Chickenauts

As a roguelike games fan I have super mixed feelings. First of all, you only have access to 4 weapons, 3 of which you have to unlock through gameplay, so most of the time you'll be running around with your pistol. All the cool upgrades like leeching health from your enemies, minigun, another pistol? They all go to your AI controller companion, so you're missing out on those. Then - the game heavily limits any strategic choices, you have a yellow potion that heals you, and then you see another yellow potion behind the doors - you use the key to get it cause hey - you need those hitpoints and... tough luck, this particular yellow potion gives you attack speed for some reason. If you're trying to copy enter the gungeon anyway, why not follow the best games in the genre like Isaac and make sure that the potions are random, but color coded? Of course, like in early Isaac days - you don't see what an item does before picking it up, and while it's not a huge issue because the items give you generally positive outcome and there is no risk involved like in previously mentioned game, they're also very generic (again, all the cool stuff goes to your companion) and even further reduce the decision-making part of a roguelike gameplay. Gameplay loop is terribly boring, boredom further enhanced by lack of visual variation of the levels, you basically grind some coins, beat up the bosses, and then spend the coins to upgrade some base stats, because apparently adding 3% to your attack speed is incredibly exciting. And don't get me wrong, there wouldn't be anything bad in this - but you will keep replaying the game holding the same pistol (or any of the FOUR weapons you unlock later in the game) and sometimes it will shoot faster, sometimes it will deal more damage, and in some super rare cases - the bullets will bounce off walls. For comparison - Enter the Gungeon, a game that this one is trying to copy, had more than 100 guns in early access, now it has over 200 guns. Dead Cells launched in Early Access - and while it was a short experience it still had way more gameplay variety, offering over 50 weapons and skills. At this point either play one of the games I've mentioned above, or if you crave early access - just get slay the spire 2. I'll be following this one, maybe some updates will make it worth your time.

It seems very early access and is very thin on content. There's only 4 weapons and so far I've only been able to use 2, there is a pistol and a fork type thing. Upgrades consist of picking either path to choose ones for the player or your chicken companion. Gameplay wise it's basically the same as every ETG clone, Kill things to get coins and keys. Room layouts are basically copy paste with different coats of paint. There's not a lot of variation, or virtually none to be honest. Clearly this isn't out to redefine the genre but it would of been nice to see something new. The base hub has a couple of NPCS you save on your first few runs that return to camp and setup shop, like every other clone. One lets you upgrade a few base skill stats, one to choose from the mighty 4 gun roaster "2 for me", one to add difficulty modifiers, and lastly one to swap out your chicken. It's all very bland and rather boring in truth. But hey maybe they'll add a truck load of updates and turn it into something brilliant who knows. At the moment I don't have any ambition to keep replaying, there's just so many alternatives that offer this in a fuller package. I would of understood releasing this in early access if there was something new and interesting they were trying to show off and make fans of the genre get onboard, but there simply isn't anything you haven't seen countless times before. This process of keep remaking the same game is like waking up tomorrow and deciding you're going to start your own toilet seat company, Yes by all means you could do, but why on earth would you.

“They took my flock, I took their lives!” Wishlisted this a while ago because the concept instantly hooked me, and it absolutely delivers. I’m not great at twin-stick shooters, but let me tell ya… I’m getting better! My flock is on the steak, after all! It’s hilarious, chaotic, and the squeaky toy chicken weapon is pure gold. I booted it up “just to check it out” and suddenly 2+ hours were gone. Classic one more run situation ;) One more thing - I played it on Steam Deck. There's no official compatibility info, but it runs absolutely fine. I had zero issues. TL;DR: For this price? No brainer. It’s funny, can get demanding, and every time you die you’re like: “Gosh darn aliens... lemme try that again!”

