PAX West Spotlight: My Friend Pedro

By: TheJewphin

My Friend Pedro. What Even Is?

Originally a flash game from 2007, My Friend Pedro is a side-scrolling acrobatic platformer. The game is all about killing waves of enemies in the most stylish of ways. My Friend Pedro also features a talking banana hallucination who guides the protagonist in his violent quest.

My Friend Pedro is strongly influenced by the cinematic action genre, such as the Matrix  and Max Payne. The game features a slow motion toggle so the player can orient their guns for maximum destruction. Additionally, the game includes a target reticle that the player can lock to a single location, thereby allowing shots to be fired in multiple directions at once.

My Friend Pedro. Why Cool?

PAX 2018 was the first place I heard the phrase "GIF bait" in reference to a game. My Friend Pedro is very definitely GIF bait. It's a game where almost any cut of 10 seconds of gameplay can elicit shock and awe. Additionally, after each level the game will identify an awesome clip of your playthrough with options to share it on social media.

My Friend Pedro also has incredible pacing. The game's controls are smooth enough that a gorgeous killing spree can be executed with almost no preparation time. Yet when you do want to prepare the ultimate frying pan death rain, the game doesn't rush you. Enemies stay in fixed locations and there isn't a timer to judge you for taking too long.

It's also incredible to see such a polished game coming from a single designer's passion. Victor Agren, the sole designer of My Friend Pedro, has produced what looks to be an amazing game with a unique aesthetic. When I asked Victor why he chose to add the talking banana, his response was "why not?"

My Friend Pedro. When is?

No official release date has been set for My Friend Pedro, though Victor is hoping to be able to release the game on PC sometime in 2019.