Breakneck achieves a look and feel that many action games fail at – making this sort of aesthetic and tone work on handheld. There’s no awkwardly written dialogue or pho-realistic graphics of cringe-worthy angry soldiers while your battery life drains away.
Breakneck understands that if you want to do gritty right and make it look good on mobile, you emphasize the gameplay, and flourish with an array of colors and movement to show that this dirt-smeared world is still alive. You charge through a chaotic desert world with collapsing factories at hurtling speeds, evading your the pursuit of laser guided satellites ready to blast you into photons.[sc name=”quote” text=”Breakneck achieves a look and feel that many action games fail at – making this sort of aesthetic and tone work on handheld.”]
Each zone has unique hazards to navigate, and to the best of my understanding, they’re not actually auto-generated. As a result, there’s incentive to try different routes that you spot during runs to find the optimal speedway to success. Some have collapsing structures or high jumps that need to be approached with a speed boost. You’ll see everything from twisting narrow canyons to giant industrial areas.
Ensuring the player lives up to Breakneck‘s namesake, the laser targeting array that constantly hunts you can only be evaded by boosting. You earn boost charges by riding up close to walls, and there also boost pads on the ground, as well as a set of power-ups you unlock with coins strewn across levels – starting with a coin magnet but later expanding to include a variety of tools, including a jammer to buy you time to outrun the satellites.
There is one major downside to Breakneck though, and that is its performance issues. My tablet has run virtually every game I’ve reviewed for Appolicious without issue – including far more graphically intensive titles. None of them have had as much obvious lag and stuttering during loading and transitions than Breakneck. I looked the game up online and others have encountered these hang-ups on certain iOS and Android, so clearly it’s something that needs addressed. It’s not unplayable, by any means, but lag spikes can lead to untimely deaths you could have avoided.[sc name=”quote” text=”That said, all-in-all, Breakneck is never settles for average, and its ambitions make good.”]
That said, all-in-all, Breakneck is never settles for average, and its ambitions make good. The performance issues under the hood need addressed, but it’s one of the most promising titles for those looking for the best from their mobile devices. A solid option, though we hope developer PikPok gives it a little TLC soon. This is a game built to shine, so it’ll be worth the polish.
[review pros=”A post-apocalyptic thrill ride with depth and a wealth of content.” cons=”Performance issues hamper the fun. Best played on a top of the line tablet or phone.” score=8]
[appbox appstore id973784199]
[appbox googleplay id=com.pikpok.fr.play]
