Glitchy aesthetics. Actually collapsing menu bins. The sport taunting you by “possessing” your Steam associates. Technical tips of this nature could sound gimmicky in 2026, however they felt excitingly unorthodox a decade in the past, when Pony Island got here out to vital acclaim.
Followers of Daniel Mullins, the celebrated indie developer of Inscryption, shall be forgiven for forgetting that Pony Island 2: Panda Circus is in energetic growth. In spite of everything, it’s been virtually three years for the reason that announcement – and a full decade because it was first teased as an Easter egg in Pony Island’s ARG (Alternate Actuality Sport) – with solely a single trailer and a bunch of tunes from the soundtrack launched to the general public.
Whereas the announcement trailer teases the return of endless-runner sequences and glitchy menus, Panda Circus is seemingly a far larger and extra difficult venture than its predecessor; therefore the 3D landscapes, pixel artwork JRPG sequences and even obvious nods to video games equivalent to The Case of the Golden Idol. Which is why Mullins claims that, no less than by way of gameplay selection, Panda Circus is nearer to The Hex and Inscryption than the unique recreation.
“[Pony Island 2] is multifaceted in its gameplay and wide-ranging in its influences. However this time the disparate recreation techniques are united by extra frequent parts,” he says, referencing the drag-and-drop “hacking” puzzle. “That straightforward premise was prolonged into an limitless quantity of blocks and holes of assorted descriptions.”
The plot sees a historic warrior who was slain on his campaign and was damned to hell, the place he’s laid low with a video games-making Lucifer. This comically morbid story “is the strongest hyperlink to its predecessor” from a story standpoint – though, we’re advised, this warrior received’t be Theodore (Pony Island’s protagonist), however a distinct historic crusader.
Within the gameplay that we do get to glimpse within the trailer, the participant and his furry companion are traversing by means of the top-down map, visiting villages and locations of curiosity. It performs like “Oregon Path by means of medieval China”, Mullins says after I point out noticing starvation and thirst bars. All that is occurring when you’re being laid low with lordly King Yan, the Chinese language god of demise, performed by voice actor SungWon Cho in lavish full-motion interludes.
Different sections promise totally different mythological themes and menacing deities – an overarching construction that shall be acquainted to those that performed Inscryption. Then there may be the Earth Jail, a three-dimensional hub that our hell-bound protagonist can discover, accessing totally different chapters by utilizing what appears to be a legendary USB stick.
If the satan is really within the particulars, Mullins offers him loads of locations to cover: Panda Circus appears to be brimming with them. “There may be an virtually unmanageable variety of bespoke, one-off recreation techniques,” he says. “It’s too huge to slot in my thoughts now and that could be a new problem.”
The indie dev admits he would have “been troubled” if he knew simply how lengthy it will take to make Panda Circus – even with a handpicked workforce of collaborators. “I’m very fortunate as a result of it was a complete probability that we began working collectively,” Mullins says about composer Jonah Senzel, whom he has labored with ever for the reason that unique Pony Island. “He turned out to be a genius.”
after publication promotion
Whereas Mullins shies away from displaying any new piece of gameplay, Panda Circus, now in its “last stretch” section of growth, is present process personal beta. As for the discharge date: “it could grow to be public data quickly,” he hints coyly.
Bombastic boss battles, an ARG that can see followers dissecting earlier video games with archaeological zeal (“I guess they’ll crack it in a pair weeks,” Mullins quips), and meta moments that wink at you cheekily are all to be anticipated from the developer’s most bold venture thus far.
“On a regular basis has gone into making a giant recreation that’s simply downright turgid with secrets and techniques. There are worlds inside worlds and layers upon layers.” One other basic Mullins joint, then, and we couldn’t be extra prepared.
Pony Island 2: Panda Circus is in growth for PC with plans for Linux/Mac “not lengthy after”.