Review: Pony Island 

I object to this game calling itself "a suspense puzzle game in disguise" because it isn't much of a disguise if the person selling it tells you about the disguise in the first place.

I don't get where all this cynical bitterness against games such as Pony Island comes from. It seems to me that it is mostly an uninformed knee-jerk reaction against some sort of non-existent straw man. I read a lot about Pony Island being "just like other indie games". I dare you to come up with just one game that is just like it. Undertale and Stanley Parable are nothing whatsoever like Pony Island, apart from them being "meta" in some way or to some degree. Anyone who actually played these games would know that! It is only in vague summaries or descriptions that they appear somewhat similar. I don't get it. How is it that some people are ok with a thousand almost identical games about, for example, shooting stuff, but become cynical when faced with a very small handful of vaguely similar low-budget titles that really try something different? I'm not saying that Pony Island and "clever" indie games are the path to salvation, or that everyone should like them, but I think we are in huge trouble if we cannot tolerate weird little experiments like this in a phenomenally large industry.

I'm surprised he forgot to mention the most obvious thing that Pony Island is: A dark parody of the inner workings of the modern mobile game formula that focuses on retention, metrics, CPA, ARPU and all other game dev business terms that dehumanize the player into an object to extract money from. Hence why its saying things about "give your soul" ingame and so on.

Not saying that this is a masterpiece, but it's an interesting little thing, especially because it was made in a game jam. These things are always interesting to look at it, independent of quality. If you actually care for videogames you want to sample as many different things in the industry as you can, so all the plebs below and above me saying "I'D RATHER EAT THE TACO LOL" You're ebin memers and should remain in your 9gag or redditholes.

I think the interactions with Asmodeus.exe merit some mentioning; it was wonderful the way it tapped into the player's mindset to create a challenge, but also unfortunate that failing the challenge has very little drawback

One thing that saddens me is that the quirk factor seems to outweigh the quality factor for indie titles these days. Fun games with solid mechanics but a generic story don't get nearly as much coverage as the short game with creepy pixel graphics and spooky story. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of genuinely fun games because of it. Yeah Undertale and Pony Island and such are interesting, but I don't see myself accidentally losing 8 hours of my life engrossed in its game mechanics.

Games like these have been around Newgrounds for ages. I played a point and click game about a guy trapped in a house with white and black coded bars everywhere that turned out to be in an asylum staring at the bars in his cell. A game where every single thing you did earned you an achievement. One weird flash game where you played some sort of weird and creepy story about a parasite brother living inside a boy. (covetous i think?) A platformer where all you did was burn a rope to kill a boss, then the end would prompt with a song about how you burned the rope and won the game. (You gotta burn the rope) A platformer where you had to do the opposite of what a "glados like" creature told you to do. (wish i remembered the name). A newer release about a game where there is no game. (There is no game). A platformer where you play as a guy that as he walks, you can see how everything and everyone he meets is actually deceiving him on his back. ( no idea of the name). And many many more hidden little gems that take like 10 mins to complete, but have more inmersive story telling than many AAA games i´ve played.

Why does a game become notable just for 4th-wall breaking quirks that [open air quotes] _subvert conventional conventions in a subversive subverting convention-breaking way_? [close air quotes]

So I view it as the first major Undertale-influenced game: primitive looking game with some surprisingly deep and original mechanics such as 4th wall breaks that occur in para-game territory (menus/save states/coding become part of the gameplay and narrative) and cheeky infantile aesthetics transgressed by semi-psychological horror elements, AND the illusion of linearity that is actually subverted by non-linear actions in a rhizome-like fashion as you dig deeper and deeper. It's kinda like Undertale crossed with Her Story (the point and click CRT screen exploration) and a primitive version of Robot Unicorn Attack (runner sections are not addictive or compelling at all though), along with the meta-game horror characteristic of Undertale/Sanity's Requiem/9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors. It's....pretty damn cool...most of the time, I think. Essentially I agree 100% with George.

For 5 bucks you can get an older game like BioShock on a Steam sale.

Shameless Taco Bell advertisement smh.

