PONCHO

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 141 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
PONCHO Game Cover
Poncho is memorable with its lush pixel art and catchy music but also for its frustrating level design relying on a single infuriating mechanic.
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"PONCHO" is a single-player, open-world science fiction game with phenomenal mechanics and good graphics/soundtrack. As a robot in a world of post-humanity, you'll explore a 2D world with 3D thinking, solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles by moving back and forth through layers of the world. With a philosophical storyline and many challenges, Poncho's journey is one of discovery, meeting his maker, and potentially saving humanity.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Wii
  • Wii U
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 141 reviews
gameplay29 positive mentions
stability8 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful pixel art and a charming atmosphere, making it visually appealing.
  • The unique mechanic of switching between foreground and background layers adds an interesting twist to the platforming experience.
  • The game is relatively short and allows for exploration, making it a relaxing experience without the pressure of enemies.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Level design is often bland and repetitive, with some sections requiring tedious backtracking.
  • The story feels underdeveloped and the ending lacks emotional impact, leaving players unsatisfied.
  • gameplay94 mentions

    The gameplay of "Poncho" features a unique mechanic that allows players to switch between foreground and background layers, creating interesting platforming puzzles. However, many reviews highlight issues with execution, including repetitive level design, frustrating controls, and unclear mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While the game has moments of creativity and charm, it often falls short in delivering engaging and polished gameplay.

    • “Switching from one plane to another is a joy, and the mechanic is used to create a lot of interesting platforming puzzles.”
    • “The main mechanic of the game is smooth and simple but still challenging.”
    • “This is an inventive and wonderful to play little 2D platformer that uses the ability to warp between layers as its main mechanic.”
    • “The main mechanic is creative, but the novelty wears down after a couple of levels, due to boring level design, repetitiveness, and frustration.”
    • “Despite featuring a cute robot mascot in a colorful world, the multi-layer platform puzzler fizzles out on the gameplay side.”
    • “Gameplay is bogged down by unclear layers and obstacles, leaps of faith, foreground covering the visibility, and this weird sliding that the character does at the end of a platform.”
  • story46 mentions

    The game's story is often described as minimal or underdeveloped, with many reviewers noting its predictability and lack of emotional depth. While some players appreciate the whimsical and intriguing elements, others find the narrative to be an excuse for gameplay rather than a compelling experience. Overall, the story varies in reception, with some praising its potential and charm, while others criticize its incoherence and lack of engagement.

    • “This game is incredibly addictive, challenging yet fun, with an extremely wholesome story, which can turn even the most cynical of hearts into one of love and respect; this truly is a masterpiece of 2D pixel art in gaming.”
    • “The story is intriguing, the gameplay fun, great easter egg (looking at you, you atypical Italian dish), and one of the endings is the most touching and sublime that I have seen in a very long time.”
    • “Beautifully created and wonderfully frustrating, Poncho offers something that I find few games do; a story that isn't easy to divulge.”
    • “The story is very basic and the ending is predictable.”
    • “The story is practically nonexistent and the ending is very expository and emotionally flat, but then again you do not play this game for emotional attachment and character development.”
    • “There's no real cohesion or story.”
  • music46 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its enchanting and nostalgic qualities that enhance the overall experience. However, some players have noted issues with volume control, particularly during the intro, which can be excessively loud. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.

    • “The evocative soundtrack enraptured my ears, enhancing the experience and keeping me eager to continue.”
    • “Okay, so Poncho is amazing in two categories: its visuals and its really, really great soundtrack.”
    • “During my time playing the game so far, I have thoroughly loved the gameplay mechanics as well as the music in particular; the music for each level matches perfectly with the visuals and gameplay, making the experience so enjoyable it's hard to put Poncho down.”
    • “The game intro is way too loud for Twitch, and there is no way to lower the intro starting screen music. It's so bad that even at 7% volume on my PC, which doesn't even have that good of a speaker, it's ear-splitting. Do not recommend.”
    • “- Default music and sound effects are too loud, and you cannot set them right away.”
    • “The graphics are pretty and the music is solid, but the idea is not really well developed, and the game's a bit buggy as well.”
  • graphics40 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a mix of charming retro pixel art and unique design elements that some players find appealing, while others criticize them as poorly executed or outdated. Many reviews highlight the beautiful sprite work and atmospheric visuals, which complement the gameplay, although some note that the graphics can occasionally hinder gameplay clarity. Overall, the aesthetic is generally praised for its nostalgic vibe and artistic style, despite some inconsistencies and technical issues.

