Teardown Review for PlayStation 5

Do you ever get frustrated to the point where you just want to break things and unleash your frustration on objects you can destroy? Well, I may have just found the game for you. “Teardown,” a creation by the talented developers at Tuxedo Labs, first captured my attention when it made its PC debut in April of last year, but it has finally been brought to consoles for those of us who don’t wish to destroy things with a mouse and keyboard. Delving into this sandbox game with some puzzle elements, I found myself immersed in a first-person adventure, reminiscent of the 3D pixelated aesthetic, also known as voxels, akin to the iconic “Minecraft.”

Unlike its blocky counterpart, “Teardown” takes a refreshing detour from building and instead embraces the thrill of destruction. The game’s tutorial and initial levels seamlessly introduced me to its mechanics, paving the way for an engaging gaming experience. Boasting nine freely explorable levels, the game’s narrative takes a back seat however, as there essentially isn’t much of one, placing you in the shoes of a contractor, navigating through contracts from various business magnates. Despite the minimal narrative depth, the inclusion of comedic elements in certain tasks contributes to a lighthearted tone, adding a touch of charm to the gameplay. One of “Teardown’s” standout features is the versatility of its maps. Completing objectives offers a unique and dynamic experience, promoting a lot of replayability. I found myself revisiting levels, driven by the desire to improve my overall score which you receive upon finishing a stage. I was constantly pushing myself to adopt more efficient and creative approaches to destroying my targets.

Armed initially with a humble sledgehammer, fire extinguisher, and spray can for marking points of interest, “Teardown” gradually unlocks an arsenal of tools throughout its campaign. The money earned from completing contracts allows for tool upgrades and the acquisition of additional items, including a blowtorch, shotgun, bombs, and even a rocket launcher, all of which you can get pretty creative with if you put your mind to it. My biggest complaint though, is the transition to consoles reveals a noticeable flaw in the user interface. Clearly designed with PC in mind, the cursor-heavy interface could have benefited from a more console-friendly redesign to enhance the overall experience. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not too big of a deal. Teardown introduces a variety of vehicles such as trucks, cranes, excavators, and boats, offering not only a means of traversal but also adding to the possibilities for destruction.

The freedom to roam and swiftly dismantle anything in your path provides a satisfying and therapeutic outlet, particularly for those moments when you need to let off some steam. The game’s physics, are surprisingly grounded in realism, so I empower you to leverage their understanding of basic physics principles for more efficient and enjoyable building teardowns. In the end, “Teardown” stands out as an exhilarating and engaging experience, offering a unique blend of destruction, creativity, and strategic thinking. As I navigated through contracts and unleashed chaos, the game’s dynamic gameplay and replay value ensured that each level felt like a fresh challenge, leaving me eager to dive back in for more destruction-fueled fun.

8/10

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Nick Navarro

Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87