My Friend Pedro
- December 5, 2019
- Deadtoast
- 5h median play time
Altogether, My Friend Pedro is a speedrunner’s paradise, offering a charming story with good gunplay for its price tag. But if you are looking for pure replay value you won’t find that here (unless you are a speedrunner).
My Friend Pedro is a violent side-scrolling shooter game where you, a silent protagonist, follow the commands of a sentient banana named Pedro. With a variety of weapons and acrobatic moves, players take on law enforcement and gangs in frenetic slow-motion gunplay, using creative tactics to defeat enemies and rack up high scores. The game features a unique storyline, responsive controls, and a distinctive art style.
Reviews
- gameplay1,670 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *My Friend Pedro* is characterized by its fast-paced, acrobatic gunplay and innovative mechanics, such as slow-motion shooting and dual aiming, which create a satisfying and stylish experience. While the game introduces new mechanics and weapons throughout its levels to keep the gameplay fresh, some players find the later stages bogged down by tedious platforming and puzzle elements that detract from the core action. Overall, the game is praised for its fluid controls and engaging combat, though its relatively short length and occasional repetitiveness have led to mixed feelings about its replayability.
“The gameplay in *My Friend Pedro* is a blend of acrobatic gunplay and slow-motion action, akin to slicing a banana in mid-air and watching it gracefully fall into your cereal.”
“Each level introduces fresh, fun mechanics and weapons, creating a unique twist on the *Hotline Miami* formula, but delivered in a platforming format.”
“The gameplay is so satisfying, and the dialogue is hilarious.”
“The gameplay revolves around performing elaborate stunts and gunning down waves of enemies in slow-motion, which sounds fun in theory but quickly grows stale in practice.”
“The mechanics are shallow and the level design is uninspired, leading to a repetitive experience that feels more like a chore than a thrill ride.”
“The gameplay can sometimes feel kind of bad because of dodging making you shoot all over the place, but there is room to pull off some pretty awesome moves.”
- story976 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of *My Friend Pedro* is generally considered simplistic and often serves as a mere backdrop to the game's action-oriented gameplay. While some players appreciate its quirky humor and unexpected twists, many find it lacking depth and coherence, with a runtime of about 3-5 hours. Overall, the narrative is seen as secondary to the engaging mechanics and fast-paced shooting, making it more of a fun, chaotic experience than a compelling story-driven one.
“The story is silly, the graphics are nice, and the gameplay is phenomenal.”
“The story is fitting and really fun; you would need around 5 to 7 hours for a slow playthrough.”
“The story is surprisingly good too, with a nice twist at the end!”
“The story, if you can call it that, is paper-thin and serves as little more than a flimsy excuse to string together a series of mindless shootouts.”
“The story is non-existent, and coated in humor that feels more 2014 than 2019, and the only other thing of note is the music, which does slap hard.”
“The plot feels stale and somewhat boring, with occasional quirky jokes thrown here and there that leave a bad taste in your mouth.”
- music725 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "My Friend Pedro" has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and engaging soundtrack, which complements the fast-paced gameplay and enhances the overall experience. Many players have drawn comparisons to the soundtracks of "Hotline Miami," praising its catchy electronic and synthwave tracks that keep the adrenaline pumping. While some reviews noted that the music can become repetitive, the majority agree that it significantly contributes to the game's fun and immersive atmosphere.
“The soundtrack features energetic tunes that keep the adrenaline pumping, much like the natural sugars in bananas provide a quick energy boost.”
“The heart of My Friend Pedro beats in a rhythm of explosive electronic soundtrack composed by various talented artists.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, the gunplay is very fun especially when you use your abilities and items that you come across.”
“Even the music, which should be a highlight of any action game, fails to impress.”
“The soundtrack is mostly forgettable, but it might just be that I'm way too focused on the gameplay.”
“I like techno, but it literally sounded like they took a single soundtrack from Hotline Miami, added some bass, and then remixed it for every level to the point where none of the songs sound unique at all.”
- replayability400 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game "My Friend Pedro" offers a mixed bag of replayability, primarily driven by its scoring system and the pursuit of higher ranks, particularly the coveted 'S' rank. While many players appreciate the fun mechanics and the challenge of mastering levels, some find the overall replay value limited due to the game's short length and lack of additional content, such as a level editor or community features. Overall, it caters well to those who enjoy score-chasing and perfecting their runs, but may not hold long-term appeal for players seeking a more extensive gameplay experience.
