Penny's Big Breakaway Review - A Dream Come True 

the way your thumbnails look I always think these fictional characters tragically died

Penny's Big Breakaway is one of those games that gets better as _you_ get better at it. At first you might bumble around and levels will take like 10 minutes and you'll think it's not very fun. But then, you discover something with the moveset. Learn how to go faster. Say "Hey maybe I should replay some of those earlier levels," and then blaze through them. I think it's a mark of a truly well-designed game that, even when you can freestyle all over the levels, they're still perfectly good if you take it slow. I felt the same about Pizza Tower. Speed-based platformer fans have been FEASTING as of late.

Aww the part of the video where you mentioned recognizing viewers in the time-attack leaderboard was heartwarming ❤

I'm kind of shocked so many people here seem to dislike the art style. It's kind of a lot, sure, but I think it's pretty distinct and appealing. It's like 3D Sonic CD. I also think Penny is a lot more memorable than the consensus seems to be. Her personality comes out better in the cutscenes, admittedly.

We're eating good in the Sonic-inspired 3D games with Penny and Rascal right now

Penny's Big Breakaway is basically Sonic Generations and Sonic Adventure if the skips were intentional.

I think it flew under the radar because of the art style/visual design, especially of the main character. It just doesn't have broad appeal.

i dunno how often people bug you about pizza tower, but a lot of what you said here REALLY reminded me of it. if you haven't taken a look at pizza tower you absolutely should

I love this game, but I think a reason it didn't catch on is because of its look. It doesn't look bad IMO, some levels actually look really cool, but the art style is so close to that soulless homogenized Alegria art style that everybody hates. I can see why that would turn people off right off the bat. And I don't think the classic 90s air brush flair was enough to really mitigate the effect of the Alegria foundation they used.

On the road to True 3D Classic, baby

Unfortunately, and somewhat confusingly, I've ended up one of the people with mixed feelings towards it. And I wish I weren't because I was so looking forward to the game. I just finished 100%ing it yesterday and I was hoping I'd feel more drive to speedrun it than I do. I think the biggest issue for me is that dashing resets your momentum, but it's basically a requirement to do anything advanced with the grapple. It feels very start and stop and doesn't flow in quite the way I'd like. But I also understand that those are just my personal preferences and the game just doesn't quite align with them. I will say, the way they implemented a grapple in a 3D space is incredibly genius and a real highlight in its design. It's an amazing game and I'd recommend it to anyone that's even a mild fan of 3D platformers.

Made my leaderboard cameo 💪

This game has basically everything a sonic fan wold like, except sonic…

This game really rocks. I have been stuck on it for the last week. It just feels really good and fun to play

6 minutes in and you've basically summarized what I've been wanting out of a video game for the past year

This game is a literal dream. My favorite games are stuff like NiGHTS, Sonic and Bomb Rush where the game has a high skill ceiling and you get better and better the more you play and it has a score attack element. This game scratches that itch so well. I cannot get enough of it.

Such a shame this game is overlooked and no one is talking about it😢 I hope sonic team learn some stuff about it and make a good 3D sonic game like it.

I was looking for a review that "gets it" with proof the reviewer can play the game at a high level. This video review does just that. Thank you. I'm still struggling with the controls but I can see kernels of the game I will enjoy with some patience and discipline. This game is struggling from a bit of an identity crisis. The friendly design suggests something that is all-ages-can-pick-up-and-play (like a Kirby game). But the learning curve is more "extreme"; akin to a fighting game. Despite that, I hope Evening Star and Penny's Big Breakaway have the financial success they deserve.

the OST is really good to.

100% this game rules! I've time attacked about as well as I reasonably can for the star globes but I need to go back and time attack the regular stages at some point.

babe wake up, new pariah vid just dropped

I was never one to do time attack in the past, but watching your videos has gotten me into it. And I've been having a great time running through this game!

