A common point of feedback in the closed beta and early gameplay footage was that the chainsword felt like a metal club. Fatshark made positive changes to the chainsword’s effects and now it feels more like a chainsaw.
But even with those changes, having used both, the chainaxe feels so much better. The cleave attacks sticking in enemies and ripping through them one at a time is such a satisfying effect. The chainsword still feels like too much sword, not enough chain. I would really like to use the eviscerator chainsword, but I hope there is room to adjust chainsword animations to have more of the satisfying feel that the chainaxe succeeds in accomplishing.
Obviously making the chainsword animation slower makes it worse, but I feel by increasing cleave in exchange, it can remain equally powerful in its niche as a hoard-clearer, while feeling more visceral.