What do you get when you combine intense platforming, an apocalyptic future ruled by robots and Peruvian clothing? Poncho.
PONCHO
Developer: Delve Interactive
Price: $14.99
Platform: PC
MonsterVine was supplied with PC code for review
After an unknown cataclysmic event human civilization is no more. Poncho, our smartly dressed robot, awakes with the mission of finding his creator and releasing him. Only by doing so will the human race be reborn. This is all we are told before shuffling off into the wilderness.
The haunting introduction of the game is quickly replaced with happy jaunting through forests to upbeat melodies and short conversations with your fellow robots. Poncho doesn’t give much direction to player as it begins, it instead relies on exploration to find the correct path through each level and discover the hidden areas within.
Gaining access to those hidden areas is primarily achieved by making use of Poncho’s main ability, traversing “parallax layers.” Each level is made of multiple layers of playable area. The foreground, midground and background act as platforms that you can instantly shift between with the press of a button, even in mid-jump. This traversal of the z-axis makes for a number of intriguing puzzle platforming moments. With a combination of jumping and shifting you’re able to transport yourself onto higher platforms in a different layer. Finding your way becomes even more complex with the introduction of platforms that also move through the layers and whole chunks of scenery that slide from side to side.
So, what is the purpose of all this exactly? Apart from the quickly deteriorating main story element, from the opening cutscene you are driven by the tantalizing and ever-present collect-a-thon. Scattered throughout each level are a certain amount of red, gem shaped coins. These act as a currency to purchase keys. Keys come in a range of colors which open corresponding colored doors. Over the course of your collecting career you will need to revisit levels in order to complete them to 100%. One example in particular is when you meet a character who gives you the goal of collecting even more collectables with the reward of ability unlocks.
Poncho is a very difficult platforming experience. Players will likely die hundreds of times to missed jumps or misreading which layer to shift to. This may have been a point for frustration if not for the checkpoint system. If you fall to your demise you simply respawn on the platform you jumped from. It’s not until you’re playing the game’s more challenging sections that you really start to appreciate this feature. One tricky section could take upwards of fifteen attempts. This combined with the expansive levels means that a traditional checkpoint system would have been a controller-throwing experience. Instead, Poncho is a challenging and rewarding platformer.
The levels require lateral thinking to decipher how to progress. Using shifting platforms and depth as path forwards is quite an interesting concept. It is easy to draw a comparison to Fez in this regard. While both games do share a few common traits, including a character identifying themselves by a piece of clothing, Poncho’s traversal concept is genuinely creative and unique.
Visually the game is breath-taking. High-fidelity and pixel-art are two terms you don’t often hear together, but in this case it hits the nail on the head. Poncho is filled with detail and overflowing with style. Lush forests and interesting characters fill the levels and each new environment has its own distinct feel. With the layered levels and pink forest canopy, Poncho brings back nostalgic memories of PS1 classic, Tomba. Fun, quirky characters are also a highlight. One in particular stands out. A decrepit machine who has lost his army of robots, The Junkyard King! It’s up to Poncho to (you guessed it…) collect them. Fun dialogue, quirky design and an amazing soundtrack make this a memorable experience.
That being said, at times its reliance on collecting items is too high. There just isn’t anything else driving the game forward. I’m not someone who aims to 100% complete most games, so the draw for me was just to experience the next level and get to each exit portal. There was satisfaction in finding hidden areas, but be prepared for a lot of exploring and jumping into empty space to find them all.
The Final Word
Poncho is a blast to play. It’s difficult, yet rewarding;the punishment for failure is minimal. The levels are unique and the puzzle designs are effective. Traversing the “parallax layers” is an elegant mechanic that circumvents traditional concepts of movement and level design. It’s only held back by its overreliance on collectables and weak narrative.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
