This strategic battler is quite the departure from Julian Gollop’s past works (X-COM, Phoenix Point, UFO: Enemy Unknown), featuring bright and vibrant visuals along with third-person shooting. That mouthful of a name, too, is quite jarring. The more I thought about it though, the more it made sense. This is a tactical shooter for the Fortnite generation, mimicking the look of Epic’s monster hit, and with a similar nonsensical slant. Strategy games are usually only modest sellers on consoles (not even Marvel’s Midnight Suns could reach the mainstream) and so Arc Games has been very smart here to create something that’ll appeal to a whole new audience.
The good news is that Chip ‘n Clawz is demanding enough to appeal to the older generation too, with a little bit of tact to its line of strategy. As it can be played in co-op, there’s potential for families to play together, which is always pleasing to see. The oldies helping the young’ens. And just like It Takes Two and Split Fiction, a friend pass is available to download for free.
We’re introduced to Chip – a charismatic hero with a large energy sword, and an inflated ego to match. Skilled with electronics, they’re responsible for creating Clawz, a robotic feline armed with a multipurpose tool. That’s in the sense that it can be used to repair robots as well as bludgeon enemies. Together, they’re fighting off an invasion of Brainioids, which true to their name, are exceedingly brain-like. The invasion results in sprouting crystals known as Brainium, blessed with the power of bringing things to life. Wasting no time, Chip and Clawz set about making an army of robots to tackle the threat. In fewer words: it’s an indirect battle of the brains.
The action is viewed from third-person, with both Chip and Clawz playable. Chip can buff minions and use a hoverbike to get around, while mechanic Clawz can repair things and gain access to a double-jump bestowing jetpack. Melee weapons are provided as default, with limited use guns available upon constructing an ammo dump. Our plucky protagonists are on the fragile side, putting the focus on using robotic minions to carry out dirty work. Respawns are infinite, but if Chip’s high-tech HQ is blown to smithereens, then it’s Game Over. Most missions last 25-30 minutes and as there are no checkpoints the stakes are pretty high.
The first few stages are on the simpler side, helping to teach the basics, establish the plot – which sees new bosses take command upon their predecessor’s defeat – and lure you in with its lavish presentation. Maps are modestly sized and mostly of the island variety before spreading into darker territory. The idea is to gather Brainium using miners, find Replikon beacons to unlock structures, build various auto-barracks, and place turrets strategically while advancing towards the enemy’s base, tearing down their defences as you go. That’s the gist, at least – this formula is shaken up occasionally, with one stage being more puzzle based due to featuring pressure-plate activated doors, and one boss battle involving holding your ground. Escort missions also feature much later, along with a mission with a tight 25 minute time limit, by which point you’ll have plenty of battle experience.
Boss battles here are creative as the maps are designed around them. The first sees a large UFO fly around the map in the circle, periodically stopping to heal. This results in a struggle to reach the healing station and destroy it before taking down their defences. There is a slight rise in difficulty for boss fights (I had to replay one thirty-minute battle a few times over) but they never feel unfair. Learning the map and where the Replikons are is part of the experience. Sometimes the Replikons need to be collected in a certain order too, perhaps calling for Clawz’ jetpack to reach a higher area before advancing. If you’re failing missions repeatedly, chances are you’ve overlooked an important infantry Replikon.
The strategic side of things doesn’t compare well to X-COM and such, yet at the same time feels quite balanced, with boxer ground troops vulnerable to ranged attackers, enemy turrets requiring missile barrages from afar, and miners ideally placed close to Brainium reserves. There’s also a need to make sure miner’s paths are kept clear, the base is well defended, and items such as electric fences are destroyed in advance. There’s always something to be getting on with, even if it’s just exploring to collect new blueprints and comic books.
During a couple of battles, I lost a lot of ground and had to claw (no pun intended) to get it back, which made for a surprisingly engaging experience. I did wonder if the younger generation would struggle at times, but I assume that’s where co-op comes into play. It also helps that the controls are intuitive, easily manageable once the ‘grace’ period ends. You’re able to view the battlefield from above and can command either all your troops or single units by placing beacons, giving the chance to spread your troops. Even on easy mode the AI puts up a good fight, although they are guilty of placing barracks at the same locations and continuously sending out ranged attackers. No two stages are the same, though, so you’ll never see the AI use the same tactics on one map to the next.
The menu screen features a loadout that allows for three perks to be added, such as increasing melee damage by 50%. Choosing carefully can give a big advantage. Challenges can be accessed from the map screen too, giving the chance to gain more blueprints for new weapons and HQ upgrades. Even if you stick to just the story missions, this is a reasonably lengthy (10+ hour) endeavour, and there’s a hard mode for those looking for an extra challenge. Revisiting stages to gather every collectable also adds a degree of replay value.
While the name ‘Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids’ may not inspire much confidence, don’t let it put you off – this is a slick and polished experience that’s very easy to get into, while boasting enough tact to satisfy players outside its intended audience. It’s perhaps guilty of chasing trends, but that’s something easily overlooked considering it innovates just as much as it imitates. Should Fortnite ever fall out of favour in your household, this is one to consider.
Snapshot Games’ Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids is out now on PS5, Xbox Series and PC. Developed by Arc Games.