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Could be a great little roguelike especially for the price, but like others said, there's really no content, i enjoy the core gameplay loop, even upgrading my duck, but there is only a few hours of gameplay honestly, the upgrades feel worse the farther you are in the game, the weapon balance is crazy considering there's only 4, including the starter weapon, i want this game to be great but at the moment it's basically a demo to any other game, but with content additions my review will definitely change to positive

Response to Dev at bottom *** The game is a greatest hits of mistakes. I'm much more likely to review a game I didn't like, but I'm also likely to wait on games that are new to see if they turn into something. This game is such a design mess I don't see how it could play well. It's not one step away - it's all the steps away. *** The first obvious problem is the chicken. The Chicken gets a grenade launcher. The chicken leaves a trail of acid. The player gets nothing. One way or another, in the run, you are in control of the player. You mostly take player actions. All you can do is point to a spot and send the chicken there, which is not nearly as fun as ... say ... shooting things yourself. So in run you get very little compared to the chicken. Largely the chicken is just off doing their own thing because in an action game I don't have time to control the chicken. Unless the chicken is killing me. You know that trail of acid? It hurts the player. Your chicken is running around the screen leaving a Tron Light Cycle/Snake Game trail and if you run over it you lose a full chicken leg of life (of which you start with three). Not even a partial point. So the power up just kills you Or maybe the chicken spawns acid chicks which leave pools of acid. Yes you get a second to stand in the acid before it hurts BUT WHY HAVE THIS HURT THE PLAYER AT ALL? But you don't need a power up. The second Chicken I got, Mary Chickens, comes with exploding chickens that can kill you without even having an enemy nearby! GREAT! THIS IS FUN! (I was actually playing through more of the game to make sure I tried enough to justify my review when I found this. It's astoundingly bad). You can direct the chicken, although it's very janky with the controller. The game slows down do so in either mouse or controller mode, but good lucky handling bullet hell and directing the chicken on the controller, let alone the mouse. If you want to control the chicken heavily for some reason, but it doesn't do much. Even beyond the chicken, it's feels "Dual Stick Shooter" programmed by people who use a mouse and keyboard and don't get why it's so different. I don't think you should play it with the controller if you do play it (which you shouldn't). (If the chicken isn't near you when you go to the mutation room you have to wait for it to arrive. Why? WHY?!!! A minor thing that's oddly bad). The chicken what I call a "developer feature". What's going on is interesting to the developer, who sees all the wheels turn. The player is a passenger while things happen around them and to them, but not by them. *** Of course you can get "things you kill leave acid" as well, so you can be killed by the enemies you kill or terrain you blow up. Great powerup! I don't think it ever killed an enemy, but it certainly hurt me. Of the few player powerups I've got, the mostly don't feel interesting. The acid one is the only one that felt like something was going on. *** Balance is general is terrible. Enemies spawn quickly and close to you, putting you in dodge everything mode. They lunge suddenly or fire very suddenly at you so you have to keep huge distance. Some of them who are just normal enemies fire huge rings of bullets, again leaving you with the "stay across the screen" choice. Which may be one of the only ways you can use the chicken. Sometimes you can hide and send the chicken out and have him stand around. Your personal hitbox is terrible. I wish I recorded the death I just had to know just how far away that bullet was. But I've certain there was huge whitespace between me and it. It's not always this way - may be certain enemies. *** Next is the keys. Most of the rewards in-run needs keys. The game doesn't give you many keys, and often what you get from a key is petty or worthless. I think the game would play better if there were no keys and everything was unlocked so it felt like you were getting