Blazing Chrome Review – Brilliance & Bowl Cuts

Nostalgia is a double-edged sword that is seemingly endlessly swung in nearly every walk of life. Be it the 90s fashion revival, callbacks to a musical eras gone by or praying on the memories of the neon-lit, synth fueled films of yesteryear. Heck, even our food and drink are tapping in on that Nostalgia buzz.

Blazing Chrome
Developer: Joy Masher
Price: $16.99
Platform: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
MonsterVine was supplied with a Steam code for review

It’s easy to become overwhelmed in a sea of ‘REMEMBER THIS?!’ Enter Blazing Chrome, a throwback to the days of Konami codes and bowl cuts. While the initial pitch of yet another game paying homage to classics of years gone by might be another voice in a crowd, this voice is a little different. Where most do impressions, Blazing Chrome is the real deal.

Playable in single-player or co-op, JoyMasher (also known for the sublime Odallus: The Call) has crafted a fundamentally sound run-and-gun experience complete with all the bells and whistles. While such a genre may appear simple on the surface level, it requires true craftsmanship to form an experience that goes beyond spamming fire while moving around like a pre-teen dabbing to the latest hot track. Thankfully, Blazing Chrome displays the sort after trait of being brutally punishing but endlessly enjoyable. The challenge can be altered with three settings, allowing even the most casual of video game fans to dive in headfirst. 

It’s impossible to ignore the likes of Contra when speaking of Blazing Chrome, with both sharing the same DNA pool. The key difference between the two being JoyMasher’s luxury of retrospective. Each level in Blazing Chrome is built around a core principle of reaction and escalation. Shoot, dodge, jump, boss. Shoot, dodge, jump, mini-boss, roll, duck, retreat. Shoot, dodge, jump, boss, mini-boss, roll, duck, survive, roll, boss phase, final phase. A natural progression between stages that acts more like a learning process than a trial and error experiment. The acute level design keeps things feeling fresh, from visual cues to interactive sections and hazards. All of this, by far, is the greatest achievement of the game.

While the heart of the game bleeds retro, it never feels like a child wearing hand-me-downs. The smoothness of the play is complemented by a smart power-up system that provides an edge of strategy throughout the chaos. They may not be plentiful, but each power-up is a true game-changer. Each of the four weapon types fires in different ways, allowing players to adjust and adapt their approach. Two passive pickups perform the dance of risk and reward, becoming a key component of the co-op experience.

Blazing Chrome’s less obvious success can be found in its ability to restrain itself. The temptation to throw as many things on the screen, be it enemies or weapons, has been a deadly pitfall many have fallen into. JoyMasher’s more controlled approach allows players to be knee-deep in chaos, but maintain a grasp of what’s going on. There’s no sense of cheap deaths or difficulty down to questionable design. A trait often overlooked, especially in the space of throwback games.

Of course, gameplay aside, the look and sounds of the golden era of video games are vital. Blazing Chrome is unashamedly proud of its rocking soundtrack and sympathy of destruction. Every second of the game is glazed in a toe-tapping soundtrack that crafts the personality of each level or boss. From sci-fi beats to fast-paced tunes, it all sounds ear smashingly amazing. Clearly, there has been great attention and respect paid to replicate the sounds of the classics, but still creating something entirely individual to Blazing Chrome. Dominic Ninmark & Tiago Santos should be wholeheartedly proud and celebrated for their work here. 

The Final Word
The second the game boots up, there’s an air of legitimacy to it, complete with story intro and a triumphant title screen, accompanied by a powerful cry of ‘BLAZING CHROME’ bellowing out. It’s hard not to be instantly in awe of such things. This could be the biggest flaw Blazing Chrome arguably has. It’s simply better than what inspired it. Though it may be short, offering five levels (each with sub-levels, mini-bosses and end bosses) Blazing Chrome is quite easily one of the best run-and-gun games on the market. Period.

– MonsterVine Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 – Great