Pony Island 2: Panda Circus edges closer to release, developer reveals
Indie developer Daniel Mullins has shared new details about the long-awaited Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, now in its final development stage and private beta testing, though a release date remains unannounced.
Almost a decade after the original Pony Island became an indie hit, and nearly three years since its sequel was announced, Pony Island 2: Panda Circus has yet to reach players. So far, only a single trailer and a handful of soundtrack tracks have been made public.
Developer Daniel Mullins, also known for Inscryption, says Panda Circus is a considerably bigger and more complex project than its predecessor, featuring 3D environments, pixel-art JRPG-style sequences and other genre influences. In terms of gameplay variety, he compares it more closely to his other titles, The Hex and Inscryption, than to the original Pony Island.
Story and gameplay
The plot follows a historical crusader killed in battle and damned to hell, where he is tormented by a video-game-making Lucifer — a premise that keeps the narrative link to the original, though this time the protagonist is not Theodore but a different crusader.
Glimpses of gameplay show the protagonist and a furry companion traveling across a top-down map, visiting villages while managing hunger and thirst meters, which Mullins describes as "Oregon Trail through medieval China." Along the way, the character is tormented by the death god King Yan, voiced by SungWon Cho. The game also features other mythologically themed sections and a 3D hub area called the Earth Prison.
Mullins admits the project has grown so large that it's become difficult to hold in his mind entirely, calling it a new kind of challenge. He also credits his long-time collaboration with composer Jonah Senzel, who has worked on the music since the first game.
Panda Circus is now in its "final stretch" of development and undergoing private beta testing. No release date has been confirmed, though Mullins hints that an announcement may come soon. The game is planned for PC first, with Linux and Mac versions to follow later.
