Penarium
By David Chapman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Warped brutal funhouse of frustration tests gamer skills.
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Penarium
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What’s It About?
In PENARIUM, players step into the well-worn overalls of Willy, a young farm boy with big dreams of running off for a life of adventure. When a mysterious circus caravan pulls up and offers the adventure he craves, Willy jumps at the chance to be part of the show. What he doesn't realize is this particular circus is a sadistic sideshow of death and dismemberment -- and now Willy is the star performer. Running, jumping, and dodging all sorts of weird, wacky, and lethal obstacles, Willy must entertain the crowds and hope he survives until the next performance.
Is It Any Good?
Every kid has dreamed of joining the circus one day, but what if that dream became your worst nightmare? That's the premise behind Penarium. As Willy, players are put through a series of challenges, trying to appease the crowd while attempting not to get chopped into chunks, burnt to a crisp, shot full of holes, or blown to bits at the whim of the ringmaster. Most games have a bit of a learning curve, starting off simple and gradually getting harder as the players' skills improve. Penarium takes a different approach, tossing the player off the top of that learning curve without a parachute.
Calling Penarium "difficult" is an understatement. The fact is, you're going to die ... a lot. The game is so fast and so random, you're forced to rely on lightning-quick reflexes and a lot of luck to progress very far. Even if you think you've learned every pattern of every trap and got your timing down to a science, you're still going to end up a chunky, pixelated mess on the circus floor more times than you'll be able to count. It's a nerve-racking, stress-inducing experience that'll leave you a quivering ball of anxiety in the end, but somehow it's still an addictively masochistic game that's hard to stop playing. Just be careful not to destroy whatever system you're playing it on when you start throwing things.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the potential risks of dealing with strangers. Why should you question the motives of people you've never met? What is the best way to handle being approached by a stranger?
How important is it to think on your feet? What are the best ways to adjust your actions based on changes in the world around you?
Game Details
- Platforms: Mac , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Team17 Digital Ltd.
- Release date: September 22, 2015
- Genre: Arcade
- Topics: Adventures
- ESRB rating: NR for No Descriptions
- Last updated: September 30, 2021
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