Make it so doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Instead, LOW PONY took the addictive two-button formula of Sort the Court, where you approve or deny requests with a simple yes or no, then layered on enough systems to transform that simplicity into strategic depth. The result is a cozy choice-based adventure populated by quirky and occasionally unhinged characters who bring you unusual requests that shape your world in surprising ways.
The announcement trailer showcases the game’s charming visual style, somewhere between storybook illustration and modern indie aesthetic. Characters range from normal townsfolk with reasonable requests to absolute weirdos asking for bizarre favors. That tonal variety keeps the gameplay fresh, since you never quite know if the next visitor will want help with a mundane task or propose something completely absurd.
Sort the Court With Actual Consequences
Sort the Court became a surprise hit thanks to its effortless accessibility. Two buttons. Yes or no. Approve requests that benefit your kingdom, deny those that don’t. Simple enough for anyone to understand immediately, satisfying enough to keep players clicking for hours. Make it so preserves that core loop while addressing the main criticism leveled at Sort the Court: your choices didn’t matter much beyond accumulating resources.
LOW PONY solved this by implementing faction systems that track how different groups perceive you based on your decisions. Approve requests from merchants and they’ll send more lucrative opportunities your way. Deny wizards too often and magical characters might stop visiting entirely. This creates genuine strategic tension where saying yes to one group might alienate another, forcing you to balance competing interests rather than blindly clicking through.
The faction system also gates content organically. Maintaining good relationships with certain factions unlocks access to exclusive characters, unique dialogues, and special events you’d never see otherwise. This encourages multiple playthroughs with different decision-making philosophies. Maybe your first run focuses on appeasing the wealthy elite while your second prioritizes helping common folk, revealing entirely different storylines based on whose favor you court.
Resources Actually Matter
Resource management adds another strategic layer that distinguishes Make it so from its inspiration. Certain events won’t trigger if you lack necessary resources, creating a natural progression where early game focuses on building your economic foundation before accessing late game content. This prevents the common issue in simple decision games where all content dumps on you immediately without any sense of escalation or achievement.
Special buildings introduce yet another consideration. Construct the right structures and new character types start appearing with requests tailored to those facilities. Build a library and scholars visit. Construct a market and merchants multiply. These buildings don’t just sit as decorations; they actively shape which storylines and opportunities become available, giving your decisions tangible impact on gameplay progression.
The combination of faction reputation, resource requirements, and building prerequisites creates an interconnected web of systems that reward thoughtful decision-making without overwhelming players with complexity. You’re still just clicking yes or no, but those clicks now carry weight that ripples through multiple game systems simultaneously.
The Charm of Quirky Characters
What really sells Make it so is its personality. The developers describe characters as ranging from quirky to occasionally unhinged, and that tonal variety prevents the repetitive gameplay loop from becoming monotonous. When you don’t know if the next visitor will politely request road repairs or propose something absolutely bonkers, each new character arrival becomes a small surprise worth paying attention to.
This variety also serves gameplay purposes beyond entertainment. Weird requests often come with unusual risk-reward calculations. Should you approve the strange wizard’s bizarre experiment? It might unlock powerful magical options or completely backfire and damage faction relationships. These high-stakes gambles provide memorable moments that stick with players long after closing the game.
Cozy Aesthetic Meets Strategic Depth
The delightful art style reinforces the game’s accessible, low-stress atmosphere. Make it so doesn’t punish you for mistakes or force stressful time limits. You can take as long as you want considering each decision, making it perfect for casual play sessions where you just want to relax and watch your kingdom develop. The cozy presentation might suggest shallow gameplay, but the layered systems ensure there’s genuine strategy for players who want to engage with optimization.
This balance between approachable aesthetics and meaningful choices positions Make it so perfectly for the growing cozy gaming audience while avoiding the trap of being so simple it becomes boring after an hour. You can play casually, enjoying the parade of weird characters without stressing over consequences. Or you can engage deeply with faction management and resource optimization to unlock every possible outcome.
Early 2026 Playtest
LOW PONY announced plans for a public playtest starting early 2026, with signups already available on the game’s Steam page. This transparency about development timeline and willingness to involve players early demonstrates confidence in the core concept while acknowledging there’s work remaining before full release. The playtest will likely focus on balancing faction systems, fine-tuning resource requirements, and ensuring the variety of requests stays fresh across extended play sessions.
Developers actively engaging with the community before launch often produce better final products since they can incorporate feedback during development rather than patching issues post-release. For a game built around repeatable decision-making, player feedback becomes crucial for identifying which choices feel meaningless, which consequences seem unfair, and which character requests need better clarity or comedic timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Make it so?
Make it so is a choice-based adventure game developed by LOW PONY where you approve or deny requests from quirky characters using simple yes-no decisions. Your choices affect faction relationships, unlock new content, and shape your kingdom’s development.
How is it different from Sort the Court?
While inspired by Sort the Court’s two-button decision-making, Make it so adds faction reputation systems, resource management that gates events, and special buildings that unlock new characters and storylines, creating more strategic depth and replayability.
When can I play Make it so?
LOW PONY is planning a public playtest for early 2026. You can sign up on the game’s Steam page to participate when testing begins.
What platforms will it be on?
Make it so is confirmed for PC via Steam. No other platforms have been announced yet.
Is there a trailer available?
Yes, LOW PONY released an announcement trailer showcasing the game’s charming art style and quirky characters. You can find it on the Steam page and YouTube.
What kind of game is it?
Make it so is a cozy, low-stress choice-based adventure game where you make yes-no decisions that affect your kingdom. It features cute art, quirky characters with unusual requests, and strategic systems including faction relationships and resource management.
Do my choices actually matter?
Yes, unlike simpler decision games, your choices in Make it so affect faction reputations, unlock or lock specific characters and events, and determine what content becomes available based on your resource accumulation and building construction.
Can I replay it with different strategies?
Absolutely. The faction system and gated content encourage multiple playthroughs where you prioritize different groups and make contrasting decisions to see alternate storylines, characters, and events.
Conclusion
Make it so represents exactly the kind of thoughtful iteration indie gaming needs more of. Instead of chasing trends or attempting overly ambitious scope, LOW PONY identified a proven formula that worked, analyzed what could be improved, then methodically added systems that enhance rather than complicate the experience. The two-button simplicity remains intact for accessibility while faction relationships, resource management, and building systems provide depth for engaged players seeking strategic challenge. The quirky character variety prevents repetitive gameplay from becoming stale, and the cozy aesthetic creates a welcoming atmosphere that invites experimentation without punishment. With the public playtest approaching in early 2026, interested players can get involved during development and help shape the final product. For anyone who enjoyed Sort the Court but wished choices mattered more, or anyone seeking a low-stress decision game with surprising strategic depth, Make it so deserves a spot on your wishlist. Sometimes the best innovations come not from reinventing everything but from perfecting one good idea.