Pony Island 2:
Panda Circus

Pony Island 2: Panda Circus is a surreal puzzle game where you play a character hacking a computer. A sequel to Pony Island, it contains the same hacking, experimentation, and self-reflection, but adds novel mechanics such as archery, conveyor puzzles, and countless other unusual ideas. It's this combination of seemingly discordant concepts, tied together with a bizarre, 4^th-wall-breaking story with surprising coherence that makes it stand out.

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You play a young wanderer stuck in the Earth Prison after you meet an unfortunate demise. To escape and fulfil your destiny, you must hack computer systems and games to find a way out while avoiding the clutches of the lords of the underworld. On your dreamlike journey, you voyage through time, mythology, and video games, breaking the fourth wall and challenging your ideas of what a game is and can be.

Play is a mix of many different elements almost akin to WarioWare minigames in their diversity, from horseback shooting to coding events to using conveyor belts to move objects. Much of the game takes place within a console in the game, which you must hack and override to escape your predicament. Sometimes, however, play moves beyond its 2D screen into three dimensions, where you do yet more eclectic activities.

The result is a game that's as bizarre as it is intriguing; with a mix of myriad different elements, a surreal narrative that makes you question what's really going on, and self-referential humour and commentary, it makes for an unusual yet engrossing experience unlike any other.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Pony Island 2: Panda Circus 3 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 3 months ago.