PONCHO

58%
Game Brain Score Based on 78 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
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

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 78 reviews
gameplay13 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions
  • The pixel art and soundtrack are beautifully crafted, creating a visually and aurally pleasing experience.
  • The unique mechanic of switching between layers adds an interesting twist to the platforming and puzzle-solving gameplay.
  • The game is short and accessible, making it easy to pick up and play without a significant time commitment.
  • The game is plagued by bugs and glitches that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, including infinite respawn loops and unclear level design.
  • Many puzzles rely too heavily on a single mechanic, leading to repetitiveness and a lack of variety in gameplay.
  • The story feels underdeveloped and unearned, with a lack of meaningful exploration or character development.
  • gameplay46 mentions

    The gameplay of "Poncho" features a creative multi-plane shifting mechanic that offers an interesting twist on traditional platforming, but it suffers from repetitiveness and poorly designed levels that can lead to frustration. While the visuals and music are praised, many players find the reliance on a single mechanic limits the overall experience, making it feel shallow and at times tedious. Despite its potential, the execution leaves much to be desired, with some players appreciating the story and puzzles while others are left disappointed by the gameplay's pacing and clarity.

    • “Switching planes of action is an interesting mechanic and a nice take on a platformer.”
    • “The gameplay requires every bit as much patience and skillful movements as Fez, but at the same time it's different to an extent.”
    • “Traversing the 'parallax layers' is an elegant mechanic that circumvents traditional concepts of movement and level design.”
    • “The main mechanic is creative, but the novelty wears down after a couple of levels, due to boring level design, repetitiveness, and frustration.”
    • “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 (indicating a circle hitbox at the character's feet, instead of a normal square).”
    • “The game saddens me because it has moments of genuine genius and the core 2.5D warping mechanic has so much potential, but it seems the designers spent so much time on the downright gorgeous graphics (which sadly get in the way of gameplay all too often), that they neglected the underlying game.”
  • music28 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its enchanting and nostalgic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, some users noted issues with the volume levels, particularly during the intro, which can be overwhelmingly loud. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as beautiful and well-integrated, it is not universally acclaimed, with some players finding it less memorable.

    • “Instead, 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.”
    • “Great looking 16-bit world and stunning soundtrack.”
    • “The game intro is way too loud for Twitch and there is no way to lower the intro starting screen music. It is so bad that even at 7% volume on my PC, which doesn't even have that good of a speaker, it is ear-splitting. Do not recommend.”
    • “There are more things that make no sense, but the end of the song is that Poncho neither has earned such a heavy ending nor did it do any form of real worldbuilding to support it.”
    • “Music: it's not an award-winning score, but it's pleasant enough.”
  • story24 mentions

    The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it basic, predictable, and lacking depth, while others appreciate its emotional impact and charm. Many note that the narrative feels underdeveloped, with significant gaps and an over-reliance on an arbitrary ending choice, leading to a sense of disconnection from the plot. Overall, while the art and gameplay are praised, the story is often seen as an afterthought or an excuse for the mechanics rather than a compelling element.

    • “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.”
    • “If they were going for the breadcrumbs style of storytelling, I would appreciate a few more niblets earlier on, that might entice play past a boredom with the mechanic in an effort to see the story.”
    • “Because the world has nothing to discover, it ends up feeling like we have the very beginning and the very end of the story, no buildup, no hints we could have guessed what was or is going on, and most of all not enough information to make the binary decision at the end.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art and retro aesthetic, creating a charming and nostalgic atmosphere. While the artwork and animations are generally well-executed, some players note that certain visual effects can be distracting and may hinder gameplay. Overall, the game's visuals contribute significantly to its appeal, offering a unique and engaging experience despite some minor flaws.

    • “The artwork is great, and I love the retro pixelated theme.”
    • “Also, it has beautiful pixel art graphics and a gorgeous retro soundtrack filled with some good ol' nostalgic vibes.”
    • “A wonderfully fresh take on the apocalypse with some stunning pixel-art visuals and pixel-perfect platforming.”
    • “Very similar to Fez (in terms of graphics, music choice, and game design), however, I find that it falls a bit short in comparison.”
    • “Sound and graphics are also quite bad.”
    • “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.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various glitches, including minor hiccups, puzzle-related issues, and occasional lagging or freezing. While some found these bugs to be frustrating, they generally did not consider them game-breaking, allowing for an enjoyable experience despite the technical shortcomings. Overall, the game feels somewhat unfinished and buggy, impacting its overall polish.

    • “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.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game is praised for its wholesome and touching story that resonates deeply with players, transforming even the most cynical into fans. While some moments aim for emotional depth, reactions vary, with some players feeling less impacted by certain scenes. Overall, the combination of beautiful art and engaging gameplay enhances the emotional experience.

    • “This game is incredibly addictive, challenging yet fun, with an extremely wholesome story that 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.”
    • “The art is beautiful, the gameplay mechanics are solid, and the story is kind of touching.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing and healing qualities, enhanced by beautiful pixel art and soothing background music. Many users draw comparisons to Fez, highlighting the pleasingly melancholy vibe that complements the engaging multi-layered gameplay. Overall, the combination of colorful visuals and serene soundscapes creates a memorable experience.

    • “Each level will bring a relaxing, healing atmosphere upon you, starting with background music, and completing it with peaceful and colorful visuals.”
    • “With a pleasingly melancholy atmosphere and beautiful pixelated visuals, the titular robot seems destined for a truly memorable side-scrolling puzzle platformer.”
    • “On the good side, I enjoyed the atmosphere of the game (which is similar to Fez), and the game idea with multiple layers and the pixel art looks awesome.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game, noting that the looped level design allows for seamless exploration without the frustration of tedious backtracking. This feature enhances the overall experience by making it easier to revisit and engage with unlocked areas.

  • character development1 mentions

    While the game excels in soundtrack, character design, and level design, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development. Overall, the focus seems to be more on the aesthetic and technical aspects rather than the evolution of characters.

    • “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.”
    • “The game does an excellent job of showcasing each character's growth, with meaningful choices that impact their development.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is limited due to frustratingly difficult puzzles, a flawed checkpoint system, and a reliance on a single clever concept, which diminishes the incentive to replay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

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