Penny’s Big Breakaway

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 823 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Penny’s Big Breakaway Game Cover
Evening Star's first original IP offers us a charming and colorful 3D platforming experience, but does Penny's Big Breakaway have substance to match its style?
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In "Penny's Big Breakaway," players join Penny and her sentient yo-yo, Yo-Yo, in a vibrant 3D-platformer. After a cosmic string transforms Yo-Yo, Penny must clear her name and unravel the mystery of the string while outrunning the Emperor's penguin army. With easy-to-learn gameplay and challenging mechanics, players must navigate the fluorescent world of Macaroon and perform impressive yo-yo tricks to help Penny achieve her dreams.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 823 reviews
gameplay85 positive mentions
stability88 negative mentions
  • Delightful visuals and a whimsical soundtrack create a charming atmosphere.
  • The unique yo-yo mechanics offer creative mobility and satisfying gameplay.
  • The game encourages skill expression and replayability through its combo system and level design.
  • Controls can feel wonky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Numerous bugs and glitches, including clipping through walls and falling through the floor.
  • Boss fights are often lackluster and disrupt the flow of the game.
  • gameplay243 mentions

    The gameplay of "Penny's Big Breakaway" is characterized by its unique momentum-based mechanics centered around a yo-yo, offering a blend of speed and fluidity reminiscent of classic platformers like Sonic and Mario. While many players find the core mechanics engaging and rewarding once mastered, others criticize the game's inconsistent controls, frustrating level design, and occasional glitches that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the vibrant visuals and whimsical soundtrack enhance the gameplay, making it a charming yet challenging platformer for fans of the genre.

    • “Penny's big breakaway is a love letter to retro 3D platformers, combining the charm of nostalgia with a modern twist in a vibrant world where classic elements intertwine with innovative gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly rewarding the longer you play it.”
    • “The movement mechanics are absolutely fantastic and the level design is too, but basic platforming feels insanely stiff and cumbersome given Penny controls like a tank on foot.”
    • “Gameplay though... the controls and feel of this game take a while to get used to.”
    • “The guard rails issue is also one of many examples of inconsistencies in the game's mechanics, where something works a particular way 90% of the time, but in special cases it behaves a different way.”
    • “The gameplay leaves a lot to desire.”
  • music240 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its whimsical and energetic soundtrack, primarily composed by Tee Lopes and Sean Bialo. While the soundtrack is described as catchy and fitting for the game's vibrant visuals, some players noted that it can become repetitive due to limited variation across levels. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience and contributing significantly to the game's charm.

    • “The soundtrack by a selection of contemporary composers never gets old; it takes strong inspiration from a bygone time. I guarantee it's a joy to the ears while complementing the whimsical sound effects during gameplay.”
    • “The music is flawless and is really the only perfect part of the game. Bless you, Tee Lopes.”
    • “The soundtrack is full of catchy and upbeat tracks that complement the quirky and colorful qualities of the journey you go on, successfully fostering a lively and energetic atmosphere.”
    • “The plot isn't bad but it doesn't really add anything to the game which can unfortunately be said about the music as well; nothing from the soundtrack really stands out and a lot of the songs blend together.”
    • “The music, while decent, is also kind of a massive letdown compared to Mania; there really aren't any 'holy **** this sounds amazing' tracks like Mania had.”
    • “Only real complaint I can think of right now is that the music is way too short and repeats too often for how long the stages are.”
  • graphics147 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant and charming art style, which combines a nostalgic feel reminiscent of 90s platformers with modern polish. Players appreciate the colorful aesthetics and unique character designs, although some note minor issues with depth perception and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the visuals, complemented by an engaging soundtrack, significantly enhance the game's appeal and contribute to its enjoyable experience.