17:48 By the way, I'm MellowyShroom in the leaderboards, my steam account uses a different name. You've beaten many of my times already, you are actually pretty good.

I am enamoured with this game and your gameplay does nothing but make me want to play it immediately. The best part is that I know I'll probably suck for a good amount of time but the potential of what I can do transcends whatever skill issues I think I'll have because look at this gameplay. Unfortunately I currently suffer from what the kids call "chronic broke disease" but I will get this game ASAP.

This game is excellent and more people should play it

I was hoping my name would show up in the leaderboards in this video but my old times aren't good enough anymore! One criticism I would've mentioned is the time attack mode not having par times to shoot for; the only times you can match against are your own and the ones on the leaderboard. I think that would be an awesome challenge to go for. I'm hoping they do add it eventually. They did add the instant restart in a patch thankfully, which was something I really wanted.

Half way through the game and I seriously love this game. The Yo-Yo mechanics are so fun to mess around with not only to blaze through the levels but to also go to hard to reach areas like Odyssey. This game is looking to be my favorite 3D Platformer the more I play it.

How long have we’ve been talking about a game like this?! Love it dude you’re awesome

Music is absolutely fantastic, too. Dam, if Sega had given us this on a brand spanking new console, hardcore gamers would flip. Great video.

I honestly do think the character and world design is one of the reasons this game hasn't met with success, as shallow as that may seem. I've seen a few examples lately of similar games coming out that both had stellar gameplay, but one had way more success than the other because people just gelled with the design and aesthetics more.

Alright Pariah, the internet on my computer is back, so i'm planning on getting the game soon. I am really hopeful that this game is good, since i know you have very high standards, so i'm looking forward to playing the game and hopefully i like it as much as you do.

I can't believe I never even knew about this game until I saw your video. Since viewing your say on this game, I've played the demo to death and hope to buy the full game soon. The movement is incredibly satisfying. Thank you for exposing more people to this gem!

This game is fantastic, i adore almost everything about it. I honestly think this is one of the best and most fun 3D platformers ever. Seriously, this games time attack has been my free time sense launch. (The recent patch made the switch version 60 fps so I have to redo all of my times to shave milliseconds lol)

I loved the game initially but the emphasis on zip-based skips mostly killed it for me since so many levels devolve into just a small handful of skips (sometimes even ONE). It doesn't matter how technical the individual skips are because the movement itself is already so technical that frame perfect inputs are almost always rewarded albeit in the form of shaving off some ms instead of seconds. So you're replacing dozens or even hundreds of potentially frame perfect inputs (which also give you room for error) with a tiny handful of precise inputs with no room for error. Even without zips some levels are just busted, which you did go into with the water stuff. To be fair, many movement platformers are busted in a similar way but I don't get why devs like this style of design - why even make "tracks", is it just for casual play and that's it?

Despite the problems you listed (which seem more like mild annoyances than game ruining) I definitely want to play it. It's at the top of my "Sonic-Like 3d platformers" playlist. Also honestly, you don't need to pretend to have a balanced review, it's fine to just gush over a game even if some people will complain. As long as it's honest. Probably don't need me to tell you that though

Last insta buy from your recommendations was hi fi rush, thank you so much, can't wait to get this too

So weird to me how people praise the game for not being able to jump over large chunks of level... then proceed to show people skipping huge chunks of level with the exact same string of moves. I personally don't mind that XD. (Spark 3 is legit one of my fav levels) But I feel that is usually just the end point of most high speed 3D platformers since being skilled at the game means you naturally are going to find short cuts. I prefer Spark 3, but that is because while I adore Classic Sonic games, I inherently don't think a one to one translation of that gameplay to 3D is actually really that great of an idea. Penny is a fantastic game, but it's small quirks ect kind of makes me think there was a reason why Sonic Team steered away from making it one to one in the Adventure games and went its own direction.

I got the trial for Xbox Series and that was a mistake. I didn't even get past the prolouge because I REALLY had way too much fun ironing out the skill issues I had with the tricks and traversal that the 45 minutes just melted. So much fun.