something for beating a room rather than being teased by a glowing chest you can't open. (Also, you can't walk through them. Why? Weird, clunky choice even if it doesn't matter). *** To make it worse. You can't hold more than one potion. Potions are a common rewards, so you have to constantly play a game of determining which one you might need. But theses are not obvious. The game, again, would be so much better if you could hold many potions so you didn't have to make a choice between options like "damage all enemies an unspecified amount" or "increases players damage for the current room by an unspecified amount". It's not an interesting choice even if there weren't magic numbers I didn't know behind the potions. *** Escape key stopped functioning after opening steam overlay for a while. Minor bug, not score affecting. *** About the only big mistake the game doesn't completely make it that the player can afford some early meta progression without having to beat the whole game, but these powerups are purely minor numbers and they're extremely limited. +2% attack. Woo. You don't know exactly what you get before you buy and you won't feel any different after. You have to kill bosses to get weapons, so it's not like you can get interesting meta progression. The hub area does not make finding the meta progression -ups easy. Eventually you'll figure out where to go (and where not to bother to do), but it isn't obvious. *** You can fix the little details, but you can't fix the fact that the game is about powering up a chicken you don't control. The concept is flawed, and it does what it does poorly...and it all feels like it was done poorly despite having a lot of energy put into it I feel like I could waste all day finding ways the game doesn't work, but I need to find better things to do that find another reason not to play this. *** Response to dev*** In response to the dev: "After a couple of runs you probably noticed that when you've cleared the room, there are usually paths to choose with rewards that will lean toward either of these playstyles." I say this in all seriousness: I don't know what you are talking about. There was one path I ever saw, literally and figuratively. If you think the player path is there, you aren't making it clear. Or visible. Or it comes after a place I never made it to. There was a the chicken scientist, and I never saw a non-chicken-focused upgrade, and I was running a number of times to test for this review, more than I planned. You said this to someone else and I was inspired to play more to see if it was true. I was looking. I tried to do mental gymnastics to justify it. I didn't see it. "Explosions are crazy good with clearing rooms and Acid Trail, if properly applied, is a boss melter. To make sure they aren't overpowered, they have obvious downsides, such as firendly fire." With Mary Chickens I died multiple times on chicklets while examining rooms without enemies left. I can't use the power if I die randomly. In a game with limited health, this is more than an "obvious downside". Friendly fire is a massive downside, and on a weapon I'm not in control of, or attached to something I must use all the time, it's not fun. Fun is more important than balance, especially in a roguelike. Rock Paper Scissors is balanced; it isn't fun. "scouting with the Chicken, as you noticed yourself, is a very smart strategy in certain circumstances" Scouting? Not really. I was cheesing the game. I couldn't call it scouting in any case because most (not all) enemies off-screen were often immune or invisible or in some way forced me to get close to take action. This wasn't 100% true, but without certain attacks there was no point sending chicken ahead, and it had to be against enemies who didn't move when I could find cover. What I did wasn't fun, it was a way to avoid gameplay so I could avoid dying. Out of space, will finish below.

有个非常恶性的BUG导致每次顺利的时候都因为这个BUG直接无法通关（白白浪费了很久的成长和培养），就是部分陷阱触发后，玩家贴墙受到陷阱伤害时，导致满血条瞬间清零然后玩家卡死无法移动（并没有死亡），直接卡关，只能自杀。（已经触发了三四次了，从体验角度来说极其痛苦希望赶紧修复） 游戏玩法中规中矩，但美术和概念很有趣。希望赶紧改进修复。整体还是挺不错的。

cluck-cluck-cluck An interesting roguelite with a dose of popcultural jokes. Shooting is fun and the game is quite challenging. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the success of Early Access because there hasn't been many funny and good bullet hell/roguelites since Gungeon - I hope they add more weapons and chickens! P.S. John Chick is the funniest pun game ever, prove me wrong.

