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Penny's Big Breakaway
Released On: Feb 21, 2024
74
7.6
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 16 Critic Reviews
74
63% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
38% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 16 Critic Reviews
74
63% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
38% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Aside from a few issues, I have no complaints with Penny’s Big Breakaway. It is a joy from start to finish with its sublime gameplay, superlative soundtrack, and gorgeous visuals. Playing it on Steam Deck OLED at 90fps made me not want to bother with the other versions at all. Not only is it a great fit for portable play, but having an uncompromised version with no technical issues elevated Penny’s Big Breakaway further. I can’t wait to replay it regularly throughout the year. This is my favorite 3D platformer since Super Mario Odyssey and I hope the soundtrack gets a vinyl release in the future.
A lively platformer with inventive, albeit sometimes somewhat cumbersome game mechanics, but with plenty of challenges and lots to discover.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 47 User Ratings
7.6
72% Positive
34 Ratings
34 Ratings
15% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
13% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 47 User Ratings
7.6
72% Positive
34 Ratings
34 Ratings
15% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
13% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
Penny's Big Breakaway is a far cry from the lack of innovation that we have been seeing though out the 9th generation of gaming. The narrative have put both the gaming industry and Hollywood on blast, and the game's bold art direction and gameplay shows that many innovations that we have seen though out gaming history have been taken far too granted by game devs, the media, and even the gaming community. While the game is not perfect on it's technical aspect, Penny's accomplishments far out weighs from the negatives in every conceivable manor. The replay value is going to make players git gud as they playthough the game over and over again. While I may not be as good as the speedrunners on YouTube or Twitter (X), what I've played is easily not only the best 3D platformer, but arguably one of the greatest video games ever made. Evening Star should definitely consider Penny as their official mascot as she is right up there with Mario & Sonic as one of the most iconic video game characters in gaming history.
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PC
I know that this game has some downsides, especially in its subpar beginning stages, but the latter ones are so polished, so fun to play, and work so well with the incredible platforming skills and controls of the game, that I just must go with my heart here and give it one of the highest praises I can give a game: It's just so much fun.
Penny’s Big Breakaway proves that the art of busking is never easy, but it is always worth it. Those that can wrangle Penny and Yo-Yo’s tricks – and not get caught up in the strings – will enjoy going around the world for a high score.
It's clear there is a lot of love and passion put into it. The good, for the most part, outweighs the bad as it is quite charming and fun when you're not fighting against the wonky camera or frustrating glitches. I would recommend Penny's Big Breakaway only to fans who love the genre. If Evening Star can take what they've learned here and iron out the kinks, then I think they could make something truly spectacular.
But then, even a hazy, dreamlike story could be interpreted as a tribute. Penny's Big Breakaway is a loving tribute to a bygone era, warts and all. Its new and inventive ideas, like the acrobatic yo-yo mechanic or the penguins hot on your tail, show a level of cleverness, but it is also a sweet, earnest throwback. I'd like to see Penny return, though maybe next time, this lost-gem motif can be applied to a less restrictive era in 3D platforming.
In depicting a bold move that goes dreadfully awry, that opening cinematic proves unfortunately prescient. [Issue#396, p.114]
I like it
Not much to say.
It have funny music and its weird and funny i likd it.
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PC
Very fun game, music was probably the best part, i liked the visuals, controls could be better, and the story could use some work, but its pretty good.
Yes.
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PC
Really fun, loved the momentum.
It has nice cartoony visuals.
And while yes this isn’t to the level of polish as mania, its a good starting attempt.
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PC
I really tried to like this game, but the only thing that I felt during the gameplay is frustration and tiredness. First thing first - I don't think that this game is BAD, far from it. You can feel how many heart and feelings Christian Whitehead put in this game, especially in how this game looks. But I really think, that what puts down this game is a pace and controls. It's like this game can't decide if it's want to be fast like Sonic games or slower and more action-oriented one like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, so it stands with feet apart not being good in any of it. I would be more kind for the game if there wasn't any competition, but over the years we get many better 3D platformers, that are much more polished and concetrate on what they want to do with itself. Overall for me a quite big disappointment.
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PC
The controls on Switch felt janky snd unresponsive, which made things like using items, turning screws, and preforming action commands difficult.
You can't control the camera, which is a huge issue since it's usually either in awkward locations, or zoomed too far out. So it's hard to keep track of your character and make adjustments when needed.
There's also a few bugs like phasing through walls, and having a checkpoint spawn me in the air with no reachable ground.
Besides that, the game is fun to play if you can get behind the flaws I just mentioned, and I'm trying to ace all of story mode to get 100% completion.
TL The game is fun to play, but it's also very frustrating on my first playthrough, and it has some issues that make it hard to play on switch.
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PC
Summary Join Penny & Yo-Yo in a kinetic 3D-platformer bursting with innovative gameplay! Showcase your catalog of tricks and chain impressive combos to deliver Penny & Yo-Yo's perfect breakout performance. Penny is a street performer with big dreams; she has her own spin on what it takes to be a star! When Eddie the Emperor calls for new Palace...
Rated E
for Everyone
Platforms:
- Nintendo Switch
- PC
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X
Initial Release Date: Feb 21, 2024
Developer:
- Evening Star
Publisher: Private Division
Genres: