Originally releasing in 2022 on PC exclusively, Teardown finally makes its way onto the modern console generation: the PS5 and the Xbox Series X|S. The game got good reviews then already, but the question always remained whether or not the game’s console versions would be of the same standard.

Well, rest assured, Teardown on PS5 was one of the most fun, engaging, and smooth gaming experiences I’ve had all year. It really has everything: great gameplay, appealing visuals, an excellent concept, and great optimization and performance. And now that it’s on consoles, even more players will be able to experience Tuxedo Labs’ magnum opus.

With Its Gameplay Essentially Perfected, Teardown Always Goes a Step Beyond

At its core, Teardown is a puzzle game through and through. The main crux of the game is that you have to basically plan out a heist and then execute said heist perfectly. If you fail, you get caught, and the mission has failed.

Multiple tools can be used to help you carve out a path to victory. My favorite was the Shotgun, as you can just plow out a path with relative ease. But since not every level has the same objective or has the same layout, you really have to think about how you’re going to use the tools at your disposal.

What’s great about this gameplay loop is that you, as the player, instinctively always try to go for the best path possible. And as you get better, taking notice of the best path becomes even easier. This makes level completion even more rewarding, especially at the end, when the game traces your entire path from point A all the way to the finish line.

What’s also great about Teardown is its excellent variety of vehicles. Cars, trucks, yachts—it’s all here, and they all feel great. Each vehicle has its own distinctive feel and separate purpose, but it’s completely up to you how you utilize them.

The levels and their objectives vary a lot as well, which helps the game not get repetitive, something that a lot of puzzle games nowadays do. In one mission, you may have to steal a car, while in another, you may have to simply demolish it. Most levels have an alarm, which, once triggered, gives you a minute to go and execute the entire plan from A to Z. The adrenaline rush during this period is like no other.

But during this whole period, if there is one negative to point out, it’s the lack of a sprint button. The early few minutes of a level can turn into a bit of a slog if you’re not using a vehicle. What’s even more infuriating about this is when you’re executing your plan and walking at a snail’s pace. It ends up breaking a bit of the pace of the game, and a sprint button may have remedied that all together.

Teardown Has Excellent Presentation and It Knows It

Teardown looks and feels unreal, even though the engine used isn’t what you may think. The game uses a proprietary game engine developed by Tuxedo Labs founder Dennis Gustafsson, and it clearly utilizes that engine down to every last voxel.

From every angle, Teardown is an absolute joy to look at. Throughout the game’s multiple levels, you enter different environments, and each of these levels has its own unique and charming visual fidelity. The gorgeous scenery, exceptional lighting, and incredibly well-detailed textures all come together beautifully.

And once you’re done admiring the view, you can appreciate the music. During the levels, rather than being bombarded with loud noises, Teardown goes for a more subtle approach. Ambience is the name of the game here, and since you take a while to organize your plan of action, the music really helps elevate the entire experience.

Teardown is also incredibly well optimized, especially for PS5. It comes with two graphics modes, Quality and Performance. Quality averages about 60 fps at an incredible resolution of 2880х1620, while Performance averages about 120 fps at 1920×1080. Both modes feel great to use, but if you have a 120 Hz display, Performance mode may be the best way to go. And as far as I could tell, there weren’t any game-breaking issues or bugs.

A Ton of Content Helps the Game Always Feel Fresh

The game’s 40-level campaign takes center stage. But once you’re done with that, you can challenge yourself in the game’s Challenges mode. This one is especially fun because it requires you to come up with creative solutions using the skills you may have learned during the game’s campaign.

If you’re feeling creative, you can enter Teardown‘s Sandbox mode. You take the wheel when it comes to the game’s pre-made levels. And if you want to make your own levels, the game’s intuitive Creative mode will do just that. You can even access some of the top mods made by the PC community on console via Mod Pack 1. It’s an excellent idea because for games like, the hype can be kept alive by simply letting your community run wild.

When it comes to content, you’ll never find yourself looking with Teardown. In fact, multiple DLCs are in the works, and Time Campers launches alongside the Teardown next-gen console version.

For now, all that needs to be said is that Teardown is an exceptional game that Tuxedo Labs has made. I enjoyed my each and every second with it. And I cannot wait for the future DLC releases. Teardown and its DLC Time Campers are out November 15 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

9/10

Teardown was played on PlayStation 5 and reviewed on a code supplied by Honest PR. As featured on OpenCritic.

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