So sad how under appreciated this game is

I'm a junkie for mechanically dense games from Fighting games to Skateboarding games so when I got this title I thought I would have an easier time getting into the controls. This one definitely humbled me a bit. It plays like a classic remastered...

I really love the SEGA Saturn look to this game, not in terms of actual 3D visuals like models and rendering, but definitely with the color choices, environment textures, and character design, it feels like a remake of a game that released on Saturn in like 1996 or something and it's rad as hell. Got that moody mid-90s look, not quite grunge but not quite Sonic CD, very NiGHTS-y, I dig it Game just went on sale on PlayStation a couple hours ago. Get ready to see me on the leaderboards too 😎 -in a week when I get my next paycheck.

Penny's big brakeway is basically been asking 3d Sonic to do in over decade, and more this. Game absolute joy to play. The soundtrack, the vibrant art style, and awesome movement. Everything just comes together greatly. Easily up there as one of favourite 3D platformers now.

This game is wonderful, and weirdly enough, another Sonic-like that came out did address the tutorial stuff relatively well in Spark 3. It has dedicated tutorial levels that didn't demand too much, but did expect players to learn some more advanced maneuvers, like teaching about gauging fall time

Truly Pariah's Big Breakaway from the Sonic prison.

Penny's big breakaway is like what people say SA1 feels like to play

okay, i thought it was a pretty decent game, but (jokingly) fuck you for making me feel like a chump in my play style, haha. you're playing like a GOD!

Sonic, what’s that? I think you mean “That one game” (watch Pariah’s streams to get this joke ;) ) ALSO I JUST REALIZED IM IN THE VIDEO LETS GOOOO

18:13 I haven't gotten around to time attack in Penny's Big Breakaway yet, but your videos absolutely convinced me to start checking out time attack in sonic games and I've discovered how fun it really is!

Btw first great video, but a lot of the complaints i have heard for the game is that it has a lot of bugs. I personally have needed to restart since i got stuck in objects

It's the Dynamite Headdy, Nights into Dreamland, Ristar style of game, translated into today's technology. ❤

Fucking Tee lopes knocked park with this Ost. Gotta be his best to date for me. Shootout Christian, and Sean as well they did great Job as well.

thanks, I'll check it out!

with a different color pallet i believe this game would get more attention

Penny's feels like a Sonic Robo Blast 2 mod in the best way possible

Do you think you explain what exactly about the level design this game translates from 2D Sonic games that the 3D Sonic games do not? You explained the physics-based gameplay doing that but I’d love to hear why you said that about the level design any other element that you think is translated well from classic Sonic!

If I had a nickel for everytime a Sonic dev went from the blue blur to a flying jester I'd have two nickels, which ain't much but it's weird it happened twice.

I'd love to see this game with an online race mode lol

Maybe I'm off here, but IMO this game has tons of shared DNA with A Hat in Time (a game I adore btw), and it's interesting that Pariah really loves this game but IIRC isn't a big fan of Hat

NO WAY I'M #50! WOOOOOO (tbf I had no idea you could bounce off of a static yoyo)

20:37 It's a shame Penny doesn't really have that kind of gameplay because Sonic and Sonic Adjacent games that do have that kind of gameplay (like Sonic Momentum when you're going for S/S ranks) are extremely fun to me. The joy of planning out a route that gets you enough score to hit the threshold for the score rank while also having to speed through the level in order to hit the time rank is truly exhilarating to me

Have you done a full playthrough of spark the electric jester 3? I know you included it in one of your videos but you didnt go too into detail, which was a shame cuz I felt you would really enjoy it once you knew how to go fast 😅

I would love to see an option in a time-attack oriented Platformer to toggle other players ghosts on when competing against their record...

Pariah, just you wait, in may i will get the game and beat your time attack!!!

I intended to buy this game on release but the reviews were somewhat mixed when I did research so I've held off.

