I was so surprised by this game and how much fun I had with it
shishkabuuuuuug
I bought bugsnax on a meme-fueled whim mostly. It had looked intriguing to me, as I like simple creature collection games and loved the way Young Horses took a creative approach at control schemes in Octodad. That, and having Kero Kero Bonito make the promo track for it helped. The basic aesthetic of food creatures is always an idea I've liked, so with all these elements I knew it would be a safe bet to purchase, and at a little bit of a discount via the epic store since I don't sub to ps+
I have to say I didn't not imagine being as charmed as I was with it.
First off, the character designs are all great. Mostly in terms of the snax themselves, as if you just generally like muppety things, you'll like the main NPCs. Some of the details are a bit odd, like when you start Existenzing the creatures into the other characters, but it gives, especially over time, a lot of flexibility on how you can tweak it to make more aesthetically pleasing friends.
The gameplay is chill, and can be decently fun. Not terribly exciting through most of it, but sometimes it would have some peaks to give you something over the casual laid-back semi-puzzles of the main game, and some of the tools they give you, while not very clear at times on how to use them optimally to catch snax(some felt like no matter how many I caught I wasn't figuring it out and it just eventually happened to catch em), were themselves fun to play around with.
The writing is definitely the strongest part of the game. I did not imagine these goofily named muppets to be genuinely compelling characters with some depth. It didn't go extremely deep or anything, but in subverting that expectation of mine it went a lot further than I initially expected, and the plot didn't spiral into something extremely grand, but did widen quite a bit with an interesting twist to it, betraying its cutesy style a bit. This had been happening throughout the game, from things like partner separation, agoraphobia, existential crises(from nearly every character), cannibalism, mysticism, etc. It is a fun, child-friendly game full of primarily adult themes(not in the horny way) and is a bit wistful in its own way, mostly with characters chasing a dream. It's weirdly one of the most compelling games I've played in terms of its themes of chasing identity, fleeing society, transforming oneself metaphorically and physically. To some degree it's a bit of Great Gatsby through the lens of Harlan Ellison if he were to create a kid's show.
the music is also not quite fitting, but very good. It is some of the most enjoyable BGM in a game I've played this year.
I have to say I didn't not imagine being as charmed as I was with it.
First off, the character designs are all great. Mostly in terms of the snax themselves, as if you just generally like muppety things, you'll like the main NPCs. Some of the details are a bit odd, like when you start Existenzing the creatures into the other characters, but it gives, especially over time, a lot of flexibility on how you can tweak it to make more aesthetically pleasing friends.
The gameplay is chill, and can be decently fun. Not terribly exciting through most of it, but sometimes it would have some peaks to give you something over the casual laid-back semi-puzzles of the main game, and some of the tools they give you, while not very clear at times on how to use them optimally to catch snax(some felt like no matter how many I caught I wasn't figuring it out and it just eventually happened to catch em), were themselves fun to play around with.
The writing is definitely the strongest part of the game. I did not imagine these goofily named muppets to be genuinely compelling characters with some depth. It didn't go extremely deep or anything, but in subverting that expectation of mine it went a lot further than I initially expected, and the plot didn't spiral into something extremely grand, but did widen quite a bit with an interesting twist to it, betraying its cutesy style a bit. This had been happening throughout the game, from things like partner separation, agoraphobia, existential crises(from nearly every character), cannibalism, mysticism, etc. It is a fun, child-friendly game full of primarily adult themes(not in the horny way) and is a bit wistful in its own way, mostly with characters chasing a dream. It's weirdly one of the most compelling games I've played in terms of its themes of chasing identity, fleeing society, transforming oneself metaphorically and physically. To some degree it's a bit of Great Gatsby through the lens of Harlan Ellison if he were to create a kid's show.
the music is also not quite fitting, but very good. It is some of the most enjoyable BGM in a game I've played this year.