Chickenauts is a chaotic roguelite twin-stick shooter developed by SneakyBox and Kautki Cave and published by Untold Tales alongside SneakyBox. The game embraces an intentionally absurd premise that immediately sets the tone for the entire experience: alien chickens have invaded a peaceful farm and kidnapped the player’s flock for bizarre extraterrestrial experiments. Determined to rescue their feathery companions, players launch a daring assault on the alien mothership, blasting through hostile environments and confronting mutated poultry creations along the way. While the story itself remains lighthearted and intentionally silly, it provides a fun framework for a gameplay loop centered on action, experimentation, and the growing power of a squad of bizarrely enhanced chickens. At its core, Chickenauts plays as a fast-paced twin-stick shooter where players navigate a series of compact combat rooms aboard an alien spaceship. Each room presents waves of enemies that must be defeated before progressing further into the ship. The gameplay feels quick and responsive, with the player constantly moving, dodging attacks, and unleashing weapons in tight, chaotic spaces. Encounters rarely last long, but the rapid succession of rooms keeps the pace brisk and engaging. Enemy types range from simple alien creatures to grotesque poultry hybrids that charge, shoot projectiles, or swarm the player in groups. The escalating difficulty ensures that players must remain alert and constantly adjust their positioning and attack strategy. One of the game’s defining mechanics revolves around rescuing chickens that join the player as combat companions. As players progress through the alien ship, they discover imprisoned birds that can be freed and recruited into the fight. These chickens are far more than simple sidekicks; each one possesses unique abilities that contribute to the player’s combat effectiveness. Some function as aggressive attackers that unleash projectiles or explosive attacks, while others provide defensive benefits or utility effects that support survival during difficult encounters. The presence of these companions transforms the game into a chaotic battlefield where the player and their squad of mutated poultry work together to overwhelm enemies. The mutation system adds an extra layer of strategic depth to the gameplay. Throughout a run, players collect upgrades that can modify and enhance the abilities of their chicken companions. These mutations can stack and combine in unusual ways, creating opportunities for powerful synergies that dramatically change how a run unfolds. A particular build might focus on offensive mutations that flood the screen with projectiles, while another might emphasize defensive bonuses that make the player more resilient against enemy attacks. Because upgrades appear randomly during each run, players are encouraged to adapt their strategies based on the options presented to them. Discovering powerful combinations of abilities becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of the game. The roguelite structure ensures that each attempt through the alien mothership feels slightly different. Rooms, enemies, and upgrades are procedurally arranged, meaning no two runs play out exactly the same. When players inevitably fall in battle, they return to the starting area with some permanent progression elements that carry over into future attempts. Resources collected during previous runs can be used to unlock new weapons, additional companions, or improvements that gradually increase the player’s chances of survival. This persistent progression provides a sense of momentum even after failure, encouraging players to continue experimenting with different builds and strategies. The visual presentation of Chickenauts embraces a colorful pixel-art style that complements its comedic tone. The environments within the alien spaceship feature glowing machinery, strange technology, and hazardous obstacles that add variety to the different rooms. Meanwhile, the chickens themselves often appear in exaggerated or mutated forms, reinforcing the absurdity of the game’s premise. Some companions resemble playful references to pop culture or classic gaming archetypes, giving them distinctive personalities that stand out during battles. The bright visual effects and energetic animations make the action easy to follow even when the screen fills with enemies and projectiles. Sound design plays an important role in maintaining the lively atmosphere of the game. The soundtrack features energetic electronic music that matches the fast pace of the gameplay, while