Poncho is a puzzle platform game by Delve Interactive (published by Rising Star Games) that explores what life would be like without the existence of humanity. Players take on the role of Poncho, a robot wearing a poncho (naturally), who wakes up to discover humanity has been extinct for several centuries. With their human masters long gone, robots have formed tribes and communities of their own in an attempt to regain a sense of purpose in life. Despite how past events have unfolded, the small robot Poncho is tasked with the responsibility of finding his maker and discovering the true fate of humankind.
The defining feature of this Wii U eShop title is the ability to shift between the background and foreground of each level; this mechanic is similar to the plane shifting skill in Mutant Mudds. The difference here is that this manoeuvre can be executed at any time via a single button press. This approach to level design has enabled Delve Interactive to create what it describes as an open-world platform game, with the small robot required to regularly leap from one plane to another, exploring every nook and cranny of the surrounding environment. Fortunately, any mistakes made along the way do not result in a loss of lives. Poncho allows players to fall off ledges or get hit by moving blocks an infinite amount of times, and then reset in a safe zone.
The layer shift mechanic takes a while to adapt to, and is performed with the L and R buttons. The level design is inspired by the story, and includes urban locales that were once bustling hubs occupied by humanity that have now been reclaimed by mother nature. The pathways in each level are often unclear at first, as a result of the overgrowth and layering, but this is all part of the adventure the developer intended to create. To progress in each level certain switches must be activated, gates will need to be unlocked with keys and shifting platforms have to be jumped across. Each level builds on these fundamentals, and eventually interlaces these mechanics together to raise the overall complexity. An advanced puzzle may require a switch that needs to be activated in the background, and then Poncho must jump onto a moving platform in the foreground, and then jump off again at a certain point before it stops moving. Many of these puzzles are trial and error - which will inevitably frustrate some players - until it finally clicks after several attempts.
There are many other challenges to overcome in each level, such as special zones which prevent the use of shifting mechanic and teleportation devices that send Poncho to a completely different area. These teleportation sections often contribute to a bigger puzzle's solution. Red, blue and green keys also play a vital role - they enable the player to proceed beyond a certain part of a level, provided they have collected the correct key. Otherwise Poncho must resort to buying keys with local currency, from a robot vendor located in certain areas.
The puzzle elements of Poncho are quite a challenge, but once the concept of the layer shift mechanic is grasped and an understanding of block movement is developed, the rising difficulty of the game becomes more tolerable. It is easy to get lost in levels due to this layering, but thankfully each area is filled with exciting details, including randomly generated ecosystems of creatures, all co-existing and reacting to Poncho's movements. This somewhat eases the pain. The fellow robots that occupy the human ruins and settlements are also very talkative, and have many lines of dialogue that provide interesting insights and comedic relief in between each challenge. Unfortunately though, the excessive use of essentially the same layer switch puzzles wears thin over time, and greatly detracts from the overall experience.
According to Delve Interactive, the graphics in Poncho were inspired by old school SEGA titles. This is present through the 2D pixel artwork and also the moving 3D parallax layers. It's very much reminiscent of titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog on the Mega Drive. The music blends in nicely with the backdrops, with fitting tunes that feel relevant to the many prominent themes featured throughout the game including mother nature, isolation, extinction and self-discovery.
One last point to make is about the controls. Poncho can only be played with the Wii U GamePad, even though no second screen is required; only one screen, either on the GamePad or television, is used. A Pro Controller in a puzzle platforming game such as this would have been appreciated and it's a crying shame so many indie platform titles on the Wii U do not include Pro Controller support. Despite this shortcoming the controls are still highly responsive, making dealing with the tough platform challenges a lot more bearable.
Conclusion
Credit must be given to Delve Interactive for encouraging exploration in a genre that is regularly perceived as one of the most linear gaming experiences on offer. The complication of this depth is the fact the platforming and puzzle elements of Poncho become quite a test over time, and often require an excessive amount of trial and error. This title is not for faint-hearted players as a result; each puzzle and platform element can be cruel despite the infinite retry feature. There is no hand holding and there is no instantaneous sense of accomplishment or joy as you would receive from a more traditional platformer. Check out Poncho if you enjoy puzzle problem solving within a slower-paced platforming game environment, otherwise think carefully before trying it out.
Comments 31
The pixel art looks really good.
Hmm, was hoping for a 7 at the very least.... will have to think about it. :
@Shiryu after reading the review it sounds like a seven.
As a point of feedback, this review was not very well written. It did not explain in any way why the game received a 6. Difficulty and no pro controller support do not seem like big complaints to me. Other than that, it seemed like the reviewer liked the game. I haven't played the game, but this review seemed a little unfair.
