I started working on my follow up to Pony Island, called The Hex, shortly after Pony Island's release in 2016. It's been a long and intense period of creation, but the game is finally complete!
The inciting incident in The Hex is a phone call that the bartender at an old inn receives. Because of a raging storm the connection is shaky; he can hear that there is a murder plot, but not who is planning it. The only possible suspects are the six patrons of the inn, each of them a videogame protagonist with a history of failures and felonies. In sequence, the player takes control of the characters and eventually triggers a memory from their past. This is where it gets interesting.
Each character’s past plays out in an entirely different game genre. The majority of The Hex’s ~6 hour play time is actually playing each of these 6 different sub-games. They are mechanically diverse yet themes and aesthetics tie them together, making The Hex feel like more than a collection of minigames. At times genres are bent and blended together.
I’ve been working on The Hex full-time for the better part of 2.5 years. It’s the biggest, most complex project I’ve ever undertaken by a great measure. Jonah Senzel, the composer behind Pony Island’s OST, has also been working on The Hex. He created an incredibly diverse soundtrack with over 20 original tracks and also handled the sound design. For the last stretch of the project I had the pleasure of working with Brendan Sullivan (@artofsully) who created some fantastic 3D models, as well as voice actor Michael Mola.
The Hex shares some similarities with Pony Island: games within games, frequent surprises, and a heavy helping of secrets. I think it's safe to say that if you liked Pony Island, you will like this next one.
Thank you all for supporting me and my games!