the sound effects emphasize the chaotic nature of combat. Gunfire, explosions, alien noises, and the constant clucking of the player’s companions combine to create an amusing and slightly ridiculous soundscape. These audio cues help reinforce the humor of the experience while also providing useful feedback during intense battles. Because the game is relatively compact compared to larger roguelite titles, some players may eventually notice limitations in content variety. While the procedural system keeps runs feeling fresh, the core environments and enemy types can begin to feel familiar after extended play. However, the mutation system and wide variety of chicken companions help offset this repetition by constantly encouraging players to experiment with new combinations of abilities. The short length of individual runs also works in the game’s favor, making it easy to jump in for quick sessions without committing to lengthy playtimes. Ultimately, Chickenauts succeeds as a playful and energetic roguelite that blends chaotic twin-stick shooting with an inventive companion system built around mutated chickens. Its absurd premise, fast-paced combat, and constantly shifting upgrade combinations create a gameplay loop that is easy to enjoy in short bursts but rewarding to master over time. While the game may not reach the scale or complexity of the genre’s biggest titles, its humor, creativity, and lively presentation give it a distinctive identity. For players who enjoy roguelite shooters with quirky mechanics and a lighthearted sense of chaos, Chickenauts delivers a memorable and entertaining experience. Rating: 7/10

Chickenauts es un roguelite de acción con shooter cenital y compañeros mutantes, en el que te lanzas al interior de una enorme nave alienígena para rescatar a tu rebaño secuestrado. La propuesta mezcla combate rápido, salas aleatorias, progreso run a run y gallinas mutadas con habilidades distintas para construir partidas cortas, intensas y muy rejugables. ⭐ CHICKENAUTS | ROGUELITE DE ACCIÓN CON GALLINAS MUTANTES Y CAOS ESPACIAL DESARROLLADOR / EDITOR – SneakyBox / Untold Tales, SneakyBox LANZAMIENTO – 3 de marzo de 2026 GÉNERO – Roguelite de acción, Shooter cenital, Twin-stick shooter PLATAFORMAS – PC (Steam) 🧠 TRAMA | RESCATAR A TU REBAÑO DE UNA NAVE LLENA DE POLLOS ALIENÍGENAS La premisa de Chickenauts arranca con una invasión absurda y muy efectiva: unos alienígenas aterrizan junto a tu granja y secuestran a tus gallinas para someterlas a experimentos genéticos dentro de su nave nodriza. Lo que podría ser una simple broma de ciencia ficción se convierte en una misión de rescate a gran escala, donde entras armado hasta los dientes para recuperar a tu rebaño y devolver el golpe. A medida que avanzas por la nave, descubres que esos pollos secuestrados no solo siguen vivos, sino que se han convertido en compañeros de combate mutados, cada uno con su propia habilidad y personalidad jugable. La historia no busca escenas largas ni grandes giros dramáticos, sino que usa esa idea de “granjero cabreado contra imperio alienígena” como excusa perfecta para construir un mundo de acción arcade, humor y progresión constante. 🎨 APARTADO VISUAL | PIXEL ART 2D CON CAOS ALIENÍGENA Y LECTURA MUY CLARA El juego utiliza un pixel art 2D con vista cenital, muy colorido y pensado para que cada enemigo, proyectil y mejora se lea con claridad en medio del caos. La nave alienígena está formada por habitaciones compactas y aleatorias, con suelos metálicos, luces de laboratorio, compartimentos industriales y rincones llenos de detalles que refuerzan la idea de estar dentro de un experimento gigante y hostil. Los enemigos se distinguen bien incluso cuando la pantalla se llena de proyectiles y movimientos rápidos. Hay pollos alienígenas deformados, amenazas más pesadas y encuentros de jefe que cambian el ritmo de la partida. Las gallinas compañeros también tienen una identidad visual clara, y eso ayuda mucho a entender qué está haciendo cada una cuando la acción sube de intensidad. 