My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery
- May 17, 2024
- Drakhar Studios
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreIn My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery, players explore a floating city while solving a magical mystery, playing as Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, or Misty. The game features minigames, collectibles, and the ability to customize your pony's style. Your goal is to restore order to Zephyr Heights and uncover the source of the strange magic causing chaos in Equestria.
Nintendo Switch
PC
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Playstation 5
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Windows
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Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and charming animations that enhance the overall experience.
- Gameplay is relaxing and easy to learn, making it suitable for a young audience while still enjoyable for older players.
- The introduction of all six main characters with unique abilities adds depth to the gameplay and exploration.
- The game suffers from performance issues and lacks optimization, leading to lag and choppy gameplay on various systems.
- Repetitive tasks and mini-games from the previous installment detract from the overall experience, making it feel less innovative.
- Some characters, particularly Zipp, feel off in terms of voice acting and characterization, which may disappoint fans.
- story86 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 92 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered an improvement over its predecessor, offering a longer narrative of about 5.5 hours that remains true to the My Little Pony G5 universe without straying from established lore. Players unlock characters as they progress, but some side quests can be confusing and are best tackled after completing the main story, as they often require navigating multiple areas and completing tasks in a specific order. However, some reviewers noted that certain achievements spoil the story's resolution, and the plot itself has been criticized for recycling elements from previous episodes.
“The game controls are easy to learn, and although some parts can be confusing and a bit frustrating at times, the game is still fun. I love how they got the entire G5 Mane Six right, including Queen Haven, and made the story lore-appropriate for its universe without taking any creative liberties that would conflict with the canon of the MLP G5 series.”
“This one was much better than the first one, with a longer and much better story. You unlock the Mane Six characters as you progress through the story, just hope your favorite isn't Zipp or Misty as you won't unlock them until fairly late.”
“The music and dialogue are wonderful; I was laughing plenty of times during the story.”
“The plot of the game is recycled from one of the series episodes.”
“There are random flashbacks to Maretime Bay that add nothing to the story and even confuse me later on.”
“One of the achievements technically spoils the story's resolution - it should be hidden until unlocked!”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as larger and featuring new mechanics compared to its predecessor, but it lacks challenge and can feel repetitive, with many tasks and minigames being similar to the first game. While some players appreciate the relaxing nature of the gameplay, others express frustration over the limited variety and frequent interruptions during interactions. Overall, it may appeal to younger audiences or those seeking a casual experience, but it may not justify its full price for everyone.
“Much bigger than the first one, love the new mechanics!”
“The gameplay is more interesting and diverse, even if it is still simple enough for a younger audience to enjoy.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this game not just in terms of gameplay, but also visuals.”
“Freeze-frame moments: often when interacting with objects, the game will freeze everything else including the other player. This would be fine if it didn't take 4 seconds and happen every 10 seconds of gameplay.”
“Minigames: they're the same minigames from the first game; a new coat of paint doesn't make the gameplay any better.”
“Basically every other character ability is just 'allows interactions that open a path', no actual gameplay.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed feedback, with many praising the improved design and lighting, while others criticize the lack of adjustable graphic settings, which can hinder performance on lower-end PCs. Some players feel that the visuals, while adequate for a children's game, were better in the previous installment. Overall, the absence of graphics options is a significant concern for those with less powerful hardware.
“Models and graphics look better design-wise, and the lighting has drastically improved.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this game not just in terms of gameplay, but also visuals.”
“There really needs to be a graphics settings for lower end PCs.”
“[b] Lack of graphics settings: [/b] Despite what the recommended graphics settings are listed for this game, some people's setups are making it near impossible to run this game at all, and some of their computers are crashing because of this game's graphics.”
“I can understand the choice to not have graphics settings, but it would be something to consider for a sequel.”
- music21 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The soundtrack has received mixed reviews, with many praising the music in Zephyr Heights as enjoyable and fitting, while others criticize the pause-screen music for its somber tone, which feels out of place. Some users describe the overall music as generic, likening it to typical background scores found in shows, suggesting it lacks uniqueness. However, the combination of music and dialogue has been noted to enhance the storytelling experience, providing moments of humor.
“I loved the music that plays through Zephyr Heights!”
“The music and dialogue are wonderful; I was laughing plenty of times during the story.”
“My last key point here is that the soundtrack is great.”
“The pause-screen music is almost somber, which feels unfitting in comparison to the rest of the OST.”
“The music is your generic music you have in shows when characters enter an area, so there's nothing here to brag about either, but it was the same in the previous game.”
“The music is your generic music you have in shows when characters enter an area, so there's nothing here to brag about either, but it was the same in the previous game.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing dialogue and quirky character interactions, which often lead to unintentional comedic moments, such as characters reacting to off-screen events. While there are some technical issues, like poor lip sync and odd visual glitches, these are generally perceived as humorous rather than detrimental to the experience. Overall, players find themselves laughing frequently throughout the story.
“Funny horses!!!”
“The music and dialogue are wonderful; I was laughing plenty of times during the story.”
“There are some small bugs and oddities, but most of these are funny if anything and not game-breaking.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Players express mixed feelings about grinding, with some enjoying the process of collecting and leveling up, while others find certain repetitive tasks, like repairing a bridge, excessively tedious and frustrating. The consensus suggests that while grinding can enhance gameplay, it should not feel like a chore that detracts from the overall experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Repetition: Don't get me wrong, I love grinding and collecting things in some games, but in some cases like a bridge repair, you shouldn't have to be required to fix the bridge every...single...time you want to reach an area you may have forgotten about.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for being inferior to its predecessor, with users noting that performance issues persist despite minimal background activity.
“I had performance monitor on the other screen and there was no other activity than the game really.”
“It feels like the optimization here is not as well done as the previous game (which was done by a different studio according to Steam).”
“I had a performance monitor on the other screen and there was no other activity than the game, really.”
