The Next Penelope

Get ready for an intergalactic journey with plenty of hurdles and bumps.

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The Next Penelope is a fast-paced action racing game set in a vibrant, futuristic universe. As Penelope, players search for Ulysses across galaxies, with each planet offering unique races, challenges, and bosses. Utilize weapons and abilities to gain an edge, but beware, as they consume energy and bring you closer to death. The game now includes local multiplayer, additional solo content, and new language options.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 90 reviews

story7 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a fitting soundtrack, creating an engaging atmosphere.
The gameplay is fast-paced and offers a unique blend of racing and action mechanics, reminiscent of classic titles like F-Zero and Micro Machines.
Despite its short length, the game provides a variety of challenges and gameplay styles, keeping the experience fresh and exciting.

The controls can be frustratingly loose and take time to get used to, leading to a steep learning curve.
The difficulty spikes are often artificial, with AI opponents exhibiting erratic behavior that can feel unfair.
The camera is too close to the action, making it difficult to navigate tracks and react to obstacles in time.

story
41 mentions
17 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its creative take on a futuristic version of Homer's "Odyssey," while others find it disjointed and lacking engagement. The main story mode is relatively short, averaging around two hours, and players express a desire for bonus missions to be accessible from the start to enhance gameplay flexibility. Overall, while the art style and setting are praised, the narrative coherence and depth leave much to be desired.
- “The character artwork, dialogue, and general story setting (as an almost side view of the Odyssey) are fantastic and make me want to see it to the end.”
- “The storyline is creative, where it is a futuristic version of Homer's 'Odyssey', but this time... the lady is in charge.”
- “Pure awesome and the art style is really nice too, and even the story and setting is really unique for a racer.”
- “As for the bad points, I honestly couldn't get into the story.”
- “I tried to read the story but kept falling asleep.”
- “It jumps around a little without connecting plot points; I keep feeling like I missed something.”
gameplay
33 mentions
27 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fun and fast-paced racing mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like F-Zero, while others criticize its clunky controls, lack of depth, and frustrating mechanics that can lead to repeated failures. Players appreciate the local multiplayer mode and unique features, but many feel the game is too short and underdeveloped, lacking the complexity and replayability needed for a more engaging experience. Overall, while the visuals and some mechanics are well-received, the gameplay often feels unbalanced and overly simplistic.
- “Tough to handle, but great snappy racing gameplay overall.”
- “Gives that feeling of a Wipeout game on a 2D plane and it excels in its truth to speed and fun as heck gameplay; local multiplayer isn't half bad either.”
- “The gameplay, visuals, and soundtrack are all top-notch, and the fact that they were all created by one man is just the icing on the cake.”
- “But extremely short and feels very underdeveloped mechanically with zero replayability.”
- “Unfortunately those concepts fail to gel together with the core gameplay, resulting in a game that feels exceedingly clunky to play.”
- “Almost no gameplay to be found here.”
music
16 mentions
69 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as fitting and engaging, enhancing the overall experience without being overly memorable. While some tracks are praised as "great," others are considered merely "meh," but the electronic soundtrack is noted for its good presentation and smooth integration with gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some minor criticisms regarding its repetitiveness and the inability to turn it off.
- “The electronic soundtrack is a very nice fit for the game and the controls feel smooth.”
- “The gameplay, visuals, and soundtrack are all top-notch, and the fact that they were all created by one man is just the icing on the cake.”
- “The music fits perfectly and makes you really engaged in the race.”
- “And the music?”
- “You can't turn off the music, and if you're in the middle of a world and you leave, you have to start the entire world all over.”
- “I will recommend you this game, but keep in mind it's 2.80 euros included with soundtracks on sale.”
graphics
16 mentions
69 % positive mentions
19 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant and unique art style, blending neon 3D elements reminiscent of Tron with pixelated designs that evoke retro arcade aesthetics. Players appreciate the high-quality visuals, smooth animations, and fitting soundtracks, which enhance the overall gaming experience. Despite some critiques regarding controls and physics, the graphics are consistently described as lovely and engaging, making the game visually appealing even on lower-end systems.
- “The graphics were rather nice - a sort of neon 3D blend, almost something out of Tron.”
- “Great game, graphics are lovely, animation is perfect, very addictive and arcade.”
- “The gameplay, visuals and soundtrack are all top-notch, and the fact that they were all created by one man is just the icing on the cake.”
- “The visuals are just right.”
- “The gameplay, visuals, and soundtrack are all top-notch, and the fact that they were all created by one man is just the icing on the cake.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be a mixed experience; while some players find it tedious and frustrating, others see it as a necessary challenge for leveling up. Overall, the grinding aspect is not overly burdensome, but it can detract from the enjoyment for those who prefer a more streamlined experience.
- “There is no winning through this method, and it makes races an incredibly tedious, almost Sisyphean repeating of trial and error, praying you skip something or get lucky enough to pass the finish line first.”
- “Two factors that did negatively affect my experience were the grinding and the narrow field of view.”
- “So yes, get this game if you like a challenge or don't mind grinding to level up your car and love a nice-looking game.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant performance issues, particularly on recent hardware, leading to a subpar optimization experience.
- “The game is very short and has huge performance issues on recent hardware.”
- “Optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “Despite the potential, the game struggles to run smoothly even on high-end systems.”