Crouching Pony Hidden Dragon
- July 14, 2014
- Neko Entertainment
Get on SteamSenseï is the undisputed chieftain. His followers are well versed in every extortion, infiltration and martial art. Pony and Biki are his best students, his pride and joy. The duo knows the secret chakra technique like the back of their hand (or hoof in Pony's case). Together they rule the city and its surroundings. Although everyone respects and fears them they are hunted by law enforcement agenc…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of old-school arcade games, appealing to fans of retro gaming.
- The color-coded combat system adds a unique twist, requiring players to strategize their attacks based on enemy colors.
- The game features cooperative play, allowing for a fun experience with friends.
- Controls are clunky and slow, making gameplay frustrating and unresponsive, especially in combat situations.
- The level design is linear and dull, often leading to confusion about where to go next.
- The humor and character designs are often seen as juvenile and unappealing, detracting from the overall experience.
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been widely criticized for its slow pace, bland mechanics, and poor controls, leading to a frustrating experience that lacks depth and skill. Many players found the design choices tedious and unengaging, with a lack of responsive controls and repetitive combat that detracts from the overall enjoyment. While there are some humorous elements, they do little to compensate for the overall shallow and unenjoyable gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is what I call 'Nintendo-hard'.”
“Gameplay consists of color-coordinated top-down brawling that borders on the insanity of a bullet-hell shooter.”
“Great gameplay.”
“Some questionable design decisions and mechanical flaws.”
“The result is very slow and boring gameplay, with your enemies moving and firing pretty much as slowly as you do.”
“The gameplay was both bland and annoying, the graphics were almost monochromatic, the controls were not nearly responsive enough for an action game, and after I died once, I had no desire to try again.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, pixelated style that appeals to fans of old-school aesthetics, though opinions vary on the overall execution. While some appreciate the clever use of color-coded enemies and the nostalgic art style, others criticize the graphics for being overly monochromatic and lacking responsiveness. Overall, the visuals are seen as a mixed bag, with some praising the art and animations while others find them lacking in quality and variety.
“I'm a fan of the old-school graphics and really like the art style.”
“Great art style.”
“The gameplay was both bland and annoying, the graphics were almost monochromatic, the controls were not nearly responsive enough for an action game, and after I died once, I had no desire to try again.”
“I didn't notice any upscaling option for the graphics, so Neo Geo quality is what you get.”
“It has some quite pixelated, yet cute graphic style.”
- humor11 mentions
- 91 % positive mentions
- -18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it crude and uninspired, while others appreciate its tongue-in-cheek style and pervy elements. While the comedic aspects may appeal to fans of quirky or "anime" humor, many reviewers feel that it often falls flat and is overshadowed by gameplay frustrations. Overall, it seems best suited for those who enjoy unconventional humor and classic game aesthetics.
“The art looked alright and the crude humor seemed entertaining.”
“It's loaded with tongue-in-cheek humor which some people might overthink as to its purpose - it's just a game people, relax.”
“Some might call it 'anime bs' or immature, some might find the humor and the art style appealing.”
“I get the impression these are supposed to be funny, but it just falls flat usually.”
“The jokes feel forced and often miss the mark, leaving me more confused than amused.”
“I was hoping for some clever humor, but instead, it feels like a series of tired clichés.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story revolves around a ninja tasked with collecting a debt for his clan, but players find the narrative to be simplistic and not fully developed, especially early in the game. While the game features multiple modes, including story, survival, and battle, the storyline primarily serves as a backdrop for gameplay progression rather than a deeply engaging plot. Overall, the narrative lacks depth, leaving players wanting more context and development as they advance through the levels.
“The story mode is the straightforward game mode in which you progress through the levels as you gain experience for defeating enemies.”
“Both the story and the survival mode can be played in co-op, so if you want to have a little fun in retro style with a friend, it's surely worth it.”
“The storyline is simple: you are a ninja who has been sent out to find a guy and collect a debt he owes to your clan.”
“If there's a story, I barely understand it.”
“Before making this video and writing the review, I played about 2 levels in the story mode and had some tries in the survival mode as well as some battles with a friend of mine, which comes to an accumulative time of about 45 minutes played.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The character development in the game has been criticized for lacking depth and engagement, with some reviewers finding the designs unappealing and reminiscent of outdated styles. Overall, the character aspects contribute to a sense of boredom, overshadowed by poor game mechanics and design choices.
“I don't really know how it has the audacity to call itself an RPG by any stretch. It features character designs that even readers of early 90s Image comics would find embarrassing, but its biggest sin is that it's just boring.”
“Poor camera, poor game design. I was also unable to play with an arcade stick, and while I don't like the character design (but I knew that since the early stages of development, and it still is a matter of taste), the graphics and animations are pretty good.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in the game excessive, noting that accumulating coins for purchases demands significant effort. The leveling process is described as tedious, contributing to a slow-paced gameplay experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“The coinage requires way too much grinding to buy anything from the occasional store.”
“Levels are tedious, gameplay is slow, and the RPG mechanics are repetitive.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered unremarkable, though some players enjoy the tunes in the pause menu. However, technical issues, such as freezing during key remapping and unresponsive controls, detract from the overall experience.
“I will admit that I do like the music in the pause menu.”
“The music in this game really enhances the overall experience and keeps me engaged.”
“There is nothing special here, but I will admit that I do like the music in the pause menu.”
“I bought this game as I liked the trailer, but I disliked the fact that the attempt to remap keys seems to freeze the game on my system. The music keeps playing, but keyboard input seems to stop working within the game, and pushing the 'jump' button does not work, so I could not even finish the tutorial.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game offers significant replayability due to the abundance of content to discover and the challenging difficulty, which prolongs the experience and encourages players to revisit the game.
“The replay value is impressive; from the promotional trailer I've seen, there is a lot to uncover, and the difficulty adds to the challenge of reaching it.”
“Each playthrough feels unique, with different choices leading to varied outcomes, making me want to dive back in and explore all the possibilities.”
“The game offers multiple paths and endings, ensuring that every time I play, I discover something new and exciting.”
“As for replay value, from the promo trailer I have seen, there is quite a lot of stuff to uncover, and the difficulty is why it takes so long to reach any of it.”
“Once you finish the game, there’s little incentive to go back. The story doesn’t change, and the side quests feel repetitive.”
“After completing the main storyline, I found myself with no real motivation to replay it. The lack of meaningful choices really diminishes replayability.”