    • “The visuals are simply stunning, capturing the essence of the heyday of 90s 3D platformers and brimming with nostalgia-inducing colors and charm.”
    • “The art style is unique and amazing.”
    • “The visuals and sound design are also excellent, even putting some AAA platformers to shame.”
    • “While the game looks highly polished, it is pretty clear that the vast majority of that polish is just the artwork.”
    • “The art style is borderline bland and using Tumblr-esque illustrations doesn't help it at all.”
    • “The art style, while an absolute delight, significantly hurts depth perception.”
  • story129 mentions

    The story of "Penny's Big Breakaway" is generally viewed as simplistic and lacking depth, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate the charming character designs and whimsical cutscenes, many criticize the narrative for being disjointed, slow-paced, and filled with forgettable characters. Overall, the story is seen as a light and cute diversion that doesn't significantly enhance the gaming experience, with most players preferring to focus on the platforming mechanics and level design.

    • “The undeniable charm of the story shines through in its adorable, animatic cutscenes and witty dialogue.”
    • “The story is simple, but it has some holes and parts that could be explained further.”
    • “While the story does feel a little slight by the end, I really enjoyed the characters and the cadence of the story.”
    • “Most boss fights are baked into this game's story, which takes up way too much of the run time. The story isn't entertaining, and the characters aren't memorable or likable, but the game loves making you listen to them even though they speak so incredibly slowly.”
    • “The story in general is a mess that is so shallow and kind of just there that it ends up being kind of frustrating how poor it is at times.”
    • “The story may as well not be there; the game hints at some kind of line of story, but it's just not really there.”
  • stability89 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly impact the overall experience, including issues like clipping through walls and inconsistent controls. While some players find the core gameplay enjoyable enough to overlook these problems, many agree that the game feels unfinished and requires further polishing. Overall, the stability of the game is a major concern, with many reviewers expressing hope for future patches to address these issues.

    • “Runs great as well, full 165 fps with no drops.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, ensuring a smooth experience.”
    • “I've experienced zero crashes or bugs during my playtime.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game, but it's unplayably buggy.”
    • “The game suffers from a severe lack of polish with constant visual glitches and clunky, stubborn controls that make it infuriating, especially with the lack of checkpoints in some areas filled with instant kills like pools of lava.”
    • “Unfortunately, my experience was hindered by questionable controls and game-breaking glitches that caused me to lose the faith I had.”
  • optimization31 mentions

    Overall, "Penny's Big Breakaway" demonstrates a mixed bag in terms of optimization. While many players report smooth performance on various setups, including high-end PCs and the Steam Deck, there are notable issues such as stuttering, broken physics, and collision detection problems that can detract from the experience. Adjusting settings may improve performance, but some users recommend waiting for patches to address the existing bugs and glitches.

    • “It has great art direction and runs smoothly, even on a potato.”
    • “And I appreciate that they made their own engine for this game that only does what the game needs it to, does it very well, and is well optimized to the point I easily maintain 144fps at all times.”
    • “Similarly on my OLED deck, it ran locked at 90fps at max settings, so it seems like this game is very well polished on an optimization level!”
    • “Just understand it may have some frustrating performance issues.”
    • “The physics is broken, the collision detection is broken, the game is poorly optimized and controls are clunky and poorly calibrated.”
    • “If you go by basic pre-built settings the game runs slowly and you have to adjust to get it to run at the speed it's supposed to.”
  • character development21 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by charming and unique character designs that resonate with vibrant visuals and a whimsical art style. While some players appreciate the well-paced development and distinct personalities of characters, others find the overall character design to be inconsistent, with mixed opinions on the main character. The game's aesthetic, reminiscent of classic titles, adds to its appeal, though some critiques point to a lack of polish in execution.

    • “Character development is well-paced, with each character having their own chapter to show their personalities and motivations.”
    • “The settings were lively, the platforming challenges were creative, and every character design was unique and colorful.”
    • “Character animations are fun and lively, and the character designs themselves are very charming.”
    • “The character designs were mostly mediocre, except for Penny, who is adorable.”
    • “I really want to like it; I love the art and music and character design, but it feels unpolished and undercooked.”
    • “The character design is awful, especially the main character.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, the game offers significant replayability through its numerous levels, time attack modes, and collectible challenges, encouraging players to refine their skills and improve their times. While many reviews highlight the enjoyable mechanics and variety that enhance replay value, some note a lack of additional unlockable content that could further enrich the experience. Despite this, the core gameplay remains engaging enough to motivate repeated playthroughs.

