One of the most unique (and violent) action games I have ever come across, Hateful Chris: Never Say Buy is an excellent counterculture platformer with plenty of disgusting and amoral elements, gratuitous violence, and bathroom humor. In other words, all the stuff that's controversial... and makes films like Pulp Fiction a classic. As Jon McCarron of TUCOWS said in his review:

"Hateful Chris is a 2D side-scrolling adventure starring Chris, a skull-faced boy who hates consumerism and the mainstream culture. With an arsenal ranging from sticks to nuke launchers and everything in between (including a gerbil cannon), Chris goes on a reckless, Postal-style violent killing spree that makes the game absolutely unsuitable for young children, no matter what the colorful cartoony graphics may lead you to believe. There are over 30 weapons in the game to find, buy, and steal, each with its own properties and effects. There are also a lot of cool mini-games that provide a nice change from the game's pace, as well as mark the completion of sub-quests along the way. There are many secrets, hidden zones, and even branching paths to guarantee that you will want to play the game more than once to find what you have missed the first time around.

What makes Hateful Chris a great game is not the premise - it's the excellent sense of humor with which it pokes fun relentlessly at American consumerism. As with all good satires, the humor in the game is both clever and subtle - it is evident not only in the excellent intro and cut-scenes, but also in the details backgrounds and various enemies Chris will come across. The designer takes potshots at almost everything you can imagine - from retail stores to kids who spend their lives playing video games. In other words, the game makes fun of ME as a gamer - and I love every minute of it ;)

In summary, Hateful Chris is an excellent indie action fest that is destined to be a cult classic. The first version of the game, first released in 2000, was already a cult classic, and this commercial release is ten times more fun. It is perhaps a little ironic that we have to pay $10 for a full version of a game that stars a boy who hates consumerism - but hey, the game IS well worth the money, and I for one am eagerly awaiting future releases from the design team." Two thumbs up, way up!