I think Pony Island and games of its ilk are getting a bit too meta for me. Meta, as in the Style-that-completely-devoured-the-Substance-and-happy-that-way meta. In my opinion, these kind of games-about-games are a bit too coy and too self-aware to be called, you know, amazing. Don't get me wrong, some chicanery can be really fun or interesting, but when all you've got in your video game is cutesy chicanery I can't help but feel like the game is hollow and untrue. Don't know, maybe it's just me, but whenever we say things like "Pony Island is the new Undertale" or "The Beginner's Guide is so very emotional and touching" it makes me feel as if we'd all agreed that the pretension of sincerity can only be achieved through sophisticated bravado of making The New And Definitive Videogame about Videogames. This is, to me, a very defeatist attitude. It's like saying "you can't create a videogame and be meaningful at the same time unless it features MGS2-level of self-deprecation; put some meta-commentary in your game, then we'll talk". Not everything has to be meta to be good, these postmodern times be damned. I don't know, it all just feels like a one-trick pony (heh). The game is, essentially, very flashy, but also very superficial: clearly more interested in revealing and reveling in its fake smoke-and-mirrors tricks than in doing something personal or interesting. It's really easy to have a detached appreciation for Pony Island (some of its quirks are genuinely fun and clever), while it takes real effort to care about anything happening in Pony Island. Man, it really looks like I'm bitching about a very minor thing, here. Geez, Pony Island is a good game, I mean it. It does some cool tricks. I just wish it had something more than tricks, though. I guess that's what you'd call Gamer Entitlement. Hey-oh!

My expectations were very much in line with most of the comments here: "I've seen this shtick before..." I figured it would spend an hour beating around the bush and slowly go satanic on me. Instead, it goes satanic in less than a half hour, and then PUSHES SATAN AS HARD AS POSSIBLE while varying up the ideas on presentation constantly. In the end I loved it.

In the space of a few days Iv went through all of your videos, these have to be some of the most intelligent and articulate video game reviews on youtube. Well done Sir.

More like Super BRONY hop LMAO

I'm getting a little sick of all the indie games coming out that rely on breaking the 4th wall, meta humor, and "creepy disguised as cute" type games with a quirky tone. The indie games that always get the most recognition either fall in this category or stupid joke games used for RU-vid bait like Goat Simulator, Shower with your Dad and Who's Your Daddy or pretentious walking simulators. There has to be indie games out there with more depth and substance in gameplay right? At the very least I hope indie games would do something new instead of this Adventure Time type quirky, random humor so much.

I adore this game and everything it tries to do. I had a big stupid grin after it pulled an early trick. I had to do a double take to see if I saw what I thought I saw. I wish I wasn't spoiled on it, but that didn't matter too much. I've done he same repetitive task so many damn times in games, I just love it when something just tries to be clever. Though I dunno if it's my mouse or if I'm losing it, but not all my clicks registered consistently it just seemed like I couldn't get my mouse moving fast enough for a lot o the puzzles and that got very frustrating.

"YOU KILLED JESUS"

you download it. you complete it in 2 hours. you say "that was pretty neat" and move on. if you got a night with nothing to do this is a worthy way to waste it.

taco bell taco bell, product placement taco bell~ enchirito nacho burrito~

Anyone know how to do the glitch-y effect George had for the intro of this vid? Is it just exporting and re-rendering the same file over and over again, or something more complex? I really like it.

I played this game for 2 hours. Then I uninstalled it, and I don't plan to reinstall it ever. I'm glad I gave it a try. It's the best pony game I have played in years!

Totally agreed. I started and finished it in two sittings over the course of a day, and I loved all its fourth wall breaks and variety and twists and expectation-fuckery (I was just about ready to say it couldn't top Undertale's mind screw *and then my favourite part of the game happened*), but some of the pony sections just go on for a bit too long to pull me a little out of the experience. With that said, I'm totally satisfied with the fiver I spent, and for what it's worth I bought a second copy to gift to my friend who was also coming off of Undertale.

So basically its more freeware flash games like we've had on Newgrounds (lol even the logo is theirs with a new image over the tank) for free for pretty much over a decade and a half. yay. $5....sure. sec, I think I'd rather eat junk food and then go visit Newgrounds.

I'm still going to buy it. Just for the fun of the experience. I know the formula might have been done to death but they are still fun for me to play.

i don't get people calling this an undertale clone. undertale at it's core is still a light rpg that employs some 4th wall breaking horror elements sure, but the entire game isn't based all around it, and for most playthroughs you outright avoid it. it uses those elements to tell its story as well as interact with the way people play games. it's not solely a "game about games" and frankly it just seems like a false dichotomy just because it shares one possible aesthetic. this game seems like it uses horror elements is more reminiscent to Eversion (if anyone even remembers that) with some Magic Circle themed puzzles and style more than anything else. it hardly seems fair to try and denote it as a clone when it barely seems like the case.

I honestly couldn't figure out how to get past the normal part in frog fractions, do I just keep doing fractions until something happens?

I first saw a buddy of mine playing this game through the Steam Friends tab. This is a guy who normally just plays Military Simulation games, so understandably, I was concerned. I tried talking to him, very little to no response. He'd just keep telling me, "It's Pony Island... I'm playing Pony Island." He kept muttering nonsense about having to pay with your soul and I thought I lost him to some strange My Little Pony fantasy world.

There's been a lot of pleasant surprises so far this month/year.