“The leaderboard and unlockable cheats add some replayability here.”
“Infinitely replayable, always fun and brimming with personality and charm!”
“With fun level design and an array of weapons to choose from, it has great replay value.”
“I found modifiers useless, and didn't even try them out because they disable S rank, and that's the ultimate goal for achievements or even just for replayability.”
“There was an attempt to make the game more replayable by adding a bunch of modifiers tied to the 'secret' collectibles, but the base gameplay is too uninteresting for big heads and wacky camera angles to get me to play through this hell of a test of patience more than once.”
“The biggest draw to the game is its replayability, as there are always multiple ways for you to approach fights and the various levels.”
- humor388 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in "My Friend Pedro" is a mix of absurdity and charm, primarily driven by the quirky character of Pedro, a talking banana, whose dialogue often elicits laughter. While many players appreciate the game's over-the-top, slapstick humor and find it entertaining, some critiques point to a lack of depth and reliance on juvenile jokes that can fall flat. Overall, the game is seen as a fun, light-hearted experience that successfully blends action with comedic elements, though opinions on the effectiveness of its humor vary.
“Pedro’s voice lines are humorous and add a layer of charm, making you smile as often as a banana’s curve.”
“The gameplay is funny, the story is silly, the art and character design is goofy, the music goes wacky, the replayability is jolly, the ending is absurd, and the whole thing was just a whimsical fun-loving little thing.”
“In addition to all of this, the game also features a hilarious main side character in the form of a talking banana.”
“The jokes are painfully unfunny and it is burdened by a narrative that doesn't need to be there at all.”
“Ever seen an overused meme and gone 'this unfunny shit again?'”
“The story is also garbage and not funny.”
- graphics338 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of "My Friend Pedro" receive mixed reviews, with many praising its vibrant and stylish neo-noir art style that enhances the gameplay experience. While some players find the visuals appealing and well-suited to the game's fast-paced action, others criticize them as simplistic or reminiscent of lower-budget titles. Overall, the graphics are generally considered decent, with a few standout moments, but they do not overshadow the engaging gameplay and unique mechanics.
“Visual clarity is very clean and clear while having a distinct neo-noir art style that is not sacrificed by the amount of info that the players need to perform parkour in the game.”
“The graphics are stunning, with a vibrant color palette and a unique art style that complements the game's action-packed gameplay perfectly.”
“The game's graphics are great for what it's going for.”
“Graphically, the game is a mixed bag.”
“While I don't usually care about graphics, this game was particularly egregious in its graphical fidelity; I did enjoy the look of Pedro's world, but other than that, it looks like a baby's first Unity game made with free Unity store assets.”
“A criticism I have is the low budget feel of the game with the graphics and the general art style; it just looks like a high quality flash game.”
- grinding51 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some enjoy the challenge of achieving high scores and S ranks, many express frustration with the repetitive and tedious nature of later levels, which shift focus from fast-paced action to cumbersome platforming and puzzle mechanics. The game's initial excitement often diminishes as it progresses, leading to a sense of monotony that detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy at times.”
“A lot of grinding.”
“Unfortunately, towards the end of the game, innovations slow down and the game gets a little tedious.”
“The later levels become a series of tedious timing and jump skill tests that completely ruin the fun and flow of the game.”
“While the gameplay itself is flashy and intuitive, most of the later levels become tedious and obnoxious, because it extends time between the gunplay in favor of some unneeded puzzle platforming sections which really kill the flow and enjoyment of each level.”
- optimization45 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance even on low-end hardware. However, some users have experienced stuttering and frame rate issues, particularly on higher refresh rate monitors, despite a recent patch aimed at addressing these concerns. While the game runs well for most, a few players noted that the 60 fps cap and occasional performance hiccups detracted from their experience.
“The game is well-optimized, ensuring a seamless experience even during the most chaotic scenes.”
“They went all out with the OST, love the mechanics, I love how this doesn't need that much RAM or storage to begin with and it runs smoothly on my potato laptop.”
“Additionally, it is very well optimized and runs smoothly without dips in framerate even at 120 frames.”
“A game where your rating and performance are all based on an absolutely broken RNG system.”
“At the moment, the leaderboards seem to be broken as there are people with 9 million points on all levels (and that's not even close to possible through gameplay, unless somehow I'm missing something) and the performance isn't perfect - even though the game reports playing at 60 frames per second, it feels a bit choppier.”