    • “The artwork is great, and I love the retro pixelated theme.”
    • “The graphics are outstanding though.”
    • “Cool 2D platformer with awesome pixel-art style.”
    • “So are the ugly retro pixel graphics that make the game look so bad.”
    • “They might describe it as 'art', I describe it as 'couldn't afford to hire any game developers who know about modern PC graphics'.”
    • “The graphics in some parts for the different grounds in the level are identical, so no chance without trial and error to find out where walls or platforms are.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of glitches, lag, and freezing issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players noted minor hiccups and occasional controller support problems, many found the game unplayably buggy, with significant issues like puzzle glitches and menu malfunctions. Overall, the lack of polish and frequent technical problems have left players feeling that the game is unfinished.

    • “Some of the levels had puzzle glitches that caused me to be permanently stuck somewhere, requiring me to go to the world map via the pause menu.”
    • “Glitches abound and the game runs poorly including lagging and freezes.”
    • “This game is unplayably buggy right now.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players find it heartwarming and capable of evoking strong feelings, others criticize the lack of depth in the story and emotional engagement. Notably, one ending is highlighted as particularly touching, but overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players, with some feeling disconnected from the narrative.

    • “This game is incredibly addictive, challenging yet fun, with an extremely wholesome story, which can turn even the most cynical of hearts into one of love and respect. This truly is a masterpiece of 2D pixel art in gaming.”
    • “The story is intriguing, the gameplay fun, great easter egg (looking at you, you atypical Italian dish), and one of the endings is the most touching and sublime that I have seen in a very long time.”
    • “Poncho is a heartwarming game where the main character is a determined cube-like figure.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its relaxing and healing qualities, featuring soothing background music and vibrant pixel art reminiscent of Fez. Reviewers highlight the impressive combination of visuals and sound, creating a rich and immersive experience that enhances gameplay.

    • “Each level will bring a relaxing, healing atmosphere upon you, starting with background music, and completing it with peaceful and colorful visuals.”
    • “Rich atmosphere with soothing soundtrack.”
    • “The strongest points to this game are the music and the atmosphere in which the game creates, which is very impressive, and I am so fortunate that you can purchase the soundtrack.”
    • “The strongest points of this game are the music and the atmosphere it creates, which is very impressive.”
    • “Each level will bring a relaxing, healing atmosphere upon you, starting with background music and completing it with peaceful and colorful visuals.”
    • “Atmosphere is amazing.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be boring and tedious, comparing it unfavorably to other titles like Poncho, citing a lack of challenge and enjoyment. However, the ability to explore unlocked levels without backtracking is noted as a slight improvement to the experience.

    • “Boring and tedious.”
    • “The game isn't hard, just incredibly tedious and frustrating.”
    • “Poncho is like Fez if it were buggier and somehow less fun and more tedious.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game is minimal, with a lack of emotional depth and a non-existent story, leading to a flat ending. However, the main character possesses a likable charm, and the overall character design is well-executed, contributing to the game's appeal despite its narrative shortcomings.

    • “The game is very well done, and it's obvious that a lot of work went into the soundtrack, character design, and level design.”
    • “[*] has that charm factor with the main character, instantly likable despite not saying anything, and reasonably good character design all around.”
    • “The story is practically nonexistent and the ending is very expository and emotionally flat; however, you do not play this game for emotional attachment and character development.”
    • “Character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on any meaningful level.”
    • “The characters are one-dimensional and their arcs are predictable, leaving little room for growth or engagement throughout the game.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game generally performs well on average PCs, but users report significant slowdowns on lower-end systems, indicating a need for better optimization for less powerful hardware.

    • “The game runs smoothly on average PCs, but it performs much slower on lower-end systems.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless experience even on mid-range hardware.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the game to ensure it runs well across a variety of systems.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

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