Penarium (Xbox One) - Review

Penarium is available now on the Xbox One and is priced at £7.19.

Everybody loves the circus, in fact I'm going tonight with my son. Penarium is a circus with a twist though, the kind of twist that would be right at home in a SAW film or something of that ilk. Penarium sees you play as Willy, a farmhand who has always dreamed of visiting the circus. So much so that he jumps at the chance to go with the stranger who turns out to be the sadistic ringmaster of this hell-circus.

I really struggled with this game. It's incredibly difficult, or it was for me at least. It requires you to have lightening fast reflexes so that you can save Willy from turning into a pile of red mush. It starts off easy enough and introduces just one new method of death per level. I had to retry the second level. Twice. Told you I sucked.

Willy has to dodge homing missiles, circular saws, massive icicles, big red balls and more in his fight to survive the circus from hell and the actual tasks you are given pale in comparison. The arena is a wraparound too, so in theory you can go of left and come in on the right. The thing is I forget I can do this so it only ever counts against me, as weapons can do this too. I died a LOT. Then just as I thought I may be able to get my head around going off on one side they went and put spikes on the sides so you can't. Self Made Miracle are SADISTS.

The graphics are cute and the game is pretty funny, but it's a little too frustrating for my liking. I don't like replaying things over and over and I had to with Penarium. Only get it if you have a lot of patience. Oh and if you're a masochist.

5/10 TRY IT!

A code was provided for the purpose of this review.