Total Chaos

With a patch or two, this one could be worth investigating, but for now, maybe stick to other platforms.

It’s not often we see such a thematic change between games like the move from Turbo Overkill to Total Chaos, but I think Trigger Happy Interactive has built something quite fun with this game. It might not always be consistent, but when Total Chaos hits, it hits like a sledgehammer crushing a twisted figment of our warping sanity.

Total Chaos originally began as a mod for the popular FPS Doom II, which first appeared on monitors in 2018. Seven years after its release, it has been released as a full-fledged game, offering an unmistakable experience full of fear, sweat, and, above all, blood. But this isn’t a cold-blooded horror game full of predictable jump scares and a meaningless narrative. This action-survival game embodies the best that psychological horror has to offer and makes the most of its potential. I could talk at length about its qualities. You have to play it yourself and see for yourself just how terrifying and tragic the story actually is.

Total Chaos delivers a deeply immersive atmosphere and standout psychological horror moments, but is held back by technical issues and repetitive combat. Even so, its ideas and world-building make it worthwhile for genre fans. It shines in mood, but stumbles in execution.

A sloppy port sullies what is otherwise a solid survival horror experience.

It won't revolutionize what you take for granted in a horror adventure, but Total Chaos will give you more than a few good scares and... who knows? With so much crafting, it might even awaken your inner DIY enthusiast.

Will you manage to escape before Fort Oasis consumes you?

Total Chaos will land well with the crowd who devours the single player survival aspect and want a challenging twist on the formula. It’s got bones for something great, but it lacks the execution to push it into a realm where it appeals to me or gets me to notice it. It runs well on the Switch 2, so fans who’ve been waiting to play this in handheld are finally given the opportunity. But it’s just not a fun game if you’re not already in a very accepting mindset for what the game can and can’t do, and what it needs of you.

Total Chaos is a survival horror game that shines with its old-fashioned, rust-hued atmosphere, but stumbles with repetitive maze design and a slow-burning narrative, where the biggest struggle is maintaining sanity amidst broken switches and tools.

Total Chaos is a gripping survival horror that plays like Doom but feels like the offspring of Silent Hill’s eerie landscapes and Resident Evil’s tense, confined settings. Its ability to tell most of its roughly 20-hour story mostly through gameplay alone is a rare feat, especially given its modest price tag. It’s easily one of the most unique experiences that 2025 has to offer.