Penarium Reviews
A fiendishly difficult 2d arcade-style platformer that will have you simultaneously shouting at the telly with rage and delight.
The game is difficult, but I haven't found myself so lovingly furious with a game since Spelunky. It works well within the scope of its own mechanics to create a game that stays consistently challenging, without ever feeling truly impossible.
Visiting the sadistic circus is definitely not what it seems. You will find yourself enjoying the majority of your time at Penarium. The graphics and controls draw you in and make it easy to play. The charm and difficulty is what makes you stay.
Penarium is a great title that channels that addictive nature of "just one more" in its game play. It is just challenging enough to keep me coming back, and forgiving enough to annoy me at times.
[I]t's disappointing that Penarium feels so fatigued and repetitious by the third and final act, especially since it's scarcely even a two-hour game.
Penarium has the potential of being one of those games that you can get addicted to, but where it excels most is also its downfall. The rewards that you achieve is minuscule compared to all the deaths that you have to endure.
If you have a heart condition or easily have bouts of rage, then you might want to get your gaming enjoyment elsewhere because Penarium can be very tough. Even so, Penarium is a very well designed game that successfully ticks all the right boxes for an enjoyable arcade experience with lots of twists and turns for the player to successfully immerse you into this crazy psycho circus.
A trip to the psycho circus is far more enjoyable than it might first appear. Penarium is an excellent game that delivers quality fun with or without friends. The graphics and story are a perfect platform to deliver this unique platformer to the masses. The pacing works well to move players through the game's grinding levels to the beat of a perfect soundtrack. Players who enjoy this type of game will find gold here, and players even remotely interested should dive in without fear.
It's simple and repetitive, sure, but it's also hugely enjoyable and grossly addictive
The gameplay is wonderful, the music is whimsical, and the story (so far) is very entertaining. If you're looking for a great challenge presented in a unique way, then run off and join the Penarium circus.
Penarium benefits from good level design and simple mechanics that are the definition of 'easy to learn but difficult to master.' The setting for the game is a devilishly entertaining one, and Penarium is challenging without feeling cheap, which makes it a great deal easier to be forgiving of the game's difficulty curve.
Penarium is one of the best arcade-style games we've played this console generation. The campaign doesn't last all that long, and more multiplayer options would've been appreciated, but all in all, there's a healthy amount of content for the price. If fast-paced gameplay and high-score chasing are your thing, we suggest planning a trip to this sadistic carnival. Just don't be surprised if you end up imprisoned, losing hours upon hours of your life to the addictive chaos.
Overall the game is comfortable to play, enjoyable, and it's easy to pick up but hard to put down.
Penarium is a very fun single player challenge for gamers who aren't satisfied unless their skills are thoroughly tested.