore, bounties to collect, and an intriguing story that bears telling. [Jan 2004, p.72]
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  10. Eurogamer
    50
    Chrome isn't a dreadful game, really. It's just so deeply, incredibly average in every aspect of its gameplay that our enthusiasm for it went limp the very moment we bumped off our first enemy grunt.
  11. Edge Magazine
    50
    It's often unclear whether or not your shots are hitting, which inclines you to blunder out from your cover and head for close quarters - which in turn destroys the developer's intention of forcing a tactical, cautious approach. [Nov 2003, p.105]
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  12. eToychest
    70
    It features a generic, yet well-delivered plot that is dragged down by average gameplay, a lack of substantial difficulty, and sound that can only be described as sub-par. However, it is quite stunning graphically, and might find a niche in the modding community.
  13. PC Gamer
    56
    While the idea of creating a more "realistic" sci-fi shooter is a good one, Chrome never rises above some bad design decisions and an overall lack of polish... The next mediocre shooter. [Jan 2004, p.115]
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  14. Computer Gaming World
    80
    A stunning sci-fi-themed shooter that makes "Halo" look hollow. [Feb 2004, p.80]
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  15. IncGamers
    75
    It has a bad sci-fi fascination to it, assisted by some excellent graphics, and kept me involved like a Sunday afternoon serving of "Star Gate."
  16. GamerFeed
    60
    It has a great storyline, mesmerizing graphics, and unique game elements - all the same ingredients that the two "big" FPS'ers are supposed to have.
  17. VIA Gamers Arena
    68
    Despite offering plenty of gameplay, it lacks depth and more importantly, soul. Chrome is a fun game, but doesn't do anything that some other game has done before it, and done it better at that.
  18. games(TM)
    60
    While all the pieces seem to be in place to deliver something special, they never quite gel. That's not to say that Chrome isn't a reasonably good game, but too many inadequacies prevent the action from seriously challenging the big guns. [Nov 2003, p.114]
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  19. FiringSquad
    74
    A really solid first effort for Playland. This game has the strong possibility of evolving into a very good series. Level design is mostly solid. Production values are suitably high, if not up to the work that Valve and id are doing these days. Weapon choice is varied. And best of all, the game has some character.
  20. GameSpy
    75
    It's exciting when a relatively unknown development house like Techland can spring forward with such an intriguing effort, and if nothing else, we applaud its ambition.
  21. IGN
    79
    This one's definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something a little different in the FPS realm, but I'll warn you not to base the game off of the demo level because it isn't really a great representation of the game.
  22. GameSpot
    72
    It won't pose much of a challenge due to deficiencies in the artificial intelligence, and there isn't too much replay value to be found in the game either.

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Most Discussed PC Game of 2003
79
#79 Most Shared PC Game of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 62 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 62
  3. Negative: 9 out of 62
  1. x2495iiii
    Jan 23, 2014
    0
    I never thought I'd see a game make shooting bad guys completely unfun. But then came Chrome. Here's a rundown of my first twenty or soI never thought I'd see a game make shooting bad guys completely unfun. But then came Chrome. Here's a rundown of my first twenty or so attempts to beat the first mission on normal difficulty.

    (First time): got killed by the second group of enemies I ran into. Dying is very easy due to high enemy accuracy and a crappy, slow healing meachanic.

    (Second time): mission was cancelled by my prima donna commander, who won't progress unless I'm holding his hand.

    (Third time): killed commander as revenge for cancelling the mission. (Fourth time): commander died because a million guys rushed his position, and I could only kill all but two of them. Good to know he can handle himself in a fight.

    (Fifth - twentieth times): repeats of one of the first four. You're not allowed to do your own thing at any point in this sequence, even if it means completing the mission faster or more safely. You have to follow Commander Uptight's orders or he'll cancel the mission. And when that means staying in a tower with limited ammo and no way of switching to a different weapon or restocking when you're out, your options are die from disobedience or die from letting your commander eat it.

    The gameplay itself is decent enough. I dislike the way my bullets, even when very carefully aimed, seem to whiz right past my enemies. I also dislike the fact that my enemies are bullet sponges with Olympic marksmanship skills. The worst part is definitely the commander and his ridiculous "orders", though. When a game literally kills you and makes you start the whole level over (no saves or checkpoints) for not playing it the way it wants to be played, it's not really a game so much as an electronic to-do list, and that is most certainly not my idea of fun.

    I gave it one last chance, and I died from friendly fire. Yeah, this game's putrid. Don't bother with it.    … Full Review »
  2. JohnRawman
    Feb 6, 2009
    8
    Í remember the dozens of announcements of all those "halo killers". In the end only one of them came close - it was the Polish gameÍ remember the dozens of announcements of all those "halo killers". In the end only one of them came close - it was the Polish game Chrome. Featuring just as nice graphics and even larger terrains than Halo, plus more unlinear level design, Chrome had sort of a bad start and so most people even didn't give it the chance it deserved. And I'm talking about two different kinds of start. The game came a little unfinished and so you had to wait for the patches but I really must say: they were great. They improved the performance, the physics and hundreds of smaller details. The other problem was, that the true strength of this game is the usage of implants, but unfortunately you don't have them right from the beginning on. But once you have the speed improvement and the implant that allows you to use some kind of "bullet time", the gameplay gets really great (it even neutralizes the fact that the enemies have horribly fast reactions and perfect aiming since you get even better). And maybe the scenario is not as epic and "unreal" as in other scifi games such as Halo or Unreal, but the story itself is much much more interesting, featuring an intelligently designed conspiracy and interesting characters. Still the game lacks what a real blockbuster needs (such as a great soundtrack and faster and more exciting fighting) but it's still a solid piece of work that did not get the attention it deserved. Plus Chrome features a very interesting and exciting multiplayer mode but unfortunately there was no one to proove it.… Full Review »
  3. ExtremelyCrass
    Oct 1, 2003
    4
    Stunning graphics and crisp clear sound BUT gameplay is incredibly bad. Not immersive whatsoever. Add the fact that it is so hard to see Stunning graphics and crisp clear sound BUT gameplay is incredibly bad. Not immersive whatsoever. Add the fact that it is so hard to see enemies and where the hell they are shooting from. Even with the radar, you spend half the time looking around for who is shooting at you.… Full Review »
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