The Next Penelope

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6

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  1. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    Micro Machines meets F-Zero meets horizontal and vertical shmups in The Next Penelope, a short but intense and skill-based racer set in an interpretation of Homer’s Odyssey in the fantastical future. You are Penelope, wife of Odysseus and queen of Ithaca island. Your husband has been lost for years, vile suitors fight for your hand and Poseidon, lord of the vast ocean of space, desiresMicro Machines meets F-Zero meets horizontal and vertical shmups in The Next Penelope, a short but intense and skill-based racer set in an interpretation of Homer’s Odyssey in the fantastical future. You are Penelope, wife of Odysseus and queen of Ithaca island. Your husband has been lost for years, vile suitors fight for your hand and Poseidon, lord of the vast ocean of space, desires revenge for the death of his son the cyclops at Odysseus’ hands. Take to the stars on a violent, high-speed crusade through a variety of challenging stages, earning new weapons for your forked vessel including a forward repeating energy cannon, vampiric mines, a harpoon, a ram-boost that knocks opposing hovercars aside, a short-range teleport and an energy crystal that coverts enemy projectiles into xp drops; and experience points with which to purchase abilities, including the ability to dodge left and right, see a greater part of the screen, move faster, turn tighter, get an additional health segment, and the ability to zap enemy cars near you. Much like in F-Zero, use of the boost and other weapons drains your car’s energy, as do enemy attacks and collisions, but you can recover energy by driving over green, glowing orbs seen on the track. There is no minimap, and acceleration is automatic- you can only steer, so fast reactions are necessary for survival as it is difficult to anticipate incoming hazards. The story mode is split into several worlds, divided into three stages: the first stage is typically a tutorial that introduces one of the weapons, the second is a race against four opposing hovercars, and the third is a boss fight against such notable figures of Greek myth as the minotaur, sirens, arachne and charon. Upon completion of the story mode a series of challenge levels are unlocked, such as time trials. The game’s presentation is very appealing, with a vivid color palette, appropriately fast-paced soundtrack, and even the option for artificial “scanlines” as in Iron Fisticle, for that authentic NES feel. The Next Penelope may not last you more then a few hours, but they will be memorable ones.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Riot Pixels
    Aug 17, 2015
    70
    A decent collection of racing-themed puzzles for those who prefer really hardcore arcade games.
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  2. Destructoid
    Jun 11, 2015
    90
    The Next Penelope is a blast to play on PC, and will probably be a massive hit at parties when it arrives on Wii U later this year. It's a shame more old-school racers aren't around, but with games like this and 90s Arcade Racer, the scene is seeing a revival that brings a huge smile to my face.
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  3. Vandal
    Jun 2, 2015
    79
    The Next Penelope is addictive and original, one of those games you just can't stop playing. An online mode would have made it even better, but it still is a great choice.
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