    • “Plus the giant coin tokens that unlock extra 'star globe' levels, again emphasizing replayability and mastering of the game's moveset.”
    • “Excellently executed concept that stands on its own and is insanely replayable.”
    • “The game is good, the game is fun, for 30 bucks you get the right amount of content and extras and it's very replayable, especially in the speedrun side of things.”
    • “The only letdown is really a lack of replayability content and unlockables; the scoring/combo system is also badly designed and can drag the game down if you try to unlock the scrapbook, so there's not much to do aside from beating your own times after completion.”
    • “It's also replayable because lowering the time and getting all the collectibles takes a few attempts.”
    • “The replay value is going to make players 'git gud' as they play through the game over and over again.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    Players express mixed emotions regarding the game's mechanics, particularly the frustration of losing combos by touching the ground, which detracts from the sense of freedom and speed. While some appreciate the challenge and the satisfaction of mastering level design through creative gameplay, others feel that the mechanics hinder enjoyment and lead to a sense of drag rather than exhilaration. Overall, the emotional experience is characterized by a blend of frustration and occasional satisfaction, with a desire for improvements to enhance gameplay.

    • “I liked that level breaking and experimentation in this game made me feel smart and had me interact with the level design.”
    • “You can combo your way through an entire level without touching the ground if you're skilled at this game.”
    • “The timer and combo counter made me feel like speed was the only option, which detracted from the experience a bit.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized as clever and enjoyable, with simple one-liners from NPCs and amusing interactions that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the lightheartedness of the dialogue, the funny physics mechanics, and the colorful, quirky level designs, which contribute to a family-friendly atmosphere. While some technical issues, like collision detection glitches, can lead to humorous moments, the overall comedic elements are well-received and add to the game's charm.

    • “The humor is nice and clever.”
    • “What it does have is serviceable, and I appreciate the humor, especially with the robot NPCs all around the world who you can stop doing your crazy platforming to see what they have to say.”
    • “Dialogue amongst characters, both main and side, adds light family-friendly humor.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating, as it often interrupts the flow of gameplay with tedious backtracking and long checkpoints. While the yo-yo tricks are easy to learn, the repetitive nature of certain challenges and quick-time events can lead to a sense of monotony, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Many feel that the game demands too much time for experimentation with its repetitive mechanics, making it less accessible for casual players.

    • “It's a speedster game that is slow and constantly grinding to a halt.”
    • “These sections can feel downright dull and incredibly tedious to slog through.”
    • “It feels like you are having lots of fun and are in a flow state one minute and then it is back to being tedious and frustrating again.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its vibrant colors and lively characters, enhanced by a catchy and upbeat soundtrack that creates an energetic experience reminiscent of classic PlayStation, Sega, and Dreamcast titles. Players particularly appreciate the cheerful ambiance, especially in specific levels like the water stage, which contributes to the overall charm and artistic direction of the game.

    • “I especially love the water level's atmosphere and soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack is full of catchy and upbeat tracks that complement the quirky and colorful qualities of the journey you go on, successfully fostering a lively and energetic atmosphere.”
    • “And that kind of colorful and cheerful atmosphere you would normally only find in classic PlayStation, Sega, or Dreamcast games.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for its lack of effective advertising and the presence of lengthy end-user license agreements (EULAs) upon launch, which detracts from the overall experience. Some users feel that the promotional materials are misleading, raising concerns about potential deceptive advertising practices. Overall, the game's monetization strategy appears to be poorly executed, leaving players questioning the publisher's commitment to promoting the title.

    • “Whether or not you like it is subjective, but it cannot be toggled, and the promo screenshots of the game do not include it, leading one to question if it's an intended effect at all, or if maybe some lightly deceptive advertising is at play.”
    • “The publisher should be dropped for getting them to release with 0 advertising, and having the first thing you see upon launching the game be 3 very long EULAs.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
4-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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