This game looks pretty good

I'm only minutes in and I already want to stop the video and play this game.

BTW there's a demo now so like no excuse not to check it out

Sonic Lost World is still waiting for you

would be awesome to see this game modded with sonic characters, items and enemies

honestly the game this reminds us the most of while sonic inspired isnt even a sonic game its spark 3 everything from the gameplay to the level design to even the artstyle on some level it feels very spark three

It's funny how this game has more side quests than sonic frontiers

The game is on sale right now on the PlayStation store. Thinking about getting it

17:53 Darn, if I had gotten around to time attacking this game sooner I could have cameo'd in a Pariah695 video? Rats! You also technically have SOME camera control with the D-pad but yeah it's very minimal.

I need to know which you like more; A Hat in Time or Penny. I think AHiT is one of the best 3D platformers but I never finished it, I will at some point.

Spark 3 is pretty amazing thoughill play this and come back and tell everyone what u should get

Didn't you say in your livestream that you rebinded the yoyo to X cause you thought using the right stick felt awkward? Maybe that is why many struggle with the controls

Ive been following this game since announcement, but due to the shadowdrop i couldnt save money to buy it, i just spent all of my money on a steam deck, and i have many other games on my wishlist, so unfortunately it might be a while until i can play this :(

Peni's big break

Speedrunners delight.

A certain Freedom Planet developer has streamed this game and she enjoyed it. It was so enjoyable she streamed from beginning to end. And I thought you were not gonna be impressed by this game. I was wrong.

I think this game will be one of those games where everyone realizes its gone under the radar so then everyone will keep saying its underrated for a year

Haven't really started the video yet but as a layperson, I just feel like the game isn't very strongly themed and the protagonist doesn't really look like anything or reflect any cool ideas. Like I think she's a clown and this is a circus-y game, maybe? People feel strongly about eg. Sonic the Hedgehog because he just looks cool as fuck. I feel like Penny doesn't have that ineffable appeal factor, so even if it's a fun game, it doesn't really "give" anything that makes me want to check it out.

Glad you liked it so much but it just didn't really click with me and found it frustrating at times

Let’s fucking gooooo

I find Penny to be forgettable, the game is fun but it isn’t very memorable. It kind of blends in with other “indie 3D platformers” if you get what I mean, something like A Hat in Time or Yooka-Layle are what come to mind for me. Another series that Penny is very closely related to, would be Spark, but Spark doesn’t suffer from the same problem Penny does, it’s very memorable from its character designs (being simple but memorable, very reminiscent of Kirby) and the way it handles it’s art style, the Spark games take heavy influence from the Sonic Adventure era of games, Penny takes influence from the Classic era of games. One of those translates to 3D very well, while the other is a lot more flat in comparison. I can tell looking at the art, that while the game appears a lot more overbearing with its colors, that’s due to the perspective, where the game 2D it wouldn’t suffer that issue. It really reminds me specifically of Studiopolis Zone, that level is very memorable, it’s vibrant but the colors blend in perfectly, now if you look at some fan-games and how they interpret the sprite art into 3D, it’s overbearing and you eventually begin to tune it out. You unconsciously filter it out of your mind, because otherwise it’s too much to process at the same time as the gameplay. Penny is filled to the brim with personality and charm, but the way it was translated to 3D really leave a lot to be desired. I wonder how the game would look in 2D if the team decided to start out there instead, I mean that’s what Spark did. And the art style stayed constant throughout. So Penny would have probably only benefited from the transition, but it was never given the chance to attempt, which I can understand, but I can’t help but wonder “what if?” Speaking of Spark, Spark 3 should be coming to the Switch sometime within the next year or so, it’s been a while since the last update on that process. Also Lake Feperd is making a new F-Zero inspired game, if you’re a fan of that series I’d suggest you check it out, I believe there is a demo out right now, but I could be wrong.