“Don't buy the game, it is 60 fps locked (if you have a better screen than 60 Hz), and for most people it is stuttering even if it is 60 fps locked and constant... I have a 2080 Ti and an i7 7700K, and my game locked at 61 constant fps is stuttering...”
- atmosphere23 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of visuals, sound, and fast-paced action, creating an immersive experience that draws players into the story and character development. While the soundtrack, described as industrial and techno, enhances the overall ambiance, some players feel it lacks distinctiveness compared to other titles like Hotline Miami. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal.
“The fast-paced action provides an ideal atmosphere to really draw you into the simple story and develop an interest in the protagonist and his backstory as it slowly reveals itself as the player progresses through the game.”
“Alongside the action, the soundtrack has a very industrial/techno feel that really contributes to a unique atmosphere.”
“The sheer atmosphere of the game is enough to make you feel amazed.”
“While the music matched the game's atmosphere, I didn't find it very special either, since it sounded more like dance floor music than anything else.”
“Controls are a bit difficult to get a hang of, and the atmosphere is a tad bit boring if you like fast-paced shooters like Warframe.”
“The puzzles, while smart in some cases, kinda break the whole arcade shooter atmosphere.”
- emotional21 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from empowerment and excitement to heart-wrenching moments that resonate deeply with players. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to make them feel like a badass, akin to iconic characters like John Wick, while also experiencing genuine emotional highs and lows, including laughter and tears. However, some critiques mention that certain narrative twists may not deliver the intended emotional impact, suggesting a mixed reception in how effectively the game conveys its emotional themes.
“This is a heart-wrenching, well-crafted tale. It is challenging and fun; it's a masterpiece and must be preserved forever.”
“The amount of guns is just right, the flavor is on point, and the ending made me cry.”
“I don't remember the last time a game made me feel this way.”
- stability14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth performance and minimal glitches, some experience frequent game freezes, particularly during missions, which can lead to frustrating restarts and lost save data. Despite these issues, the game is generally well-received for its fun gameplay and solid performance on various systems.
“The gameplay is easy to pick up and difficult to master; there's a leaderboard to compete with friends and globally. The game runs great on PC with ultrawide support.”
“Decided to give the game a try; gameplay was very smooth, runs great, and very fun.”
“From the beginning to the end, the game felt very smooth with no glitches of any sort.”
“Although it says it's verified for the Steam Deck, I experienced very frequent game freezes just after starting missions.”
“It's a great game, very fun, but hard to enjoy when it freezes, requiring a restart of my entire computer to work again, only to see that my save data is gone for some reason.”
“It's not a bad or buggy game, but it's not polished either.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features no microtransactions, which is a positive aspect for players. However, while the initial gameplay aligns with the advertised experience, the latter half shifts towards a platforming style, potentially diminishing the overall enjoyment and value, suggesting that players might want to wait for a sale before purchasing.
“Blood, guns, bananas, and no microtransactions.”
“Overall, get it if you want a fun, simple side-shooter that can offer some challenge, but I would also say wait for a sale as really the first half is what the ads promised and the best part of the game.”
“Sadly, the game starts to turn into a weird platformer towards the last half of the game, with less and less fast-paced, action-packed combat the game has been advertising with.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is marked by unique and interesting designs that stand out in the visually striking environments. However, the animations are criticized for being stiff and robotic, detracting from the overall character experience. Despite this, the whimsical and humorous tone of the gameplay contributes to a fun atmosphere.
“The gameplay is funny, the story is silly, the art and character design is goofy, the music goes wacky, the replayability is jolly, the ending is absurd, and the whole thing was just a whimsical fun-loving little thing.”
“The environments are all beautifully detailed, and the character designs are all very unique and interesting.”
“While the neon-soaked environments and stylish character designs are visually striking, the animations are stiff and robotic, with characters moving in a way that feels unnatural and janky.”
Critic Reviews
My Friend Pedro Review
My Friend Pedro is an excellent pickup that justifies the price. If you’re looking for an action game similar to the absurd action of games like John Woo’s Stranglehold, this is an easy recommendation.
80%My Friend Pedro Review
My Friend Pedro can be an absurdly stylish action game when everything aligns but you’ll just as likely find yourself slipping over its unwieldy controls.
70%My Friend Pedro review
It's over too soon, but while it lasts My Friend Pedro is a unique, likeable shooter and some of the best fun I've had in a while.
90%