Ponchorado review - "A whimsical bullet heaven masterpiece"

• Multiple modes keep things feeling fresh
• A satirical take on the film industry keeps you entertained
• Plenty of abilities to unlock

Ponchorado is a cartoony western bullet heaven in which you play as a forgotten stuntman, Poncho. Stuck in the remnants of an unfinished silent film, Poncho is ready to break free. To do so, he’ll need to take on the ten Gatekeepers Bosses so he can nominate himself for the BOSSCAR award and finally transition from a nobody extra to a leading man.

A funny little bullet heaven with a whimsical vibe, Ponchorado is as adorable as it is entertaining. The 1930s cartoon-style aesthetic blends well with the satirical humour you’ll encounter throughout your adventure.

Ponchorado pokes fun at silent films and the western genre in general. If you enjoy wordplay as much as I do, you’ll really appreciate the comedic aspects of this western rougelite.

Ponchorado: It’s all about the beans

You begin each level with nothing but a gun and a faithful animal companion. As a cowboy stuntman, you’ll need to eat plenty of beans to gain helpful abilities. Upon death, your enemies will drop beans. When you’ve collected enough beans, you’ll be given an option between three abilities or upgrades. 

It’s essential that you begin collecting beans as soon as possible to gain an edge in combat. Enemies will often grow stronger as the level goes on, so making sure you’re unlocking as many abilities as you can will help ensure victory. 

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Some abilities improve your weapon damage or how often you shoot. For instance, Compass Shot lets you fire in four directions at once. Others let you utilise explosives, like the TNT ability, which lets Poncho throw a bar of TNT periodically.

You’ll also come across abilities that improve your health, overall damage, and extend the distance from which you can heal your pets.

Ponchorado Features Engaging Modes

While the majority of levels require you to kill enemies, some have more distinct goals, including getting your zen on by staying still as long as possible or returning sheep to their owner. Some abilities are restricted to a specific mode.

For example, Obedient Sheep, which makes the sheep following you slow you down less, is only available during sheep herding levels. These inventive modes keep things feeling fresh and lively. 

As you explore the remnants of the western film that never was, you’ll also come across power-ups that grant you temporary abilities.

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Colliding with the shoe power-up temporarily increases movement speed, while hitting a barrel power-up causes a clown to pop out, which will distract nearby enemies. 

And my personal favourite is the one that turns Poncho’s shadow into a temporary ally, letting you deal more damage. These power-ups add a bit more pizzazz to this cartoon western and make it more worthwhile to explore the map.

Companions Help You Take Down Foes in Ponchorado

Your companion will aid you in combat, attacking your foes. Unfortunately, your animal friends can only take so much before they collapse. Luckily, Poncho is here to kiss their boo-boos better. Just approach your downed companion to blow kisses at it, which will heal it. 

There are three companions that can join you on your adventure: Porky the Porcupine, Bearoness the Bear, and a crew of helpful flies known as The Swarm.

You can, of course, make these adorable animal aids more deadly in combat by using upgrades. Porky’s Spily ability lets him shoot quills in all directions, while the Bearoness can use taunt to temporarily draw the attention of all nearby foes.

Visit the Camp to Unlock New Weapons in Ponchorado

In between levels, you can spend the coins you’ve earned to unlock new weapons, abilities, and companions at your camp. You can select your equipped companion and weapon from the level menu. Unlocking a new weapon ability makes it available as a potential upgrade option in future rounds. 

You can also visit Pup to unlock prototypes, including a bulletproof umbrella and a bar of TNT you can drop behind you. Tapping on the soup pot allows you to increase your health and base damage. Luckily, while abilities reset each level, you keep your health and damage upgrades.

If you’re having trouble surviving against the hordes of gunslingers, sentient tumbleweeds and tornadoes, upgrading your health or damage can make a big difference. 

Ponchorado is a Rootin Tootin Good Time

Ponchorado is a charming bullet heaven with engaging, simplistic gameplay and witty humour. Featuring an old-school cartoon style, Ponchorado is an immersive bullet heaven with quirky bosses to defeat and creative modes to explore.

If you’re a fan of action experiences with rougelite elements, or even just old westerns and wordplay, you’re sure to have a good time guiding Poncho towards glory.