When it was first announced that Christian Whitehead and the team at Evening Star would be working on something more independent following the massive success of 2017’s Sonic Mania, few outside of the studio were sure of what to expect next.
Somewhat wisely then, rather than going the ‘I can’t believe it’s not Sonic the Hedgehog’ route, the studio opted to lean into other retro influences, and create a speedy mascot game all-of-its-own [1], which, admittedly, still feels like it would be right at home on the Sega Saturn.
In Penny’s Big Breakaway, the titular Penny rolls, swings and flips her way through 11 stages [2], using her cosmic yo-yo to hold onto her combo and
momentum while avoiding gangs of penguins.
They want to apprehend her for accidentally embarrassing Emperor Eddie, and she wants to clear her name and perform at the Edditorium. It’s a relatively light but well-told story, and provides just enough context for what’s going on [3].
Big Breakaway is all about interesting platforming stages, with optional challenges and collectibles available for those that want to really put themselves to the test. Occasionally, there are also yo-yo power ups that will mix up the action even more, keeping it fresh.
Though the enemy variety is a little bit weak, it is actively engaging, satisfying, full of surprises, and fun to it’s core!
