Abriss review: Chaotic physics lends short-term joy

Setting up a chain reaction hasn’t been this much fun since sitting on my grandmother’s rug, next to an open fire, with a box of dominoes within reach. Just like you set those up next to one another, in Abriss you can start one action that produces a reaction, which produces an explosion, or the toppling of a skyscraper. Not that my dominoes could do that outside of my imagination.

When I first approached Abriss, I wasn’t all that convinced it was going to entertain or keep me occupied. How wrong I was. It seems nothing is more of a catnip toy to me than setting up physics machines that will cause huge levels of carnage.

The aim of Abriss is to destroy large structures that vary per level, sometimes they look like a tower block, and other times a futuristic housing complex shaped like a doughnut. In each level, you’re given a toolkit and the rest is up to your imagination and a bit of puzzle-solving. Demolish each structure and you’ll be ranked on how much destruction you caused. The opening level, for example, asks you to knock down a tower and you’ll place blocks upwards, while the lowest block teeters over the edge. Sit back and let gravity and physics do their thing.

Abriss

A few puzzles down the line and you’ll get some rotating motors that spin connected blocks like a wild theme park ride, or you’ll be linking together hinges that form a whip-like chain to be swung around smashing everything in sight. There’s a sense of satisfaction when you’ve wiped out 100% of the structure and all that’s left are tiny pieces floating in the void that surrounds each area.

It doesn’t take long before I’m introduced to jet engines and remote bombs, and I struggle to see what’s needed of me. Thankfully, a hint is available on every level and shows you the best solution available. Abriss does, at this point, become a little bit too clever for its own good.

One level in the second world asked me to attach jet engines and bombs and activate them individually. I put together a few blocks, added the engines and bombs, and triggered one engine pushing the build forward. I then, very quickly, had to ignite another engine on a different side, to push the build at a 90-degree angle, before finally hitting the target and detonating the bombs.

If that sounds complicated, that’s because it is. More levels began to appear that required input while everything was in motion and the controls don’t lend themselves well to this action. Using the shoulder buttons, I would scroll through engines and bombs, pressing another button to activate them. This became confusing and I realised that Abriss would work much better on mouse and keyboard.

Until this point, I was having a lot of fun, but suddenly, when faced with overly complex builds and actions, it became a bit of a slog. I’d already found the gamepad controls to be a little fiddly due to the camera angle used which would often force me to place blocks in the wrong spot. There is an ‘undo’ function you’ll be pleased to know.

Abriss

Abriss is enjoyable primarily due to the destruction, rather than the puzzle elements. In its sandbox joy of blowing things up, it’s a satisfying experience that makes you feel like a kid again, and while a challenge is expected, it felt like I was fighting against the UX more than the puzzles.

As time moved on, I started to realise I wasn’t having as much fun as I did at the start. Abriss is fine but it requires more brain power than I wanted to give over, and I was sure that if I was on PC, I’d be having a better time. The lavish destruction was still wonderful to watch, but causing it wasn’t scratching the itch any longer and I wished I could go back to the simplicity of action and reaction.

Pros: The destruction is gorgeous and the early levels, along with sandbox mode, make for chaotic physics-based fun

Cons: Doesn’t work well on controllers, becomes too puzzle-orientated after a while

For fans of: Teardown, Poly Bridge, LEGO Bricktales

6/10: Good

Abriss is out now on Xbox Series X|S (version tested), PC, and PlayStation 5. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.