🎮 JUGABILIDAD | SHOOTER CENITAL, COMPAÑEROS MUTANTES Y RUNS MUY DINÁMICAS La base jugable de Chickenauts es la de un roguelite de acción con disparo cenital, donde cada run te mete en una nave llena de habitaciones aleatorias, enemigos, recompensas y decisiones de build. Entras, limpias una sala, recoges botín, mejoras tu arsenal y sigues avanzando hacia zonas más peligrosas, siempre con la presión de mantener el ritmo y adaptarte a lo que te toque en cada partida. La gran diferencia respecto a otros roguelites del estilo está en el sistema de compañeros mutantes. Durante las runs liberas gallinas que luchan contigo, y cada una aporta una habilidad distinta. No son simples acompañantes decorativos: cambian cómo juegas, cómo te posicionas y qué mejoras te interesan. El juego gira mucho alrededor de rescatar, equipar, mutar y combinar estas compañeros para crear sinergias cada vez más fuertes. Las mutaciones acumulables son el otro gran pilar. Cada run te deja apilar mejoras aleatorias que potencian a tus gallinas y a tu capacidad ofensiva, permitiendo configuraciones exageradas y muy divertidas. A eso se suma el sistema de armas, el botín que recoges y la progresión que se mantiene entre partidas, de forma que cada derrota deja algo útil para el siguiente intento. 🔥 CARACTERÍSTICAS PRINCIPALES | QUÉ LO HACE ESPECIAL – Roguelite de acción con shooter cenital, centrado en runs rápidas, salas aleatorias y combate muy directo. – Gallinas compañeros mutantes, cada una con habilidades distintas que cambian por completo el ritmo de la partida. – Mutaciones acumulables durante cada run, pensadas para crear combinaciones exageradas y builds muy locas. – Nave alienígena gigantesca con habitaciones aleatorias, enemigos distintos y encuentros que cambian de una partida a otra. – Progresión entre runs, con desbloqueos persistentes que hacen que cada intento deje algo útil para el siguiente. 💥 DESAFÍO | DIFICULTAD, CURVA Y TIPO DE RETO Chickenauts plantea un desafío accesible al principio, pero con una curva que aprieta en cuanto empiezas a profundizar en la nave. Las primeras salas sirven para entender el movimiento, el disparo y el papel de las compañeros, pero pronto aparecen enemigos más agresivos, patrones más cargados y situaciones en las que limpiar una sala mal colocada puede costarte toda la run. La dificultad no depende solo de tener buenos reflejos, sino también de leer bien las sinergias y saber qué mutaciones o compañeros te convienen en cada momento. Elegir mal una mejora no arruina automáticamente una partida, pero sí puede dejarte sin herramientas claras para los combates más duros si no adaptas tu forma de jugar. 🎵 SONIDO | DISPAROS CLAROS, IMPACTOS POTENTES Y TONO ARCADE El sonido acompaña muy bien el ritmo del juego con efectos nítidos para disparos, impactos, habilidades y recompensas, algo esencial en una propuesta donde todo sucede deprisa y con mucha información simultánea. Cada arma tiene un peso reconocible y las activaciones de compañeros o mutaciones ayudan a sentir que la build está creciendo de verdad. alienígena a toda velocidad, y deja que la acción sea siempre el centro de la experiencia. ⏳ DURACIÓN Y REJUGABILIDAD | EARLY ACCESS CON 4 HORAS DE BASE Y MARGEN PARA LLEGAR A 8 En su estado actual de Early Access, Chickenauts ofrece alrededor de 4 horas de contenido en una primera partida centrada en avanzar, desbloquear sistemas y familiarizarte con sus mutaciones, armas y compañeros. Si decides exprimir mejor las runs, probar más combinaciones, profundizar en la progresión y repetir contenido para optimizar builds, la duración puede acercarse perfectamente a las 8 horas. 🌟 VALORACIÓN FINAL | UN ROGUELITE DE ACCIÓN MUY ÁGIL Y CON MUCHA PERSONALIDAD TRAMA | 8,5 (⭐⭐⭐⭐✩) La idea de asaltar una nave alienígena para rescatar a tu rebaño secuestrado funciona muy bien como punto de partida y le da al juego una personalidad inmediata, divertida y muy fácil de recordar. JUGABILIDAD | 9,5 (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) El combate cenital, las runs rápidas, la progresión entre partidas y, sobre todo, el sistema de compañeros mutantes y mutaciones acumulables forman un bucle de acción muy adictivo y lleno de posibilidades. GRÁFICOS | 9,0 (⭐⭐⭐⭐✩) El pixel art 2D, la claridad visual en plena batalla y el diseño de salas, enemigos y compañeros encajan perfectamente con su tono arcade y hacen que todo resulte muy legible incluso en los momentos más cargados. SONIDO | 9,0 (⭐⭐⭐⭐✩) Los efectos de disparo, impactos y habilidades, junto a una música muy bien orientada a sesiones intensas, refuerzan el ritmo frenético de cada run sin saturar. 🎯 NOTA FINAL: 9,5 (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) Chickenauts es un roguelite de acción muy bien planteado, rápido, directo y con una identidad clarísima, que convierte a un grupo de gallinas mutantes en el centro de una experiencia de disparos y progresión tremendamente rejugable. ✅ RECOMENDADO Sí, Chickenauts es un RECOMENDADO claro para quien busque un roguelite de acción con shooter cenital, runs cortas e intensas, muchísima rejugabilidad y un sistema de compañeros mutantes que hace que cada partida tenga personalidad propia. #Chickenauts #SneakyBox #UntoldTales #Roguelite #IndieGame