Review of Breakout Beyond on PlayStation 5

Breakout Beyond, a collaboration between Choice Provisions and Atari, delivers a fresh, neon-drenched spin on a beloved arcade staple. I dived in for a closer look, and here’s what I found.

Originally introduced with a vertical layout in arcades, Breakout has been reimagined for modern times with a horizontal twist. This alteration means you’ll now be aiming to reach the end of each level by bouncing a ball, contrasting with the older objective of clearing every brick on screen without losing the ball to the bottom edge, an action that used to cost players a life.

Interestingly, Breakout Beyond was initially envisioned for the Amico console—a project now four years behind schedule. It was simply known as Breakout in those early days but has since joined Atari’s Beyond series, which breathes new life into the company’s classics. Remember Lunar Lander Beyond from last year? That game took the original Lunar Lander and added a compelling storyline. I enjoyed it on the PS5 so much that I pre-ordered a physical copy of its Deluxe Edition for the Nintendo Switch. If you’re familiar with the trailer or screenshots of Breakout Beyond, you might notice a familiar style reminiscent of BIT.TRIP Flux—this makes sense as Choice Provisions, known then as Gaijin Games, initially released it during the WiiWare era with Aksys Games as the publisher.

Breakout Beyond offers solo gameplay or a cooperative two-player mode, helping you better manage the quick-paced action. It features dynamic audio and visual effects that adapt according to your combos, rewarding high performance. Across 72 levels, your goal is to break through each stage while gathering combos and enhancing your score. Destroying blocks can also unleash special effects. Think of bonuses like shields to prevent your ball from exiting the play area, explosive blasts to clear multiple blocks, laser cannons to pave your way to the exit, drills that tear through blocks, the always-exciting multiball to create chaos, and more.

These levels are designed to test your skills, but you’re not without assistance. You’ll have access to a focus mode that slows time at the cost of points. And if the challenge gets too tough, you can recruit a friend for the entire game in local co-op. You can also unlock an Infinite Mode to chase high scores and a nostalgic 1976 Mode as a nod to the original Breakout.

The game boasts a comprehensive trophy list, including a Platinum for the taking. You’ll need to tackle various challenges like unlocking special bonuses, completing levels in specific styles, achieving high scores in different modes, and more to earn that coveted Platinum.

Breakout Beyond modernizes an arcade classic with a vibrant touch. It takes the original’s vertical layout and reimagines it horizontally, giving players a fresh objective for breaking through levels without losing the ball.

You can unlock Infinite Mode as you climb the leaderboards, showing off your prowess. The 1976 Mode is also available, celebrating the original game. Priced at $14.99, Breakout Beyond is available on PlayStation 5 and also on PlayStation 4 for the same price.

Note: Review based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Atari.