PAX Prime 2013: uncovering Secret Ponchos

he fine folks at Switchblade Monkeys are huge fans of Spaghetti Westerns, evident in their upcoming PS4 release Secret Ponchos. The intense gunfights and chaotic duels of the Wild West are brought into the arena as players compete in single and cooperative modes to became the most feared outlaw. This blend of MOBA style maps, twin stick shooter controls and fighting game balancing sounds complicated on paper, but after spending time with the game we are happy to report that it is done with expert precision.

We entered the gunfight with Caley Smyth, the senior interface designer at Switchblade Monkeys as a two versus two game was just beginning. The mode was called Domination, where two teams would face off in an race to five points. The key to victory is having a coordinated team and using all the attacks in sequence to punish your opponent. As we were playing through we saw elements that make games like League of Legends so popular. The refreshing part of the game is that the player is able to build and improve each type of character to a play style that is beneficial to all types of play styles. In free for all battles, participants will earn experience that will increase the bounty on their head. The bigger the bounty dictates your position in the leaderboards. The competition becomes which outlaw can stay on the Wanted posters the longest before meeting their demise. Ultimately, in Secret Ponchos skill will be the deciding factor in the player's success and even a no-named gunslinger can take down the most ruthless outlaw in the west.

The game is slated for an early 2014 release, with beta sign ups beginning soon on the official Facebook page. At launch there will be six playable characters as well as six maps that will be playable. The developer has committed to releasing more characters and maps, but have commented that unlike other games will be completely optional for gameplay and players should not feel forced to buy additional characters to be competitive. Smyth remarked that the team was very grateful for the support Sony has given the game so far, especially when they announced the title on the main stage at E3 earlier this year. Their team is comprised of only a few people, but they have been friends for a very long time. Caley said that they have always felt like a small rock band trying to make it big, and with the support and help of Sony they are now being shown on a much bigger stage. Sony supports the release so much that they will be making it available to Playstation Plus members for free within the first month of its release.

After the dust settles and the last remaining gunslinger stands with their head held high, it seems as if great things are on the horizon. The team at Switchblade Monkeys are a fine example of how independent game development will be represented on the next generation of consoles. The game was fun to play, competitive in nature and an original title to really look forward to.