Steam’s best destruction simulator is astounding on PS5, but it's missing a crucial feature

Teardown has been in early access since we were still taking covid seriously, and has enjoyed a lively development period with constant updates and a very active community on Steam. This is great for console players, because it has now launched on PS5 and Xbox Series with all the refinements, quality of life options, and mission content that the PC now enjoys. Check the video below to see how it runs on PlayStation in 60fps performance mode: quality and 120fps modes are available, and all of them have raytracing enabled by default (it's a special voxel type of raytracing that is baked into the game's custom engine, and it looks incredible).

There's even a selection of curated mods available, with more apparently on the way, so console players aren’t completely shut out of what is arguably the PC’s best advantage. Mod Pack #1 is a free DLC on the PlayStation and Xbox stores which includes popular add-ons such as a dog companion, a space station, a GTA-inspired Californian beach house, and even a super-powered vacuum cleaner: essential in a game that generates more scattered debris than the Luftwaffe.

There's a healthy selection of premium DLC on the way too, with the currently available Time Campers campaign and several others planned, all included with a £24.99 season pass.

But it's missing a very basic feature that a lot of us need: the ability to invert Y. The option just isn’t there, although it’s been acknowledged by the devs and will be coming in a further patch. But it’s quite an oversight, given how standard the option is. So standard that you can set it as a preference in the PS5’s options, and you can even enable it as a system-wide level on Xbox. So if you’re an inverter and you’re on PC or Xbox, low-level config options make this a minor annoyance rather than a major issue. On PlayStation, it’s a deal breaker for many.

Which is a shame given how PS Plus Game Catalogue, similarly to Xbox Game Pass, is an engine of discovery for games like this. Here’s hoping it gets fixed soon. I’m lucky enough that I can cope without an invert option with a little concentration, but it’s not a comfortable switch to make in my head: I’m constantly having to think about where I’m looking, rather than just doing it intuitively. For others, it’s something that can cause motion sickness. The option to invert is the most ubiquitous accessibility option there is, so it’s baffling when a game releases without it.

Still, though I’m not sure what the stats are, I doubt it’s a big issue for most people, if at all. The main thing is that consoles now have access to a game that’s rated Overwhelmingly Positive by Steam users, and it’s buttery smooth on current gen machines without any apparent compromises (yes, even on the Series S). Given that this used to be a game that needed a beefy PC to run nicely, it’s a testament to Tuxedo Labs’ optimisation efforts and their dedication to long-term support that Teardown has launched on fixed platforms in such a top-notch state.

Which makes it even more insane that they forgot to include an invert toggle. An invert toggle! Honestly.

Teardown is available now on PC, Xbox Series, and PS5 (also on PS Plus Extra and above)