Blazing Chrome

I loved my time with this game and it being offered on Game Pass for Xbox owners only sweetens the deal. Even still Switch and PS4 owners should not hesitate. For $20 this is one nostalgia trip worth taking, even for those that didn’t necessarily grow up with the games it attempts to mimic. A good game is still a good game regardless of generation.

Blazing Chrome absolutely nails the game and feel of school run & gun games like Contra and Metal Slug. If you like this genre, it’s a game you cannot miss.

With Blazing Chrome you kind of get what you get: it's an hour and change shooter that pays extreme homage to the Contra series.

A brilliant modern retro game, bringing back Contra´s legacy with grace and skill. Although it adheres to the well-known formula maybe too much, this game is a must for any retro-oriented gamer out there no matter the challenge required.

The set pieces are thrilling, and the music fits brilliantly at driving the gameplay, one example being the energetic tune for Mission 5's snow bike chase. There's even an out of the blue 3D scaling section in Mission 4, which feels like playing Space Harrier in a tunnel. The genre demands epic boss battles and Blazing Chrome delivers, as the final sixth mission stands out as one big, fantastically designed boss level.

Blazing Chrome doesn't try to be anything more than a classic run-and-gun and thus easily exceeds expectations, although the length does leave something to be desired.

Blazing Chrome is a top-of-the-line appetizer to what could be a masterpiece of a five-course meal.

Packing retro aesthetics and just the right amount of challenge, Blazing Chrome is the best run-and-gun in years. Though it is a bit on the short side, it perfectly encapsulates the pure kinetic energy that put the genre on the map.

Blazing Chrome is an authentic retro run 'n' gun experience that'll surely satisfy genre fans. That being said, there are many frustrating moments that are difficult to overlook and the amount of content is a little thin, too.

There’s very little in the way of modernity here but played solo or in co-op Blazing Chrome manages to faithfully ape the classics of yesteryear. Just don’t expect anything new. [Issue#166, p.92]

If you’re into your classic shooters and don’t mind a few cheap deaths along the way, Blazing Chrome is a pulse-pounding thrillride that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve.

Blazing Chrome does a really good impression of a Contra game but 32 years later, Contra is still king and that probably says as much about the granddaddy of run and gun games as it does about this very capable, but not quite as good, upstart. It will definitely have its fans though.

Blazing Chrome is an modern take on classic run and gun arcade classics. It’s difficult to ignore the strong influence Contra had on the game’s development, but either because of or in spite of this it’s still a lot of fun to play, especially on co-op. Anyone who wants something new with the classic Contra or Metal Slug style gameplay can’t go wrong with Blazing Chrome, but even though it’s a good time, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the party.

None of this is to say that Blazing Chrome is a terrible game. The run-and-gun gameplay felt great, I liked the over-the-top level design, the story was a neat throwback to a time when game stories were simple, and the bosses were memorable. I just wished the game wasn’t so frustrating to get through.

Blazing Chrome is a tip of the hat to the likes of Contra and Metal Slug. With its enjoyable action, the title has it shortcomings, mainly the short lifespan and the fact that it doesn't do anything more than the others.