This comes to show that it’s not Sonic that makes us like these momentum based platformers. It’s the game mechanics themselves. Thats why the modern Sonic stuff misses the mark. They lost sight of what made the old school Sonic games fun in the first place.

I got this day one have 25 hours played 😬 i dont even like sonic games but this is the best platformer ive ever played

I wish i could be in the leaderboard but my computer's broken and I need to buy another

Not telling you about advanced or 'hidden' mechanics is very much an arcade thing. Most arcade games had this extra layer of depth that the player was supposed to figure out themselves. Shoot em ups for example are full of tons of hidden strategy and scoring methods. Beat em ups, fighting games, action games like Ninja Gaiden etc

Maybe my gaming skills are rusty because I am working on getting my own business started and I'm busy with my 2 year old daughter, plus working with a wife who is a generation ahead of me, but dam I am not good at the game. I really need to practice the control scheme and momentum physics.

I think the thing that hurt this game the most was the release date... Right next to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Dragon's Dogma 2, it sadly didn't have much of a chance. Still, amazingly fun game

Floor is Lava: The Game, I love it. It definitely starts feeling samey after a bit, but that's basically the only criticism I have for this game outside of the thounsands of pages of EULA you have to accept before playing. And I guess I'm not a huge fan of the art style, all the levels blend together and everything looks "soft". But the gameplay really makes up for everything.

my problem with the game is the price. But in general I had fun when I got to play it.

I do agree that this game is more comparable to Mario than Sonic. It's basically Mario Odyssey's movement tech within 3D World's level design. Couple that with 2D Sonic's momentum based traversal, and you pretty much have this game's formula figured out. It certainly has a steeper learning curve than other platformers. But the levels are designed to encourage the player to get better and play/ replay stages as optimally as possible. Evening Star clearly understands what makes video games enjoyable, challenging and worth engaging. Besides a few quirks, I thought this game was excellent and actually surpassed my expectations. I still consider myself a Sonic fan, despite having the utmost contempt for the 3D games. None of them play intuitively and all of them are a mess. As you said, Sega and Sonic Team still haven't managed to translate 2D Sonic's gameplay into 3D. Meanwhile, companies Like Nintendo and Rare got right on their very first go...DECADES ago. Lost World was a decent proof of concept. More polish and refinement would arguably yield some good results. Although I haven't played Frontiers myself, it still looks like it has the same awkward movement. It only seems a little more forgiving because Sonic just has more space to move around. That doesn't necessarily solve the core problem which is the controls themselves. Indie projects like Rolling Rascal and Lightspeed Lina demonstrate exactly how Sonic should operate in a 3D space.

I think people just have this lower on their priority to play list, I just don't have a huge amount of money so I haven't gotten it YET

That's a shame about the scoring system because that could've given the game more replayability.

6:29 - 6:40 Pariah HOI4 review teaser?

My guy PLEASE play a platformer other than Mario n Sonic: nearly everything you attributed in this game to "being like Mario" is so much more clearly inspired by Kirby. The developers went on record saying they were heavily inspired by Kirby & The Forgotten Land for their level design, and it was extremely comical how you looked at the powerup that was literally just the Wheelie from Kirby Super Star, and said "hmm yes this is Rock Mario"

Now I release that Deep Rock Galactic had a simular stigma. A lot of people including me played it and for few hours and left it or didnt even opened the game. Now i cant stop playing the game. Very out of left field comment, but I felt like the public reception was pretty simular-ish... or I might be playing too much of drg.😅

you should try the Sonic fangame "Despicable Forces" on Roblox. it's Forces parody but with minions characters. just please trust me its amazing even though its based off of Forces ,has Gru in it and its a Roblox game. it improves on the gameplay, level design (it doesn't have that many multiple paths (still way more than Forces just not as much as Generations) but it makes up for it with 3d platforming ) and even the story in it makes more sense than Forces lmao. i highly recommend (if you don't believe me just watch a YT video about it)