Penny’s Big Breakaway

Genre: 3D Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Penny’s Big Breakaway, released in 2024 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, is a 3D Platformer created by the developers who made Sonic Mania, widely regarded as one of the best if not the best Sonic game. This feels important to mention here, because throughout Penny’s Big Breakaway, this game frequently feels like something that wants to be a Sonic game but decidedly isn’t.

A part of it is the presentation, which is striking in its use of colors yet fairly simply in its geometry, with a look that seems like it’s a 3D take on the first Sonic game’s Spring Yard Zone, complete with half-pipes and spring platforms. This is backed by a peppy synthesized soundtrack that isn’t especially memorable, but works well enough for the lighthearted tone of this game.

Penny, this game’s star, has a move set built around her magical yo-yo. She can use it like a grappling hook in mid-air, acting a bit like a double-jump. She can ride it for short distances or down slopes like a wheeled sled, she can propel it forward to use as a dash, swing it at enemies or use it to hit switches, and other uses.

While this is all functional, none of it feels particularly satisfying. There’s not really a good flow between moves, despite that the game uses a Tony Hawk-style combo meter. The game overall feels sluggish, despite a Sonic-style level timer and obstacle course-style level design that seems meant for a speed run. Each level is filled with characters who try to talk with you and even ask you to do little mini-quests for them, which seems to run directly counter to the way the levels seem designed to push you to speed through them. And attacking enemies feels unsatisfying because they cling to you and don’t get permanently defeated when you bop them with your yo-yo.

Even the control layout is a bit awkward – that “grappling hook” double-jump I mentioned isn’t activated by double-tapping the jump button, as in most games, but by tapping the jump button and then the attack button. Double-tapping the jump button performs a mid-air attack.

None of this makes Penny’s Big Breakaway bad, but it definitely feels like people who were in charge of different elements of the game’s design weren’t properly communicating with each other. And the result is a 3D Platformer that seems to be in a state of identity crisis. Does this want to be speedy and fluid like Sonic? Does it want to be something trick and combo-based like Tony Hawk? Does it want to have little mini-quests throughout the level like this is a more exploration-based game, even though the levels are clearly meant to be sped through in a linear fashion? I just don’t get it.

In the end, I still think some people will enjoy Penny’s Big Breakaway, but it’s hardly the massive success Sonic Mania was. There’s just too many conflicting game design choices made here, as well as some questionable control choices. If you’re a fan of the genre you may still want to give it a look, but keep your expectations in check.

tl;dr – Penny’s Big Breakaway is a 3D Platformer about the titular yo-yo wielding protagonist running through mostly-linear levels. Unfortunately, this game has numerous conflicting design decisions that do not work well together, resulting in a game that, while not bad, is kinda’ a mess. If you’re a fan of the genre, it may still be worth a try, but just be aware that it definitely has issues.

Grade: C+

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