Secret Ponchos

Secret Ponchos is an online multiplayer top-down shooter developed by Canadian indie studio Switchblade Monkeys. The game was released in Early Access in July 2014 for Windows and on December 2, 2014 for PlayStation 4. The game was released on PC as Most Wanted Edition in October 13, 2015 with more characters and maps than the PlayStation 4 version, with plans to add these expanded features to the Playstation 4 version.

Secret Ponchos
Developer(s)Switchblade Monkeys
Publisher(s)Switchblade Monkeys[1]
EnginePhyreEngine
Platform(s)PlayStation 4
Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation 4
December 2, 2014
Microsoft Windows
October 13, 2015
Genre(s)Top-down shooter
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Gameplay

The game is set in the West, where the player-character is an outlaw and fugitive.[2] Its primary focus is player versus player (PvP),[3] where players duel online to gain reputation and notoriety.[2] The game plays from a top-down perspective.[3] The controls play like twin stick shooters.[4]

Players who perform well receive a bounty on their heads, where they become the targets of players who want to receive the bounty's increased reputation reward.[5] Other players can team up against the player with the bounty.[5]

There are five maps, multiple game modes, and multiple characters.[3] Every character has a dual-function weapon (e.g., a revolver that fires strong shots up close and rapid shots at a distance) and a secondary item, like dynamite.[3]

Development

Switchblade Monkeys, an indie game developer, is a five-person team with seven extra contributors.[4] Company president Yousef Mapara was formerly an art director at Radical Entertainment, and left to make his own iPhone game.[4] Daunted by the realities of the iOS App Store competition, he didn't continue.[4]

The game's name comes from the title of an internal production blog, which became popular with the developers.[6] The team was inspired by Team Fortress, Street Fighter II, and League of Legends.[6] The company was approached at PAX Prime by Sony representatives who played the game for 20 minutes, watched others play the game, and eventually introduced themselves to ask the developers to consider bringing the game to PlayStation 4.[4] When the developers responded that they did not have the money, the representatives offered development kits and asked how they could reduce the company's barriers.[4]

The team planned to implement cloth physics and ambient lighting between E3 2013 and release to take advantage of the PlayStation 4's advanced capabilities.[3] Switchblade has also considered downloadable content such as new game modes and characters, including a capture point map that would function similar to that of League of Legends.[3]

It was announced ahead of the 2013 PAX East convention and confirmed as a PlayStation 4-exclusive during Sony's E3 2013 press conference.[2] It was released on PS4 on December 2, 2014 as was featured as part of PS Plus's December Free Game Collection.[2][7]

The Windows version was officially announced before the 2014 PAX East convention and developer Caley Smyth told reporters the game will be released sometime in July 2014.[8]

References
  1. Clouther, Andrew. "Sony announces 9 self-publishing indie titles making their 'console debut' for PS4". IndieGames.com. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  2. Lien, Tracey (June 10, 2013). "Switchblade Monkey's Secret Ponchos coming to PS4". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 10, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  3. Cooper, Hollander (June 13, 2013). "Secret Poncho tosses you into a frantic Wild West shootout". GamesRadar. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  4. Hall, Charlie (June 14, 2013). "The Indie Eight: Polygon talks with the showcase indies launching on PS4". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  5. Liebl, Lance (March 24, 2013). "PAX East 2013 preview: Secret Ponchos is a beautifully designed competitive multiplayer game, primed to be a sleeper hit". GameZone. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  6. Sliva, Marty (March 15, 2013). "What the Hell is Secret Ponchos?". IGN. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  7. "Secret Ponchos to Debut on Playstation 4 in 2014!".
  8. Scalzo, John (11 April 2014). "Secret Ponchos is "about three months" away from being released". Warp Zoned. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
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