ChromaGun

ChromaGun is a fine enough puzzler, though it feels like it's missing things you might want from games of the same ilk. The puzzles don't particularly evolve much and neither does the looks, making the game feel rather static and simple most of the way through. Despite some odd difficulty spikes, the game is something you can mostly breeze through without too much issues. If you're looking for a quick puzzle fix something in the vein of Portal, it's gonna scratch that itch decently enough.

A first-person skill and puzzle game loaded with color and freshness. It's nice to get these types of games that make us stop and change pace that are more rewarding than ever.

ChromaGun is a decent puzzler that plays off its Portal inspiration yet manages to deliver a unique take on chamber-style gameplay. It stretches the idea of primary colours out nicely and offers many hours of experimental gameplay.

ChromaGun successfully utilises colour in unique and creative ways to provide an engaging experience that puzzle aficionados will relish. It could be a bit longer, but as it is, it's a very strong puzzle shooter.

ChromaGun is, for the most part, a great port, but it doesn’t fix issues like the difficulty spikes that have always been present in the game. There’s some truly excellent puzzle design in the sharp looking test environments that will keep you entertained, in what is likely the closest thing to Portal that the Nintendo Switch will ever see.

ChromaGun may not have the most appealing audiovisuals but that doesn't mean it cannot provide a solid challenge to its players. Thanks to its very well implemented gameplay mechanics and good puzzle design, this will be a treat for fans of creative puzzle solving, even if its atmosphere is lacking and its difficulty level is not as consistent as one would expect.

In all, Chromagun is a good game. Held short of being a great game by some less-than-fully thought out design choices. It’s on the short side and doesn’t offer a whole lot of replay value, so your mileage on the $20 fee for the eshop game might vary. I had a great time playing it, but came away feeling frustrated by the above gripes, and hoping that Pixel Maniacs’ next offering doesn’t fall prey to the same avoidable pratfalls.

If not revolutionnay, ChromaGun is a pleasant variation of Portal basing its core mechanics on primary colors more than the laws of physics. Quite fun and challenging as soon as it takes liberties from its primal inspiration, Pixel Maniacs' game unfortunately suffers from a lack of consistency from start to finish. Those able to forgive the most forgivable puzzles will get a decent experience that will give your brain a hard time.

There is of course nothing wrong with building off of existing ideas, but ChromaGun’s stringent reliance on Portal’s established formula keeps it from ever evolving beyond it. ChromaGun has to be a game about moving through test chambers, because that’s what Portal is. ChromaGun has to place you at the whim of a crazy, pseudo-friendly corporation because that’s what Portal did. ChromaGun’s underlying mechanic is delightful and extremely interesting, unfortunately rather than building a game around that mechanic, developer Pixel Maniacs opted instead to shove it unceremoniously into a pre-existing game. There is some fun to be had here, but not nearly as much as there ought to be.

ChromaGun answers a question nobody wanted answered: What if Portal made a few really terrible game design decisions that soured the whole experience? Don’t get me wrong, ChromaGun is not without enjoyment. It certainly has its moments. At $19.99, it may be worth buying. But it could have been so much better.

A clever color mixing puzzler with many new ideas and exciting puzzle mechanics, but quite weak on the narrative level.

Despite feeling a little too short in all, there’s no denying the satisfying allure of ChromaGun’s first-person puzzlery. More a hat-doffing love letter to Portal than a clone, it offers a unique experience on Switch - one sure to having many a cheek flushed with happy colours.