Review: Unpleasant Horse

The more observant will instantly spot that Unpleasant Horse doesn't quite fall in line with what is expected from Popcap. That is why "4th & Battery" has been created; to act as an indie label to cater for Popcap's strange or marginal ideas. 

The protagonist is the Unpleasant Horse, complete with skull tattoos and a dark mane. But when viewing the title screen, look beyond the fluffy pink background into the sad eyes of the horses beyond and you get an inkling of what is to come.

The initial tutorial is brilliant in a sadistic, dark way. The basic mechanics are explained simply - touch the screen to jump to a cloud, or make a leap of faith if you are that way inclined. Then the line of, "Oh look! A pritty pony!! Let's go say hi" pops up. At this point Unpleasant Horse lives up to its name.

You see, the objective is to leap from cloud to cloud, and occasionally weighing down flying ponies so that they drop into a sea of sawblades. All of these actions gain points, with extra awarded for linking ponies, mega jumps, or dismounting just before you get devoured yourself.

The artwork is well done with subtle animations. Players will almost feel bad for those ponies being brought to their deaths as they weep before disappearing in a torrent of blood and gore. Their wings flap in desperation as they try to avoid the inevitable but it is of no use. Clouds darken with your presence and lightening flashes.

The game mechanics are implemented well and work fluidly. Combos are rewarding to chain and provide a challenge, while style points push the player to drop closer and closer to their own demise before leaping away from the clutch of the saw blades.. Bird feathers allow for an extra hop which can extend the chaos. However, there is never a need to move on. This is one point where the game falls down as it provides less of a challenge and more of a test of patience.

If the player can wait for an appetising screen, they can make great progress and rack up the points. Popcap have capped the number of feathers a player can hold at five. This means that there could be an end at some point as players eventually lose their run of luck, and cannot get an extended jump. An online leaderboard could have been an added touch.. Unless you are competitive and strive for perfection, or are sharing your iPad or iPhone with others, the game does lose its appeal.

Unpleasant Horse is an interesting change of direction for Popcap. It would traditionally be associated with colourful, family friendly games. At a push, the exception may be Plants vs Zombies, but even that can appeal to all. However, the cartoonish gore and game theme may be enough to put many players off. The background metal music is not for everyone, and the scream of horses mixed with the rev of saw blades may cause some to lose their appetite.

Players can certainly have plenty of fun with Unpleasant Horse. It is free so everyone should play it a couple of times at least. The various extras for scoring points reward a blend of creativity, daring and luck. Unpleasant Horse is a great way to kill some spare time. Overall, Popcap has put together a fluid, fun little game. However, it loses out in terms of long lasting appeal unless the competitive spirit is ever present.

Price: Free

From: App Store

Developer: 4th & Battery (by Popcap)

George Hook on gaming

Where were the illogical arguments? Where were the sweeping generalisations? George Hook's discussion on gaming was a disgrace. There was nothing to be angry about! Now I've all this pent up annoyance that I had brought to the surface, because you have to be prepared. But there is nowhere for it to go.

I have to say, the radio show was a breath of fresh air. He admitted that he wasn't a gamer in any way, and treated it like a discussion. In reality, there was quite a bit of explanation. When he put some of the general fears to the experts, he allowed them to voice their opinion and use actual research that has been conducted.

Yes, there are idiots in the world. People who get sucked into the world of games (or some other activity) and forget to take care of themselves or others. Those people have problems. It should not be used as a barometer or standard for all gamers.

Popcap's representative, Cathy Orr, came across very well. She had a variety of facts and statistics to utilise, and really knew her stuff. It helps that Popcap are loved by most gamers. They don't seem to put a foot wrong! I also appreciated that she put across the point of "everything in moderation". I, and many other gamers, manage to do other stuff with our lives but we do like to game.

Going to dock her points because, while she made reference to how some people like to watch TV, she didn't use a line mentioning how people use their Sky+ box and then watch those shows all night. Golden opportunity that people are presented with so rarely.

While it wasn't the deepest discussion, it avoided pointless arguments, etc. Many others could take note that this is how you approach the subject of gaming (I'm looking at you Joe Duffy or Panorama).