My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery
- May 17, 2024
- Drakhar Studios
- 5h 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.
Reviews
- The game offers a larger world to explore with various locations and unique character abilities, making it enjoyable for younger audiences.
- The graphics and character designs have improved significantly, providing a visually appealing experience.
- The gameplay is simple and relaxing, making it accessible for children while still offering enough content to keep them engaged.
- The game suffers from performance issues, including lag and freezing, which can detract from the overall experience.
- There is a lack of handholding in the quest system, making it confusing for younger players to track their progress.
- Some aspects of the game, such as voice acting and mini-games, feel repetitive and underwhelming compared to the previous installment.
- story33 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered an improvement over its predecessor, offering a fun and engaging main narrative that lasts about 5.5 hours, complemented by humorous dialogue and music. However, players find the post-story quests confusing due to a lack of guidance on quest order and the need to explore extensively, which can detract from the overall experience. While the plot is somewhat recycled from the series, it remains lore-appropriate and enjoyable for fans of the franchise.
“The music and dialogue are wonderful; I was laughing plenty of times during the story.”
“The game controls are easy to learn and control, and although some parts of the game 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 and that of Queen Haven, making the story lore-appropriate for its universe without taking any creative liberties that would conflict with the canon of the MLP G5 series.”
“Games are a lot better than the first one, with a longer story and the ability to unlock characters as you progress, making it more engaging.”
“The side quests after the main game are a bit confusing if you don't have a good approach, which is why I have written a Steam guide on the subject.”
“Speaking about reusing, 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.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as simple and accessible, making it suitable for younger audiences, but it lacks depth and challenge, particularly in the minigames, which are largely unchanged from the previous installment. Players noted repetitive patterns and frustrating freeze-frame moments that disrupt the flow, leading to a sense of monotony despite the game's increased length and new mechanics. Overall, while some enjoy the relaxed nature of the gameplay, many feel it doesn't justify the price, suggesting it may be better suited for sale or bundles.
“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.”
“Much bigger than the first one, love the new mechanics!”
“With this new game, they could have upgraded the minigames to make them at least a little more challenging on hard difficulties, like adding extra obstacles or power-ups that change the gameplay up.”
“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.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the improved design and lighting, others criticize the lack of adjustable graphics settings, which can hinder performance on lower-end PCs. Additionally, some users feel that the visuals are simpler and not as impressive as those in the previous installment, though they acknowledge that the game's target demographic may not prioritize high-end graphics. Overall, the visuals are deemed adequate for a children's game, but there is a clear call for more customization options in future releases.
“I thoroughly enjoyed this game not just in terms of gameplay, but also visuals.”
“[*] Models and graphics look better design-wise, and the lighting has drastically improved.”
“- No graphic setting options (helps with accessibility for players on lower-end devices).”
“I can understand the choice to not have graphics settings, but it would be something to consider for a sequel.”
“Actually, I think the graphics were better in the previous game, to be honest.”
“There really needs to be a graphics settings for lower-end PCs.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the engaging soundtrack and find it enjoyable, others criticize it as generic and unremarkable, particularly noting its similarity to previous installments. Additionally, the pause-screen music is described as somber, which some feel is inconsistent with the overall tone of the game.
“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.”
“I loved the music that plays through Zephyr Heights!”
“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.”
“The pause-screen music is almost somber, which feels unfitting in comparison to the rest of the OST.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing dialogue and entertaining moments, with players finding themselves laughing throughout the story. While there are some technical issues and oddities, they often add to the comedic experience rather than detract from it, including the presence of "funny horses." However, the lack of character interaction and visual glitches can detract from the overall immersion.
“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.”
“Funny horses!!!”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization in this game is perceived as lacking compared to its predecessor, with users noting performance issues despite minimal background activity.
“I had a performance monitor on the other screen, and there was no other activity besides the game, really.”
“It feels like the optimization here is not as well done as the previous game (which was developed by a different studio according to Steam).”
“I had a performance monitor on the other screen and there was no other activity besides the game.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally enjoy grinding and collecting in games, but some find it excessive when it becomes a repetitive requirement for accessing areas, such as needing to repeatedly repair a bridge. This can lead to frustration, suggesting that while grinding can enhance gameplay, it should be balanced to avoid feeling like a chore.
“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.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