I was just thinking about Super Bunnyhop today. I saw Digital Foundry's analysis of the new Resident Evil 0 and how it compares to the cube/wii versions and it reminded me of the awesome Remake video you did about a year back. I'm hoping you'll do one for 0 as well because I've seen your RE Remake video like 20 times. It's one of my favorite youtube videos.

Little Inferno executes the facade very well.

I would love to hear your opinion on The Magic Circle.

To me, the story was engaging enough that I pushed through the boring runner segments. To be fair, each iteration of the runner segment was remixed in a meaningful way which kept it interesting..

INB4 Bronies

I'm fed up with 4rd wall breaking art games.

Shit, another Undertale. We're fucked.

Have you checked out Rebel Galaxy? I think it has some gameplay aspects you would get some fun out of.

George Weidman saying "pony" over and over................................*the day has come*

The 'quirky surprise' is getting as generic and tired as the 'twitch shooter'.

im afraid for all the shitty clones to come

So you aren't doing a 2015 year end video?

Can you make a video about how war games like Call of Duty and Battlefield are overshadowing truly great war games that invoke the feeling of terror and fear of inevitable death such as the Red Orchestra series or Verdun and Insurgence.

Strangely enough, I really liked the in-universe Pony Island mini game and its variations. That other puzzle where you have to move icons around to guide the cursor to the end... now THAT was overused and very boring, if you ask me. Overall, a solid 7/10 for its price tag.

Should've ended it with the guy from Robocop saying "I'D BUY THAT FOR" and then cut in to Siri's voice saying "Five American Dollars"

I couldn't get to the interesting parts of this game because the red-and-blue colour thing gave me headaches to look at for too long. I couldn't look at the screen long enough to even get the pony lasers.

George just invented better than junk food/10

I don't know, man. Back when I started playing you knew from the start if you had to shoot demons or eat dots on a screen.

I was definitely not expecting this game to be what it was based on the title. I figured this was going to be some kind of sarcastic review of a kid's game. But I'm definitely glad I watched it now

I think the funniest part of the comment section is the apparent distaste some people have for surprise. How disgustingly comfortable do people have to be in their boredom to hate something so fundamental to joy as surprise?

If it's a gamejam started project that began over a year or so ago, how are we to say it's influenced by something there is merely 4 months old to a degree? I think there is a bit more to these field that has been growing. Stanley Parable for certain & I think there has been others in the realm lurking there. Much like any "genre" or thematic style, they really arise as much congruently from the time other than directly from eachother.

Glad I watched this. Was going to pass it up but I decided to put some faith in you and it paid off. Pony Island is now on the wishlist.

I would definitely recommend this one, it's really good, though not everyone's cup of tea.

A crunchers slider big box includes the following items: 1 Doritos Loco Taco 1Burrito Supreme 1 Crunchwrap slider of your choice between chicken siracha, spicy nacho, beefy Frito crunch, and BLT 1 Medium Drink And a ton of regrets

It does kind of make you wonder though; when we DO reach the critical mass point for these types of self aware games, when this sub-genre fully matures, what WILL it look like? And will we even know it when we see it?

To me, this game felt a little too reminiscent in comedy styling and storytelling to Isaac Proudbottom Teaches Typing (which I wholeheartedly recommend everyone to play, it's incredible). I don't want to give away anything about IPTT, but if you think Pony Island tells a fun story, then IPTT will tickle your fancy as well (AND it's a surprisingly satisfying typing game, too!).

I see the word CLONE being thrown around a lot. Interesting how few people know what it means.

Bull, I'm off to get a crunch wrap.

Having spent years in self isolation to pursue my dreams of being a pony I can attest to the corruption that human/pony entities are exposed to, I'm not sure if Pony Island is geared more towards corruption or salvation, seems more to the point about things than Secret of the Magic Crystals, a game which seems to be on sale on steam more often than not and from what I've heard can be quite the soul numbing grind for experience, MLP and bronyisim can be corrupt in and of itself of course but in my opinion is no more corrupt than what the individual brings to it, brings out pre existing darkness more than it enforces it. Pony people are a sensitive lot so I may not risk playing pony island, however as a pony in Texas I can attest to the darkness of the antipony being darker than pony darkness if that makes sense, witch trials, I personally have had to go to some extremes for my spiritual safety and as such could see the potential value for a playthrough, awesome reviews SBH, thanks.

It's basically a non-spooky FNAF kind of game: the meta-game is more than the official 'gameplay' - interesting

When the video started I thought you were going to talk about MGS2 and how internet is getting out of hand lol.

This may fill the void in my life for 5$, but it doesn't fill the void in my body for 5$.

Wow, George, great moves, keeep it up. Proud of you.

Please tell me you're doing a video on Pocket Mortys.

The thumbnail looked so bad i thought it was a Jim Sterling squirty play.

i avoided watching this video for almost a year. finally got around to playing pony island because it was on sale for a dollar. can't really complain, but I'm glad i didn't spoil it for myself.