I've tried the game on Steam, and overall it's not bad, but also a bit sluggish and boring. Granted, I only got through the first level, but nothing about it seemed to grab my attention, aside from the pretty pixel art.
The review doesn't sound like a 6 o:
lol what a cute robot it reminds me of my dad
I'll wait for user reviews. I may get this because it looks good and inovative.
Agree with the other comments. The review does not reflect the score given. What gives?
Erm...far be it for me to tell people how to review a game, but has game journalism now become so formulaic that they down score games for having to adapt or learn a new take on something? This should be celebrated not criticised! This did not read as a 6 and has left me none the wiser as to where it's shot comings are (and using the gamepad is here nor there for me.)
Uh...what the fronk? Do you pull review scores out of your hat Liam? Your scores never seem to line-up with what you write. I've seen some of your reviews that are positive, but yet the score is a 5...it just doesn't make any sense...
I'm not trying to be rude, but I'm just curious.
The review seems a little harsh and the score doesn't match the opinion.
Shame so many indie platform titles on the Wii U do not include Nunchuk + Wii Remote support.
This website has become totally unreliable for eShop reviews.
Why don't you pack your bags and open an astrology website? These reviews are getting as accurate as the horoscope!
And there's zero senso of consistency in the scores - 5s are handed out to obnoxious two quid games and 5s and 6s are given to legitimately good titles...
The only negatives mentioned seem to be "lack of Pro Controller support" (hardly anything people care about unless coop is available) and "frustrating difficulty" , a parameter so subjective and so overused in reviews that the more I read it, the more it sounds an empty word...
To be fair, I've read reviews from other publishers that also felt that difficulty was a major problem with this game. Of course, they were better written, and made sure to include examples as to why they felt the game became a chore, or even downright unfair after a while.
So yeah, the vast majority of this review is just a dry explanation of the premise and mechanics, when it's quite clear judging from the last paragraph or so that the reviewer had some complex feelings about the game in the end that really needed to be explained in depth in order for the readers to understand, preferably with direct examples.
Oh well, next time, man, m'right?
@faint I think I need to give it a shot.
..looks pretty good..and hey, at least they didn't name him Blanket..lol..
sorry @KINGOFPOP, I just had to..
@BarryDunne NO
This game reminds me of Cave Story....... that alone makes it at least a 7 in my book.
I like the thing about Indie games that I believe some sites downgrade them for, and that the unknown. The game premise and characters are often "not Mario" and have a clean slate with new worlds and surprises. Did anyone else get lost with Fez? Same thing...... Guzcamelee? Shovel Knight?
I am all in for new, especially at a time when NintenDon't deliver anymore. Bring it on Poncho, I'll give you a shot!
(+ extra credit for giving us something new to play on WiiU)
@SH007ME There are worse names these days... Blanket is a term of affection for MJ's youngest child, it's not on his birth certificate, I believe Elizabeth Taylor, Michaels good friend, had a much loved pet called Blanket.
I really don't understand comments here on this review. 6 is not a bad score on NintendoLife. After all, the games are rated on a scale from 1 to 10.
@BarryDunne It's always nice to have a heads up from other people. I am also waiting for local Portuguese reviews of the game. Besides, I do reviews here to... I hope people (at the very least!) give them a read.
If you have a PS4, pick it up for that.
Cost me £1.45 on PSN store.
A very positive review....and then a 6 appears! Strange, though I think this game didn't score that high on other platforms too. However, it still looks cool and I might try it someday when it gets cheaper!
@KoopaTheGamer - It's a comparison thing. Plus, the complaints are more about the review itself just not going in depth in any meaningful way.
This really needs to be on 3DS. The 3D would back things alot clearer, as to whats in the background/foreground.
..Hey @MJInnocent, sorry..was just havin pun..you're right, There are worse names these days..but that's comparing Apples and Norths...aha..and really my thought, besides the pun of course, was that if this game was lazy and stripped of it's challenge, the name would be too...then it would probably be a little kid's game, scoring less than a 6...
...nice, I didn't know that about MJ's pet name..too bad Liz's dog wasn't a Chihuahua named Poncho tho, I kinda like Poncho Jackson...
@SH007ME Hey no problem, most people don't know that he's not actually called Blanket, I was just putting that out there. The pun was great by the way! I liked the 'Apples and Norths' even more lol
@MJInnocent ..lol..thanks..
No pro controller support is really lame. Devs, take a little time for that extra layer of polish — supporting another controller is really not too much to ask.
I think the Wii U version has less details than other versions. I've seen videos from PC/PS4 version with birds flying through the forest, and giant robots in the backgrounds, and big squids in the water, etc. These details are not present in the Wii U version. It's still a highly detailed game though.
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