Chroma Squad is a tactical RPG about five stunt actors who decide to quit their jobs and start their own Power Rangers-inspired TV show! Cast actors, purchase equipment and upgrades for your studio, craft weapons and giant Mechas out of cardboard and duct tape. Once the cameras are rolling, you will control your cast of five colored-jumpsuit-clad warriors in dramatic, turn-based battles!
Video Review: Youtube.com
Chroma Squad starts as a simple Strategy Turn-Based Game but it offers many surprises. The teamwork mechanic is a simple concept that opens a lot of choices and suits well with the game genre and setting. Each character has a different role on the team and can be customizable from the name, looks, traits, abilities and equipment, making room for multiple play-styles and different tactics which make the game fell fresh and new as it proceeds. Fans of Sentai (A.K.A. Power Rangers-like shows) will be pleased to see that transforming into your Power Suit and gigantic Mech Battles actually play a role in the game.
Aesthetically the game makes use of Pixel Art with vibrant colors that suits with the lighthearted tone of Chroma Squad. The sound design is spot on with a great Sentai themed main song and a happy chiptune music that fuses together with the game’s vibe. The bosses are really interesting both in abilities and design and also very silly (like the giant pigeon with macho arms) but the minions do start to get a little repetitive specially as they get recycled as stronger versions with a different color scheme.
The plot is not very forward thriving but it does have some intrigue right from the start and it is a fun setup for the rest of the game. You will most certainly have some good laughs with Chroma Squad as long as you are ready to read through the characters’ dialogues. Although the game is very smartly written, it may sometimes become boresome as the scripted events drag on. As mentioned the game has a very lighthearted tone and it doesn't take itself too seriously which is actually connected to the main story.
• Final thoughts
Chroma Squad is a game that excels in the strategic battle gameplay with great, fun core mechanics and offers other pleasant side activities like the Mech Battles, Crafting and Studio Management which make the game flow fell fresh and non-repetitive. The direction of the story may seem a little odd sometimes as the silly, lighthearted, “not taking itself too serious” plot develops but it is a game that I recommend, specially for those who enjoy a really good squad strategy turn-based game.
Many games this generation are essentially creatively bankrupt, but Chroma Squad realizes this and challenges the standard of games today.