It's not supposed to be some "Self Aware smartass simulator" or some other 4th wall breaking art piece. It's a direct allegory for Game Development (Especially Indie) I really don't know how it's not completely obvious to a quick glance

It's a cool idea, I just wish it wasn't painfully unfun to *play*. I was much happier watching other people play it than suffering through another newgrounds arrow puzzle. It commits the same sin that so many parodies do. "Hey, isn't this really dumb? Isn't it dumb when games do this? Hahaha. Go do it."

THEY TAKING DA PRINCESS TO BOWSAH'S PONY ISLAND DISCO PALACE!

Do you feel partial towards this game because your own channel "Super Bunnyhop" with a "friendly" bunny icon is actually a disguise for something else, something far more sinister?

The Stanley parable and undertale are not the only good self aware games. I feel antichamber did it much better because it also included good gameplay. I would just like to say in the discussion of games that break game conventions it Antichamber needs to be discussed more.

for me five dollars is the mark where I buy games like mount and blade warband, or far cry blood dragon. this is something I might buy for under a dollar, if i consider replayability this video also reminded me that junk food exists and that I have eaten almost nothing in the last two days. I'mma get a kebab for three bucks and fifty cents.

This is not a game, it's an experience. A damn twisted one at that.

It's really interesting seeing this review 4 years later when Doki Doki Literature Club has come out, which was a huge success without straightup telling you that there is a darker secret beneath it. Although obviously, through guerilla marketing, 90% of people who tried it out probably were still aware that the game is not what it purports to be. Although the obvious difference is that DDLC was free. Still, Pony Island keeping it's facade and not spoiling what is beneath it outright on the store page is an interesting what-if.

Alternative option: Watch a playthrough on RU-vid so you can skip the boring jumping segments, watch the story unfold, and spend your $5 on chicken nuggets instead.

After looking through all the comments, I've noticed several people stating that there are only 4 games that have done the 4th wall breaking thing. Where did this imaginary, small number come from?

you caught me right after i bought junkfood.

David Foster Wallace warned us of this. "But after the pioneers always come the crank turners, the little gray people who take the machines others have built and just turn the crank, and little pellets of metafiction come out the other end." What bothers me about this game is not metafiction in gaming as much as it is the transparently gimmicky usage of it. To be meta is to be meta, but to be post modern is to reconstruct what you have deconstructed. It may be an interesting game, but once it lifts its veil, there is only a cynical cash grab at the expense of a rising market. This game doesn't really deserve praise because of this. Undertale lead somewhere. This kind of leads nowhere.

They probably had to be upfront about what it was or else theyd have parents complain it gave their kids nightmares.

Smartass simulator! That's amazing. So is Frog Fractions a smartass simulator too? The term sounds totally legit.

Yo! George! What happened with Nathan?

Came here for a video game review, got a lesson in nutrition instead. 10/10

I'd rather buy taco bell. thanks

Great review. I did not understand a single word.

I hate to be one who ignores the video and asks for a review on another game, but UnderRail any time soon?

I didn't heed your warning when you didn't want to spoil Undertale and watched your review anyway. You most certainly did not spoil crucial plot points, but I'd wish I had known less about it before heading in despite enjoying the game immensely. Is this another one of those kinds of games?

play "The Magic Circle" that game is WAAAY more entertaining

Frog Fractions 2?

Another thing: this game has a enormous hype. I played it because the overwhelming good reviews and the good experience that i had with Undertale. If some people find UT overrated/overhyped this game is the next.

"smartass simulator" lol

RIP Alan Rickman

I will never understand the appeal of these forth wall breaking games

oh my god.. IS UNDERTALE FROG FRACTIONS 2?!?

It may be worth the $5, but is it worth the time and frustration?

idk dog taco bell would hit right now

And now I want taco bell, damn it.

Man. Bunnyhop, you saved meh. After hearing Jim gush, I, for a while, learnt what it means to not 'get' a hype, like with Undertale. But now I know that, yes, it has flaws and I'm not just a stupid idiot who isn't cool enough to 'get it'. OOF. WHAT A TERRIBLE WORLD I HAVE LEARNED OF.

I have no fucking idea what is going on in this comment section. I mean, how much things exists that have either: 1) 4th wall breaks 2) quirk 3) meta humor ? I can't even count to four, and that's including Metal Gear Solid 2

What even is this

Taco Bell kicks ass! 3 Supreme Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos with Fire Sauce is my jam when I get my stress-eating on.

What's with peope saying there are to many meta/4th wall breaking games? The only *major* ones I can think of, that use if as a literal plot-point are: SuperHOT Eversion Frog Fractions Frog Fractions 2 The Stanely Parable Undertale Pony Island That's not alot, compared to the tons of other games out there... I also don't really see to much similarity between these games. But, y'know, whatever...