Pony Island

Pony Island has been on my list of games to play ever since I played INSCRYPTION, which is made by the same developer. Comparisons to INSCRYPTION I think make for good talking points for a review about Pony Island, even though these games are very mechanically different. One of the main things that INSCRYPTION does well, is subverting your expectations. As soon as you get to know the rules of the game, a twist is introduced. Sometimes it's not too crazy, perhaps just a gameplay mechanic that changes how the card game is played. Other times, it's completely mind-blowing and changes your perspective of the game entirely. I'd argue that INSCRYPTION's best trick is being able to constantly surprise you in a way that makes it so It can never be experienced for the first time again. But on top of its masterpiece presentation, it's a fantastically fun card game. Similarly to Inscryption, Pony Island heavily relies on being able to subvert your expectations in order to give you an incredible game experience. But unlike INSCRYPTION, Pony Island doesn't have much of a fun core card game; it's the 'surprises' that are the core of what make the game special. This makes reviewing and even recommending the game tough. By explaining anything about Pony Island to anyone about any aspect of it other than the title, a prospective player's experience is devalued. And I don't want that. Because this is a clever game that I want people to play. It's tricky. So, if you can trust me and have about four hours of game time lying around with a few bucks to spare... I am telling you up front that Pony Island is a game worth not just playing, but completing 100%. The puzzles are interesting, and the twists are well worth it to experience first hand. Plus, in doing so, you'll learn the full context of the overarching narrative, which I believe will properly prepare you for Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, which is looking like yet another Daniel Mullins masterpiece. This is certainly one of my shorter reviews in quite some time, but I respect you and the surprises in the game too much to reveal any more of it. Perhaps, to illustrate a subset of players I think would jibe with this, I'll say, if you played and enjoyed INSCRYPTION, enjoy short indie games, or have enjoyed visual novels before, this could be right up your alley. Now, maybe you're a bit peeved that my review is so short and generalized and are curious for more, I get that. My compromise is, I made a YouTube video reviewing the game, and it goes much, much further in depth than this, I have my reasons as to why. I encourage you to watch it if you have any other doubts! Hopefully I'll catch you in the reviews for Pony Island 2: Panda Circus. Ultimately, I recommend you play Pony Island! https://youtu.be/bOKX59U3xVI

Brilliantly unhinged 10/10 Pony Island isn’t a game. It’s a malware-induced fever dream disguised as a puzzle platformer. Truly a night-mare.

What is to be done with a game like Pony Island in a post "mid-2010s meta game boom" world? In a post Inscryption world? While an big splash on initial release, it's hard not to view Pony Island today as Daniel Mullins simply doing some stretches before stepping up the plate for his future releases. As it is, Pony Island feels like a lot of boring to mildly interesting plot and gameplay with some brilliant aesthetics and a few moments of truly impactful catharsis. While I would say it's worth your time if you'd like to better have an understanding of Mullin's roots and a fun little teaser of his future themes (why games are played/made and what that says about the maker/player) it is in no way a must play. Panda Circus is extremely exciting to me because Mullins' ideas here and the little glimmers of genius he discovers within Pony Island warrant ripe material for him to return to now with more games under his belt.

This Game was very unexpected, didn't really expect this game to be all that I just knew I had seen a few YouTubers play it way back in the day and totally forgot about it until like a couple weeks ago. I finally got around to playing it today and I was VERY SURPRISED! I has a really good story, 4th-wall breaking moments, plot-twists etc. the whole 9 yards! I in fact enjoyed the game so much that I spent the last 9.3 hours 100% the game, it was very worth it as well. this game is a solid 8/10 it is a fantastic game and when I got the game it was free but I don't know if it still is though. game has charm and I am glad i played it. (P.S I really encourage people that pick this game up to get ALL the tickets in the game, you wont be disappointed ;) )

Daniel Mullins is a genius. It feel so real. No puzzle felt too hard but it also did not feel like it was on rails. This is one of my favorite games I have played this year. Literally can’t criticize the game at all. So well done. 9.2/10

A short and fun little experience that feels like playing a well-made Flash game on Newgrounds back in the day.

So I recently played this game again. The game fell off over the years. There are many games that follow the same idea but do it better. If you, however, take the release date into consideration, it gets a lot more impressive. During 2016 it was one of its kind. Pony Island is a must-play if not for the gameplay, do it for the history of that genre.

