Platform: PC
Genre: 2D, Run-and-Gun, Action, Sci-fi, Prog-rock fever dream
If any indie game should get an award for “Best Psygnosis Cover Art Tribute Made Into A 2D Game”, it’s clearly ChainStaff. Its aesthetic and presentation is a mix of 1960s progressive rock album covers featuring insectoid aliens and colourful-yet-wasteland-ish backdrops of all elements, laced with a bit of gore to keep its edge.
Thankfully its graphics aren’t its selling point; the actual run-and-gun shooting is solid and plays great. Its other main selling point alluded from its title is also a necessary design and feature to keep things interesting in your main alien soldier’s quest to kill off invading aliens. You get access to the ChainStaff, an item that can either be thrown as a powerful javelin, used as a grappling hook Bionic Commando style, or placed onto the ground as both a protective vertical shield AND pole platform for elevation & upwards navigating.
Each weird-ass stage you traverse with its own set of equally-esoteric bad guys through the game requires you to master all three ChainStaff mechanics ASAP lest you like getting stuck dealing with the same enemy bug obstacles. In most run-and-guns you need to rely on pixel perfect dodging; here, you just have to smart with your movement and ChainStaff placement.
I was serious about the Bionic Commando reference; you can literally grapple onto any surface and swing to your heart’s fancy, extending it for bigger swings or just staying up to the top point to avoid oncoming projectile barrages. The barrier itself can only take so much damage, but it’s enough to get you counterattack with your guns and side artillery ranging from grenades, homing missiles, or satellite orbs Thunderforce-style (or Gradius or R-Type; whichever side of the 90s console war you’re on).
Bottom line: ChainStaff’s gimmicks sets it apart from other indie shooters in this current timeline of gaming, and it pays in loads for it. It’s fun to play, doesn’t wear out its welcome, keeps its tone light-hearted yet casually gory, and will keep you entertained with ChainStaff shenanigans for hours to come. It won’t change your mind about 2D run-and-guns being short and tough, but it isn’t aiming to. If you miss 90s arcade shooters of the 2D variant, ChainStaff will sort you out.
Review code provided by publisher.