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When you first hear the name Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids, you might already have some ideas about what you’re in for. And trust me, after diving into it for several hours, I can tell you it delivers on its wild promise. This co-op game channels the lively spirit of a Saturday morning cartoon with its vibrant colors, zany antics, and goofy aliens complete with quirky voices. It mixes third-person action and real-time strategy in a way that’s really caught my attention. However, don’t let the whimsical art style fool you—underneath the playful exterior lies a challenging experience, thanks to the strategy game brilliance of XCOM creator Julian Gollop, whose influence is evident despite my short time playing.
Right off the bat, Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids thrust me into its whirlwind narrative, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Who needs backstory when you have a daring human named Chip and a robotic cat named Clawz battling against an alien race of cerebral creatures known as the Brainioids? My co-op buddy and I maneuvered through progressively difficult levels, fending off relentless alien minions dispatched by none other than General Blobbius—the Brainioids’ corporate bigwig. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s to its credit. With its vivid levels, silly adversaries, and constant humorous exchanges, I initially believed I was in for a gentle romp, even choosing the hard mode.
In each level, our mission was straightforward: fight through alien forces and obliterate the mothership using our army of robotic minions. Success meant collaborating to collect Brainium, a vital resource for constructing new facilities or empowering units for battle. What began as an ordinary action game with light real-time strategy (RTS) elements quickly grew complex, turning into a chaotic blend of strategic decisions and on-the-fly tactics. This evolution kept my partner and me on our toes as chaos erupted on multiple fronts. The game knows its way around real-time strategy, compelling players like me to juggle between combat and construction tasks, ensuring both survival and progression.
As Chip ‘n Clawz progresses, you get bombarded with new factories, units, and loadout upgrades. You might choose an upgrade to speed up your resource-gathering units or increase their durability against enemy assaults. Alternatively, if hands-on action is your style, maybe increasing your melee damage is more appealing. In certain situations, investing resources in a new artillery depot for long-range conflict might be your best bet, while at other times, stationary turrets could solve your defensive woes automatically.
The game’s playful tone and frantic intensity often reminded me of the Overcooked series, where deceptively simple mechanics combined with cheerful graphics serve to hide the chaos and friendly bickering they can induce. Chip ‘n Clawz uses humor and an easygoing vibe to ease players in, only to test them with progressively tougher challenges that demand strategic finesse in its RTS framework.
I’ve only tasted a fraction of what this surprisingly deep strategy title has to offer, and I’m eager to see what wild situations the later levels might serve up.