The premise of this game is quite interesting. However, it suffers a fatal flaw: the arcade parts just aren't fun to play. The puzzle parts are... alright at best. And so, despite the story being interesting, Pony Island simply fails to deliver on a gameplay level. I can't help but compare the game to Inscryption, which has a similar premise, but which actually has interesting gameplay. If you want a psychological horror, play that one instead.

a classic 4th wall game tbh, the dev is good at making these

✨ REVIEW OF PONY ISLAND: "A DECEPTION WEARING THE MASK OF WIT" 𝑩𝒚 𝑴𝒓. 𝑭𝒐𝒙 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ‎ ‎ 👻 Psychological horror? Labeling Pony Island as psychological horror is like calling a depressed Garfield meme "existentialist". There's no atmosphere, ambiguity, or exploration of the human psyche, just satanic clichés and Windows 95-style jump scares. ‎ ‎ 🧩 "Meta-narrative" Good meta storytelling breaks the fourth wall to create existential vertigo or tragic irony. Pony Island breaks it to shout "Hey, I know I'm a game! Am I not clever!?" Spoiler: it isn't; its self-awareness is childish. ‎ ‎ 👺 Cardboard demons These demons have no moral ambiguity, no seductive darkness, no double meaning, just screens with 666 all over them. I didn't feel possessed, I felt trapped in a Hot Topic catalog from 2006. ‎ ‎ 🧠 "A really smart game" It is smart,,, if your last reference point was Flappy Bird. Many critics confuse the presence of meta-narrative with depth. But Pony Island has no layers, no symbolism, no mechanics that unveil a deeper thesis, just forced glitches and demonic text. It feels like a Creepypasta Wiki page turned into a Flash minigame. ‎ ‎ 🕹️ Is it unplayable, then? Not really. It has entertaining moments. There are puzzles, and a vintage aesthetic that can appeal to some. But it doesn't justify the symbolic overpricing of calling it a gem or indie masterpiece. ‎ ‎ 💀 Veredict! Pony Island is a prime example of how posture can masquerade as substance. It works as a curiosity, a brief distraction, or as a cautionary tale for young developers. > Review written from the purgatory where poorly executed concepts go to rot.

they made the devil sad, pathetic and peggable

its a good game, odd but good.

satan isn't a very good programmer

It's a good game.

go in blind and start clicking everything in sight

заставили удалить игру о_0

can't stp t gd

This man never misses

I like ponies

my lkittle pony

cool

Maybe.

MLP GAME

17.5/20

[table] [tr] [th] [b]✔️ The Good [/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Cool Gameplay[/u]: *Pony Island* is anything but a cutesy platformer. It's a cleverly disguised puzzle-horror game that constantly breaks the fourth wall in unexpected and creative ways. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Genre-Bending Experience[/u]: The game blends elements of point-and-click, programming puzzles, and arcade action in a uniquely meta narrative that keeps you questioning everything. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Unpredictable Plot[/u]: The story twists and turns through corrupted code, fake crashes, and system manipulation, delivering a surprisingly deep commentary on game design and player agency. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Inventive Interface Tricks[/u]: From corrupted menus to "hacking" internal systems, the UI itself becomes a playground of mystery and surprise. [/td] [/tr] [/table] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3502204042 [table] [tr] [th] [b]❌ The Bad [/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Not for Everyone[/u]: Its meta-narrative and genre subversion may confuse or frustrate players expecting a more traditional game structure. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Limited Replayability[/u]: While brilliant on a first run, knowing the tricks and plot twists diminishes the impact on a second playthrough. [/td] [/tr] [/table] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3502204656 [table] [tr] [th] ⚠️The Ugly [/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]No Option to Skip Dialogue[/u]: Dialogue can’t be fast-forwarded, which unnecessarily pads the playtime and slows down repeated attempts or exploration. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Lack of Visual Appeal[/u]: Intentionally minimalist, but the visuals might be too barebones or jarring for those who prefer polished aesthetics. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] • [u]Abrupt Ending[/u]: The game’s finale, while clever, ends rather suddenly and may leave players wishing for a bit more closure. [/td] [/tr] [/table] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3502204817 [table] [tr] [th] [b] Current Price 💰[/b] [/th] [th] [b] Historical Low 📉[/b] [/th] [th] [b] ⛔️ Worth the price? ✅[/b] [/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] $4.99 [/td] [td] $0.74 [/td] [td]✅ worth it for fans of obscure 4th wall breaking games. I would suggest getting it on sale though. [/td] [/tr] [/table] [hr][/hr] [h1]Overall Score: [/h1] [h3] 6.9/10 [/h3]