I haven't finished Sonic Mania, but I played enough to know that whatever the incredibly talented team that made that did next was something that was going to be worth playing, and Penny's Big Breakaway is exactly that. From the moment this game was revealed in a Nintendo Direct last year, to when it was shadow dropped in a Partner Showcase this year I knew it was something I wanted to play, and now having done so I'm happy to say that it delivers on most fronts.

To start off with the world of this game is so vibrant with colors and a visually appealing artstyle that makes each level a joy to traverse. The level design here is great as well, world themes that would feel basic in other 3D platformers are done with an interesting twist here and it's absolutely refreshing. The main draw to the gameplay though is of course Penny and her expansive moveset, and while I for sure had fun with this aspect it didn't feel like it was made for me. Penny's moveset is off the walls, the number of tricks you can do with your yoyo to complete levels fast and in style is wild and while I would like to say I found this as intuitive and fun as other did, but personally I just never quite got the hang of this and felt like I was doing it wrong throughout the entire game. The only part of the gameplay that I think just didn't add up were the boss battles, they weren't particularly long or difficult, especially not the final boss which kinda just ended things on an anticlimactic note.

In terms of story the game is charming enough but I'd be lying if I said I was fully engaged with it. I liked the little penguin guys and some of the character designs, and the love story between Emperor Eddie and Taboo was cute I guess, but that's about all I remember lol.

Overall, Penny's Big Breakaway is a really fun and imaginative game from Evening Star and I still can't wait to see what they do next.