Breathedge Reviews
Breathedge is a game at odds with itself. It tries to tell a compelling story, but the core narrator drones wearisome and unfunny dialogue; the world is beautiful and begging to be explored, but only ever an inch at a time; environments are curated with dark humour, but the gameplay loop doesn't allow time to take it in; and, worst of all, it undercuts players that commit hours to these systems by replacing them with a grim excuse for a walking simulator. For a title set in the vast expanse of space where anything is possible, it just isn't worth the time.
The survival elements of Breathedge are pretty standard fare for the genre, but its hard to enjoy the experience due to dated humor and its insistence on abandoning its best elements halfway through.
Ultimately, it's a game full of great ideas and some addictive gameplay mechanics, but clashes with some poor pacing and a complete shift-up in the second half that loses all the charm. For an Xbox Game Pass title, there's undoubtedly some fun to be had in the survival space sim if you can look past its flaws. Just don't go in expecting the Lost in Space experience the game tries to sell.
Breathedge takes an interesting premise and shoves it out the airlock with an overreliance on tired jokes and half-baked survival sim mechanics. An admirable attempt to move the genre forward collapses under the weight of too much self-awareness and not enough polish.
Try not to suffocate… or die of boredom. Breathedge's concept of survival crafting in space may be good, but it just isn't fun.
If you're addicted to survival games like myself, this may be something you'll want to play to try out yourself. But if you're wanting to enter the genre, this isn't your entry point. There's plenty of better options out there, and Breathedge simply ends up existing when it could have been shining.
An explosion rocks your cabin, and all of a sudden you’re alone in the vastness of space. Well, apart from a mystifyingly immortal chicken and a helpful if patronising AI. Can you survive for long enough to unravel a conspiracy of galactic proportions? And do you even want to?
Unfortunately the gameplay itself suffers from a few serious pacing and mechanical issues, but the story may be funny enough to push you through. Ultimately Breathedge is, at best, a mediocre survival game with a pretty good story. While I wouldn't suggest this as your first survival game, if you're a fan of the genre, specifically Subnautica, you'll likely find some things to enjoy here.
Breathedge offers some decent exploration and survival gameplay, tucked among very slow trips to gather materials that sometimes feel like they are wasting the player's time. A hit-and-miss sense of humor can sometimes amuse, while other times causing something close to fury. A mid-game pivot seems to drive the game off track-changing the mechanics in a way that feels jarring. Enjoyable for stretches, Breathedge can't help but shoot itself in the foot occasionally, in ways that are more frustrating than fun.
Breathedge is one of those titles where I'm not quite sure how to feel about it...
Breathedge is one of those games that does its best to honour past games of the genre whilst also blazing its own path. The ride through space sure is a fun one, though ultimately your mileage through the vacuum of space may vary. You are “Man”, the last known survivor of a galactic wreck. You are tasked with taking your grandfather’s ashes to his out-of-this-world funeral. Once your spaceship crashes you must begin to find supplies to survive and scour space to find a way back home.
Breathedge is a bit difficult for newcomers to this genre. However, if you give the game enough time and increase your endurance a little, you will enjoy it.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Breathedge has a lot going for it in its well-loved Early Access sandbox portion. But when it becomes more of a walking simulator, things take a turn. Regardless, it's a funny game that's still worth playing for anyone who enjoys the concept and the humor. But I can't help but think that many will be disappointed by the later parts of the game.
With a strong commitment to humor and irony mixed with very good elements of exploration, Breathedge manages to dispel certain tedious moments that the gaming experience can bring with it a product of constant repetition in the coming and going from the beginning because of oxygen and the abrupt and inexplicable change of style at a certain point in history.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Breathedge brings an interesting combination of story-driven adventure and space survival in the style of Subnautica. Add to that a great crazy story and funny moments, and you're really in for a great time. However, the experience is a bit spoiled by the game's fluctuating difficulty and balance, along with the rather repetitive gameplay and some scripted quests.
Review in Czech | Read full review
While not perfect, Breathedge is a fun spin on the survival formula with engaging gameplay and fantastic visuals that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Breathedge isn't a perfect space survival game and is sometimes aggravating, but there's plenty to enjoy, and few recent games can be so relaxing.
If you want to find yourself chuckling at one absurd look at the future of space flight, and can handle yourself in survival games, then by all means check out Breathedge. Its humor may not appeal to everyone, but beyond that the beautiful views of space wreckage mixed with a decent challenge of avoiding death provide for an entertaining couple dozen hours of playtime. Building out a space station is its own reward, as are the in-game rewards. Enjoy yourself out there in the vast nothingness with your immortal chicken, wits, and maybe a wrench or two.
Space survival with immortal chicken and low reserves of oxygen offers great gameplay in gravitationless state.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
It’s not very helpful at the start, and at times the comedy falls flat. But stick with Breathedge and there’s a surprisingly deep mechanic entwined with a Schafer-esque story adventure.