Pony Island (2016)

This was the third Daniel Mullins game I played and so none of the creative curveballs that it threw at me were as effective. When a "message" from one of my steam friends popped up, it was something I had seen before and not as mind-blowing as when a similar thing happened in Inscryption. I'm glad I played Inscryption before I played this or The Hex. It wouldn't have been as impactful if I knew what to expect.

The best part was when Asmodeus told me to keep my eyes on him, and really tested it. I said that the curveballs didn't hit as hard in this game, but that one was very creative and gives me faith that Daniel Mullins' next game will be creative enough to surprise me. Also, the ending has a clever touch; I wonder how many people actually do what it asks.

Pony Island is a difficult game to discuss without spoiling the experience, as much of the playthrough involves discovering one secret after another. To categorize it, I would describe it as a puzzle game with adventuring elements. The puzzles themselves are modeled around computer programming logic. It is also a relatively short game ( with a playtime of 2-3 hours), but it manages to show off a number of clever tricks during that time.

Spoilers from this point onward.

I liked the metafictional aspect of Pony Island - that it was a poorly programmed game, vulnerable to some creative exploits. I also liked the sense of humor focused on hell, demons, and Lucifer himself. I remember this audio slider option at one point, named 'Answer to your prayers' - it was a silent track. Another great bit was the 'battle' with the d(a)emon Asmodeus, which broke the fourth wall in fascinating ways.

I was curious about the larger story - the identity of the player character, but the game didn't address that in any conclusive sense. I also found the game to be visually and aurally harsh at times, even if that's somewhat on-brand for the concept. I also found things to be slightly repetitive towards the end, but the game's short duration made sure that it never overstayed its welcome. As a whole, however, Pony Island is an impressive metafictional narrative.

How to describe Pony Island? Definitely not anything groundbreaking. Game examining the relationship between developer and gamer? Stanley Parable. Mysterious storyline involving character from the Crusades? A bit phoned-in. Gameplay that involves a mix between basic runners and puzzles but doesn't go into depth with either? Where does this game shine?

Style-wise, the game transcends "arcade" or "8-bit" into an insidious theme persisting into the piece, wildly shifting between evil and cheery, all while feeling barely held together in a very glitchy feel. The game is short but filled with secrets, all for people to find rather than led, a very straight and narrow path for those who don't really work to stray from it.

All in all, this game is a fun little bite, with vignettes of gameplay interspersed with a greater pretense that covers the true fun of this game; letting the pony lasers fly (in 2D and 3D!) and finding joy in each novelty thrown at you. After 2 hours, this game will be a distant memory, so find it on sale if you can.

8.5/10 (almost a 9)

I finally got around to playing Pony Island and I won't ruin anything in this review, because as smargorps said, it's best just to experience it yourself. I suppose some of this can be described as spoilers though: no specific plot points will be ruined but I do talk briefly about the mechanics. Going in blind is ideal.

I quite enjoyed it because I like art that messes with conventions and formulas. From Earthbound to OFF to Jack-King Spooner games, to Undertale to Pony Island, there are some weird games out there that demand attention for their willingness to be weird and fuck with people. However, Pony Island left me a little colder than the games I mentioned, and that's a little disappointing.

I don't know if it's because I think the story is lacking--it's completely possible/probably that I missed some of the depth--or what, but I didn't get as invested in the narrative as I would have liked. I enjoy all the gimmicks that surround the story, but I don't think the plot was the most compelling thing in the world. It seems rather basic, to be honest. But how the game messes with you, the things it makes you do, the exploration... all of that is wonderful. The fact that you never know what to expect is endearing.

The gameplay consists of a few different things, like menu interaction and jumping over things with a Pony. It flirts with some genres, and for the most part it's entertaining. I liked the puzzles and the Pony parts are... okay. Truthfully, while it's fun, it doesn't really excel here. It's serviceable and all that, though, so I'm not going to condemn it too much.

At the end of the day, Pony Island is unique with a lot of flair and wonderful artistic design. It's a game that surprises the player, but it's not really brilliant. I like it a lot, however.