The Pony Factory
- January 18, 2024
- David Szymanski
Get on Steam"The Pony Factory" is a dark, black-and-white FPS game inspired by 1950's sci-fi films. You'll face agile enemies in meaty combat, using muzzle flashes and environmental clues to track them in the darkness. The game offers a short, minimalist campaign with improved features and new content from the original release, all set in a town where humans are transformed into magical ponies. Completion can be achieved in around 30 minutes.
Reviews
- The game effectively combines horror and humor, creating a unique atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
- The flashlight and gun mechanic adds tension, forcing players to strategize their movements in dark environments.
- The game's art style and enemy design are praised for their creativity, contributing to a memorable experience.
- The game is very short, with a playtime of around 30-40 minutes, which some players feel does not justify the price.
- There are issues with enemy AI and hit detection, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The lack of variety in levels and enemies can make the game feel repetitive, especially during the backtracking segments.
- story36 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its quirky and comedic elements, while others criticize it for being minimal and poorly developed. Many noted that the narrative is primarily conveyed through scattered notes, leading to a lack of depth and engagement. Overall, while the atmosphere and gameplay are praised, the story often feels secondary, with some finding it amusing and others deeming it insufficient.
“The game features a gripping story, fast-paced action reminiscent of even triple-A titles, wonderful and well-paced comedy that adds to the horror atmosphere rather than detracting from it, gorgeous creature design, inspired level design, and nigh infinite replayability with its challenge modes.”
“Colour gets introduced in this latter half to moody effect, and the story has a great final twist about your character.”
“The story littered throughout the world adds a refreshing comedic element.”
“I love Szymanski, but there is pretty much zero story and zero build-up or variety.”
“The story was not good enough to make up for such unfun gameplay :(”
“Just shooting and a small story told by pages found throughout.”
- gameplay35 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a unique flashlight and gun switching mechanic that enhances the horror experience, reminiscent of Doom 3. While some players appreciate the atmospheric design and simple mechanics, others criticize the overall execution, noting issues like clunky reload mechanics, limited enemy variety, and a lack of depth in gameplay. Overall, the game offers a mix of effective pacing and scares, but opinions vary on its fun factor and narrative strength.
“I love the use of darkness, plus the shoot/flashlight switching mechanic.”
“The pistol shoots faster the longer you hold the trigger, which is a satisfying mechanic that I can't recall seeing in any other games.”
“It's incredible how much this one simple mechanic has enhanced the horror.”
“It has no idea, no interesting gameplay (excluding black-and-white darkness & flashlight/weapon-modes combo), or exciting game design.”
“Even though this unfinished technical demo has appealing b&w game design and unique flashlight mechanics, it feels like Szymanski puts little to no effort into the majority of his games and sells them in a half-baked state thinking it's a good practice.”
“Story was going for silly and it fell flat; music was nothing but a theremin making alien noises; enemy variety was lacking; and the gameplay was walking down a hallway and then back again.”
- atmosphere29 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its effective blend of horror and absurdity, creating an oppressive yet engaging environment that captivates players. Reviewers highlight the impressive sound design, level design, and visual aesthetics, which contribute to a memorable and immersive experience, despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as the game's strongest aspect, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of horror, even if the gameplay itself is less compelling.
“The atmosphere is really cool and I love the whole design and lore behind it.”
“Despite a sardonic spin on the horror genre, the game efficiently establishes an oppressive atmosphere, especially when the tormented wailing of a pony begins to echo throughout the narrow corridors.”
“It's atmosphere is well done, balancing bleak and gritty horror with cartoonish absurdity.”
“I will say though that the reload mechanic is distracting and takes away from the atmosphere.”
- humor23 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its strong sense of humor, effectively blending dark comedy with horror elements, creating a unique atmosphere that is both silly and spooky. Players appreciate the absurdity of the premise and the humorous notes scattered throughout, which enhance the overall experience. While the game is genuinely funny, it also maintains a level of tension, making it a memorable mix of laughs and scares.
“One of the strongest aspects of the game is that it has a great sense of humor, and I found the overall silly premise to fit really well with the horror aesthetic.”
“It's that mix of cute, creepy, and funny that makes the game so good.”
“The sense of absurd dark humor in the lore notes, and even in the overarching premise, is pretty great, exactly what I would expect from the guy that made Iron Lung, Chop Goblins, Squirrel Stapler, and Dusk.”