jogo estranho, MAS MUITO DAORA VÉI
Hey guys. Bob here. Detailing this video game would be like pouring salt unto the freshest of wounds had it not been me, Bob BUNGER (get it) reviewing this video game franchise. I believe that, had it not been for my indubitable compassion for my family, such a videos game would have simply passed by me eons ago. However my blabbering daughter decided it would be just absolutely astonishing if her father (that WOULD be me after all) bought her this eclectic experience for the windows pc console during the newly fabricated (as it does each 365 taunting days) christmas season. My Bob Burger franchise sustained my family quite astonishingly this beautiful 2023, therefore it cost me merely a fraction of my wealth to afford this teasingly bountiful bug-snack. Sliding the disk into its allocated crevice in my Playstation 5 console, this interactable frame by frame imagination from paper to game engine flashed before my eyes. Promptly, I quite severely (and physically) shit myself - a combination of daunting nvidia geforce 200 frames per second and the brand new C++ written Irrlicht Engine causing my bowels to frantically rupture. Ok game
This review contains spoilers
Me and Filbo sucking tongue after credits.
I know the rating is only a 8/10 but I fucking love this game. The hilarious characters, the unique and fun environment, the weird but very intriguing story. I love almost everything about this game and its very often one of the games I recommend the most to my friends. The only parts I don't love are the ending and the plot twists. I know some people really liked it and it did really change up a lot but it tainted the game I found cozy and fun in a bad light. Anyway I love this game 8/10.
Reviewing every game i've fully completed #19
Reviewing every game i've fully completed #19
bunger of all time
Bad way to start on PS5
I got shamed for playing this. It’s fun though.
another horror game aimed at children. it lies to you and tries to tell you its a family friendly good time for everyone just to show its true colors and it sucks any childhood wonder you may have left. once played there is no way back.
100%'d this game several times both before and after the dlc came out yayy
When I finished this game, I was kind of left wondering who it is for. The gameplay is very simple and forgiving, but its themes and humour are not childish. The answer is, of course, that this game is for everyone and, to be honest, that is pretty refreshing.
While the gameplay is very simple, that does not prevent it from being very enjoyable. It just makes it accessible. The classic goal of "catching 'em all" is a common gameplay trope for a reason. Tried and true, never failing to deliver. Bugsnax puts its own spin on things, providing creatures based on real world food with adorably creative designs and names. They all behave in unique ways, but are never that hard to catch. It makes for a wonderfully relaxing complesionist experience, the model naturally pushing you towards finding every bug in the game.
However, the gameplay model is not the only thing that pushes you towards this. I would say that the game holds your hand a bit too much. Completing every quest will see you collect the vast majority of the bugs for the NPCs in what are essentially fetch quests. To the game's credit the variety of bugs prevents catching them from becoming overly chorish. Completing an NPC's quest chain will also sometimes result in you taking on a boss, in the form of legendary bugs. These boss battles are creative, but they are not hard to figure out, and I would have preferred if these were something you had to seek out and defeat on your own, without having to wait for an NPC to be ready for you.
The boss battles are also marred by the general lack of any risk in the game. Usually, you want to have to weigh up your options; assess what challenge you are best prepared for and see if you can overcome it. This game offers no such challeneges, but to be clear, that is very intentional. The bugsnax are only really used for feeding the NPCs. The game does not explain the risk in this until the very end (even if it can be guessed pretty easily), and even then, it has no effect anyway. Transforming a villager seems to have no impact apart from making them look goofy. It really takes any risk or tension out of everything you do, which is pretty disappointing. It feels like it should be possible to consume the bugs yourself, granting you some unique abilites based on which ones you eat, with some narrative drawback, maybe (think typhon abilities in Prey, and similar).
Despite this, the game holds up. I personally found the mystery elements of the story satisfying enough to make me want to find out how it cocludes, and the way NPCs ask you to catch certain bugs as part of their quests helps to pace the filling out of your journal. The NPCs themselves are different and interesting, with caracturised personalities making them enjoyable and entertaining to interact with, but I never found myself to be too invested in any of their stories, given their arcs are pretty predicatable. Still, discovering new ways to catch new bugs remains interesting and engaging for the duration of the game, without ever becoming overwhelming. I could have probably done with either a couple more tools or maybe leaving some until later in the game, but there are still plenty of ways to combine the ones you have in ways that often require you to think outside the box (but only just outside it).
