Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids Review

Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids is an excellent example of a gaming experiment that sounds bad until you see it happen. The combination of real-time strategy and third-person action would be a disaster on paper. However, when it's in motion, the combination surprisingly works, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that seamlessly blends careful planning with intense, hands-on gameplay.

Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids, set to release in August 2025, was developed by Snapshot Games and published by Art Games. It resembles a 1990s Saturday morning cartoon, characterized by its vibrant colors, humor, and a sense of nostalgia. Instead of following the rules, Snapshot Games is known for blending genres and experimenting with new systems.

This game isn't a direct sequel to their other games, but it does have the same love for pushing boundaries. The developers opted for fun over realism or drama, similar to what is often found in movies. The result is a mid-priced game that doesn't always look great, but it does stand out in a market full of similar shooters and safe strategy games.

The idea is both silly and charming. The Brainioids, aliens with brains that can think and feel, are invading Earth. They are obsessed with collecting Brainium crystals, a rare resource that powers their technology. Chip, a hyperactive young inventor, and Clawz, his robotic cat friend with claws sharp enough to shred metal and a sharp wit that can cut Chip's corniest jokes, are in their way.

The two of them work together to stop the Brainioid threat while making jokes amidst the chaos. The story is meant to be humorous and frequently makes fun of itself. Chip never passes up a chance to make a pun, but Clawz often tells him to tone it down. The enemies are even written with a wink to the audience, and the main characters laugh at and acknowledge their silly names.

This level of self-awareness keeps the story from getting on your nerves. That being said, the story doesn't try to be very emotional. The campaign consists of three parts, each comprising 13 main missions and 10 optional side missions. It moves quickly, though.

Dialogue gives you just enough information to keep going, and cutscenes use humour instead of heavy storytelling. Sadly, the ending feels rushed, like the writers ran out of time or cut a chapter. The trip is fun while it lasts, but if you were hoping for a big payoff, you might feel let down.

The cartoon-like tone, on the other hand, helps it. The game knows what it is: a fun adventure with an alien invasion as the setting. It never goes too far. The story serves as a vehicle for the gameplay more than the other way around in many ways.

The mechanics of Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids are what make it so great. The clever hook is that you can build bases in an RTS game and control characters in third person. You can't start missions by building whatever you want; first, you have to find and capture "replicons". When you claim these glowing devices, they unlock new buildings or units.

This mechanic makes you have to think on your feet. One mission might prompt you to rush to retrieve the mining replicon immediately to initiate the flow of resources. In contrast, another might prompt you to hurry and send out combat bots with the attack replicon.

Your strategy doesn't feel like it's been copied and pasted very often because replicons are spread out across different missions. It's a smart way to prevent players from relying on a single strategy throughout the entire campaign.

Once you have secured replicons, the strategy layer opens up. You can mine brainium, build buildings, and spawn units. Miners collect resources, turrets protect chokepoints, and attack bots can be anything from melee bruisers to aerial bombers. The logic of rock-paper-scissors works here: melee beats ranged, ranged picks off aerial, and aerial goes around ground defenses.

But you don't just click from a god's-eye view like in other RTS games. You are Chip or Clawz, and you are running around the battlefield, fighting. Chip's job is to help his friends by overclocking them, which makes them move faster or fire faster. Clawz fixes buildings and heals allies, so your base won't fall apart when things get tough. Both can also use weapons, so you can change the course of the battle by fighting enemies yourself.

It's easy to switch between third-person control and commander mode. When you're in commander mode, you can zoom out and set waypoints or give exact orders. As a hero unit in third person, you run around and complete tasks directly. The balance between the two points of view keeps missions interesting; you're never just managing, you're always taking part.

Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids' heart is combat, and it keeps you on your toes. The Brainioids throw a lot at you, like swarms of fodder units, long-range bombarders, shielded juggernauts, and huge bosses that put every part of your strategy to the test. Every mission is a delicate balancing act between expanding your base, keeping miners safe, and defending against threats.

Replicons are mostly what make the puzzle part. Choosing which replicon to chase first adds a level of strategy. Do you protect your defences before the waves hit, or do you take a chance on offence to hit hard and fast? Every choice alters the course of the battle.

Boss fights are the best parts. These enemies are enormous, so you often have to use both unit tactics and direct hero abilities at the same time. In one memorable battle, you have to fight a Brainioid war machine that sends out smaller drones all over the map. You have to destroy spawn points, keep your miners alive, and directly lower the boss's health all at the same time. It's busy, and at times overwhelming, but it's definitely exciting.

There are still problems with the system, though. It's hard to build while fighting because the game doesn't pause when you put down structures. If you drop a turret at the wrong angle during a siege, you can quickly see your base fall apart. Brainium mining also has its problems. For instance, deposits run out too quickly, and the resource cap makes things move more slowly than they should, so you have to keep an eye on the mining bots all the time.

Progression is helpful. You can get bonuses and upgrades for Chip and Clawz between missions. You can only use three perks at a time, so you have to choose carefully before each battle. Do you make your units more likely to live, do more damage, or use resources better? The system doesn't significantly alter the way people play, but it does provide them with more options. 

Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids sticks to its Saturday morning cartoon look. It feels like a lost Ratchet & Clank spin-off because of the bright colors, over-the-top character animations, and general sense of fun. Chip and Clawz are very expressive, and the Brainioids are a fun mix of silly and creepy.

The places you can go to are varied, from cities with neon lights to alien wastelands. When battles get crazy, with bots shooting lasers and turrets blasting away at swarms, the screen is full of bright energy.

But the art direction doesn't always work. Some textures seem unfinished, and the animations for the platforming parts often look floaty and awkward. Movement doesn't have the same level of polish as pure action-platformers, which serves as a reminder that this is a hybrid game. Still, the battles are so exciting that they make up for these flaws.

The cartoon look is finished with sound. The music is lively and fun, like the crazy feel of kids' shows from the 1990s. Combat tracks add a sense of urgency without being too much, and the quieter parts have enough bounce to keep the energy level steady.

The sound effects are apparent, from the metallic clunk of mining bots to the over-the-top zap of Brainioid weapons. The voice acting is surprisingly good; it leans into humor without being annoying. Chip's excited voice goes well with Clawz's sarcastic comebacks, and the bad guys' taunts are funny in the dumbest way possible. The dialogue mustn't repeat itself too often, as that keeps the humor fresh for extended periods of play.

Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids isn't the best-balanced or most polished game you'll play this year, but it's one of the most fun. Snapshot Games has made something that feels both familiar and new by combining RTS mechanics with third-person hero action. It stands out from the rest due to its cartoon-like style, unique replicon system, and balance between strategy and direct combat.

Yes, the problems are real. Placing buildings in the middle of a battle is clunky, brainium management slows things down, platforming feels floaty, and the story ends too quickly. These rough spots keep it from being great. But what it does do is more important: it has fun, it tries new things, and it gives you gameplay moments you can't find anywhere else.

The campaign lasts 8 to 10 hours, and there are side missions, co-op, and PvP modes that make it fun to play again. The buddy-pass system makes it easy to join a co-op game without needing to purchase additional items. The PvP options let you try out your strategies against your friends. There is enough variety to make the experience worth it, even though it can't be played over and over again.

Ultimately, Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids is best suited for individuals who want to try something new and exciting. People who like RTS games might think it's too easy, and people who like action games might want the fighting to be more intense.

However, if you're open to trying something that combines the two, you should try Chip' n Clawz vs. The Brainioids. It's a fun ride. It may never become popular, but for those who try it, it serves as a fun reminder that games don't always have to be serious to be memorable.