- music19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to create a creepy atmosphere, effectively combining cheesy horror elements with tension-building theremin sounds. While some tracks may come off as goofy, the overall soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, contributing to both the fear and the unique charm of the game. However, a few players noted issues with audio mixing and specific tracks that detracted from the overall vibe.
“Even though the whole premise is goofy and you'll hear weird theremin notes as a soundtrack, it does a great job at maintaining tension and making you nervous about what's around the next corner.”
“It has a very cheesy horror feel going for it as well as its scary yet goofy as hell soundtrack.”
“You have never felt more fear than seeing a skinless unicorn barreling around a corner in a dilapidated factory while theremin music wails in your ears like a pent-up banshee.”
“Story was going for silly and it fell flat; music was nothing but a theremin making alien noises; enemy variety was lacking; and the gameplay was walking down a hallway and then back again.”
“Only thing I find that kills the vibe is the UFO alien music that plays every now and then.”
“There's a sound cue, but it's buried underneath the music and there's no audio mixing in the options.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a unique blend of a retro 50's aesthetic and a striking black-and-white art style, enhanced by effective use of lighting that contributes to its horror atmosphere. While some players appreciate the charm in its simplicity and humor, others find the visuals lackluster compared to the developer's previous works. Overall, the graphics evoke a cohesive yet quirky experience that may not appeal to everyone, but effectively supports the game's comedic and terrifying elements.
“Although probably not for everyone, the pony factory has an amazing atmosphere and genuine art style that feels thought through instead of an interactive meme.”
“Loved the (mostly) b&w art style with high contrast and the mechanic of switching between the gun and light source.”
“It features a b&w aesthetic with some great use of baked lighting, has a basic combat system with some light resource management, and lots of terrifying encounters.”
“Don't expect the graphics to be anything to rave about; the charm lies in how terrible everything looks.”
“I should not need a graphics card to play a game that looks as technically simple as this.”
“Graphics: retro”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while it offers additional modes and challenges that can enhance the experience, many players feel that the linear nature and short playtime limit the desire to replay after the initial run. Some users appreciate the bonus modes and difficulty settings, suggesting that they provide a reason to revisit the game, but others find that the core experience is best enjoyed once.
“Great game, the first playthrough lasted about 45 minutes but has a lot of replay value for only 3 bucks.”
“The game features a gripping story, fast-paced action reminiscent of even triple-A titles, wonderful and well-paced comedy that adds to the horror atmosphere rather than detracting from it, gorgeous creature design, inspired level design, and nigh infinite replayability with its challenge modes.”
“As said on the store page, it's short but there are bonus modes if you're looking for some replay value, an extra challenge or two, or just simply want to get the most of what the improvements offer.”
“Scary, however after you beat the game, there's no replayability. There is a veteran mode and a no lights mode, but after the first run, you won't feel like doing it.”
“There are also a few modes to help with replayability, though I think you'd have to be a specific type to run through the game multiple times as it's very linear.”
“There is a bit of replay value with additional game modes, but from what I understand, you will see most of it in about an hour or less depending on how good you're at it.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of horror and discomfort, evoking strong feelings of trauma and unease through its unsettling imagery and narrative. Players appreciate the effective use of jumpscares and the thought-provoking commentary on corporate greed, which transforms innocent themes into a nightmarish experience. Overall, it strikes a balance that keeps players engaged without overwhelming them with fear.
“This has caused me more emotional trauma than anything I've ever experienced.”
“It was a good mix of horror and fun, some good jumpscares and places that made me feel uncomfortable, but not so much that I just quit out of fear like I normally do.”
“A brilliant and striking narrative about how corporate greed will twist and rend any wholesome dream into a hellish nightmare... I think...”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for significant performance issues, particularly during shooting sequences where effects like muzzle flashes cause frame drops. While the gameplay is generally enjoyable, these technical problems detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend.
“The performance of the game is completely whack.”
“The performance is made even worse when attempting to shoot because the muzzle flash seems to be dropping frames as well.”
“It was enjoyable to play for the most part, but between the performance issues and the final boss, it's hard to truly recommend the game because it has its share of problems.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits some stability issues, including bugs and glitches, which are attributed to its development as a short micro-game by a small team for a game jam. While players have experienced getting stuck on objects and needing to restart, these issues are generally considered manageable given the game's brief nature and recent release.
“I understand that all of the jank and glitches I experienced are due to this being a 10-20 minute long micro-game made by two people for a game jam.”
“I know the game just released a couple of weeks ago, but it is a bit buggy. I've gotten stuck on certain objects and have needed to quit out of the game and go back into it, but this isn't really much of a problem.”
