Breakout Beyond review

Despite turning half a century old next year, Breakout resists retirement. Following Adam Nickerson’s respectable 2022 reimagining of the property, Choice Provisions’ figuratively (and literally) puts their own spin on the brick-breaking property. Breakout Beyond’s campaign tasks players with punching through 72 novelty-filled stages before unlocking an endless mode and an accompanying leaderboard.

Beyond’s most prominent decision is to rotate the playfield, effectively narrowing the zone where a ball can soar past your paddle and become lost. But soon, you’ll distinguish other quirks, like being able to put some spin on the sphere by moving your paddle when contact is made. But unlike Shatter, I never quite felt like I could truly influence the trajectory of the ball.

But that’s forgivable, since Breakout Beyond does give you the ability to slow time with a button press – if you’re willing to sacrifice your scoring combo. Optionally, you can speed up the ball. But given the game’s overall speed and a three-life limit, it’s probably not worth the risk. Interestingly, the game’s visuals change as your attempt to pierce an opening on the other side of the screen. After just a few volleys, Beyond’s ball begins emitting electric arcs, like an agitated Pikachu.

As you work through the succession of levels that reference things like prominent Atari designers and codenames for hardware, Beyond brandishes several different power-ups. There are perks like multi-ball, Arkanoid-like lasers, explosive bricks, to a forcefield that can stop your sphere from escaping. Remarkably, stages start combining these assistances, turning levels into kinetic showcases of light and sound. Expect things to converge on the chaotic if you opt for the game’s co-op mode.

Despite the various inclusions, Choice Provisions’ ultimately kept Breakout Beyond faithful to the source material. For players accustomed to pulpy storytelling or modern intricacy, the title’s allure might be perplexing. But for those who relish the simplicity of retro gaming, especially when it returns with a visual upgrade, Beyond is almost everything a Breakout fan could hope for.

Breakout Beyond was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.