Colin Moriarty has been one of the most prominent names in PlayStation fandom for over a decade now, so it’s perhaps no surprise that Lilymo Games’ alternate take on Arkanoid goes above and – ahem – beyond to squeeze in the heroes of the popular Sacred Symbols podcast. Accompanied by his co-host Chris Ray Gun, this arcade brick breaker sports a needlessly glib and dense narrative which at times threatens to get in the way of its underlying game mechanics.

There’s a lot of work been invested into the plot here, but you’ll need to fight the urge to skip the occasionally trite text in order to get to the action on offer. Fortunately, the developer does just enough with a pre-existing template to add interest: there are always at least two paddles on screen, and you must use both of them simultaneously in a rub-your-belly-and-pat-your-head dynamic to bounce a ball at blocks and, ultimately, blow them up.

Weapons add extra intrigue to the action, while a spectre of your paddles can be powered up and launched to give you additional ball control. Much like Habroxia, the 40 story levels (with boss fights!) are accompanied by a bunch of smart minigames which pull the primary mechanics in different directions. There are also collectibles which add yet more context to the already overwhelming plot. It’s a lot of fun to play, though – and should prove a treat for fans who’ve been following Moriarty since the days of Shatter on the PlayStation 3.