Review: Tri Breaker (PlayStation)

Price: $9.99/£8.99

Developer: Lillymo Games 

Players: 1

In 2020, Twin Breaker provided a joyous romp through the world of Breakout games reimagined. It also marked the first tie-up between indie hit maker Lillymo (the Habroxia shooters, Perils of Baking) and the Sacred Symbols podcast team (Colin Moriarty et al).

Come, almost, 2025 and we have a new adventure from this digital-beat-brick combo, Tri Breaker, available for most platforms, tested on PlayStation with some Remote Play on Vita, is a Sacred Symbols Odyssey that adds control of the ball itself through the interjection of a third member of the SacSym team. 

In Tri Breaker, we have Colin and Chris manning the two independently-controlled paddles, joined by Dustin, who adds a modicum of control to the ball, adding a whole new angle to the already twisty-tight gameplay. This certainly makes it easier to get that last block in a level, but the team have come up with a host of other fun uses for this idea. 

As trialled in the early levels with a little bit of fun sci-fi-romp plottage, the team are soon battling across the cosmos to save the Earth, and the ability to bend the ball with the triggers is vital in levels where there are insta-death skulls and other nasties. All presented with clean and bold pixel visuals and a trippy retro soundtrack. 

Leaving the bats alone, it is possible to play levels largely with the ball, as long as you have enough fuel to keep adjusting its path. All of which adds a new layer of tactics among the mayhem of bonuses and triggers that keep juicing up the playfield. 

This is supposed to be fun, dammit!

Tri Breaker, respecting its arcade origins, is a tough-as-old-boots challenge, but don't let that put you off. The 40 levels often have multiple-screens, and break into other gameplay styles like Frogger and Snake from time-to-time to keep things fresh. 

End of level bosses ramp up the challenge further with various hit zones, but these aren't just any EOL monsters, they provide portals to bonus realms and other goodies. All of which is done with a fine sense of humour and a plot just the right side of wacky/zany. 

The developers want Tri Breaker to be fun, and there are multiple difficulty levels, selectable at any time to help you navigate through a tougher level. There's also the opportunity to buy more lives, and if you play one level often enough, you should get enough of the right bonuses to help stagger through. 

And once you re-find or develop some mastery, there are plenty of other skill- and score-based challenges to master to get the best grades for a level and acquire the more challenging trophies, with the S-rank a key objective across all levels for Platinum hunters.

Perfect for gaps between major sessions of your latest AAA games, Tri Breaker is the warm cosy spot that experienced gamers can curl up with this winter, diving in and out of levels at will, and running back and forth to complete quests or level trophies. Compare that to the originals where you had to hammer each level into submission before limping to the next, and you see the good heart at the core of Tri Breaker. 

Score 4/5