The game also contains a number of different levels, each one small but not sparse, styled after various biomes, with the bugs imitating the animals you might expect to find there. It works well, with each biome being notably distinct and unlocking each one allowing the developers to very effectively control your progression through the game. Just note that the game also contains fast travel, but it just doesn't tell you that (or maybe I just missed it). Don't be like me and only realise that 7 hours in. By the time I realised that it was there, I was getting pretty sick of running through each biome again and again, but at the same time, I kind of wish the fast travel wasn't so easy to use. It does feel like a shame to skip travelling through these levels entirely, but I have no suggestion of an alternative in this case.
One final note: I do not really agree with the common assessment of this game that generally goes along the lines of describing it as "psychological horror for kids"; that is going too far, if you ask me. The mystery around bugsnax, combined with the varying levels of caution advised by the NPCs, adds a disturbing air to the creatures, but the game's quests requiring you to feed them to the villagers and having no option to eat them yourself, again removes a large portion of the stakes (portion of the steaks). It is a case of the games narrative not lining up with its mechanics. The in-game discussion and consequences of comsuming the bugs is rarely tackled in a serious way, and the whole vibe aims more towards a group of diverse personalities stranded on an island, and the dangers and events that come with that, rather than how people battle with temptation and consumption. That being said, I don't think that's a bad thing. In fact, I think it's better that the game is not trying to be something it isn't. It adds some depth to the story, but it is not the focus of the game.
Overall, I would recommend Bugsnax, but I could definitely see some people finding it a bit boring. It is incredibly creative, with interesting characters and solid gameplay, but the lack of any real challenge beyond solving some basic puzzles really takes away from the experience. That being said, I do think that Bugsnax nails what it is trying to do perfectly and without the disturbing and unknown nature of the bugs, I think a lot of people would not play this. In the end, there is something to be said for the fact that the game delivers a unique experience and engaging mystery without trying to go beyond its means.
While the gameplay is very simple, that does not prevent it from being very enjoyable. It just makes it accessible. The classic goal of "catching 'em all" is a common gameplay trope for a reason. Tried and true, never failing to deliver. Bugsnax puts its own spin on things, providing creatures based on real world food with adorably creative designs and names. They all behave in unique ways, but are never that hard to catch. It makes for a wonderfully relaxing complesionist experience, the model naturally pushing you towards finding every bug in the game.
However, the gameplay model is not the only thing that pushes you towards this. I would say that the game holds your hand a bit too much. Completing every quest will see you collect the vast majority of the bugs for the NPCs in what are essentially fetch quests. To the game's credit the variety of bugs prevents catching them from becoming overly chorish. Completing an NPC's quest chain will also sometimes result in you taking on a boss, in the form of legendary bugs. These boss battles are creative, but they are not hard to figure out, and I would have preferred if these were something you had to seek out and defeat on your own, without having to wait for an NPC to be ready for you.
The boss battles are also marred by the general lack of any risk in the game. Usually, you want to have to weigh up your options; assess what challenge you are best prepared for and see if you can overcome it. This game offers no such challeneges, but to be clear, that is very intentional. The bugsnax are only really used for feeding the NPCs. The game does not explain the risk in this until the very end (even if it can be guessed pretty easily), and even then, it has no effect anyway. Transforming a villager seems to have no impact apart from making them look goofy. It really takes any risk or tension out of everything you do, which is pretty disappointing. It feels like it should be possible to consume the bugs yourself, granting you some unique abilites based on which ones you eat, with some narrative drawback, maybe (think typhon abilities in Prey, and similar).
Despite this, the game holds up. I personally found the mystery elements of the story satisfying enough to make me want to find out how it cocludes, and the way NPCs ask you to catch certain bugs as part of their quests helps to pace the filling out of your journal. The NPCs themselves are different and interesting, with caracturised personalities making them enjoyable and entertaining to interact with, but I never found myself to be too invested in any of their stories, given their arcs are pretty predicatable. Still, discovering new ways to catch new bugs remains interesting and engaging for the duration of the game, without ever becoming overwhelming. I could have probably done with either a couple more tools or maybe leaving some until later in the game, but there are still plenty of ways to combine the ones you have in ways that often require you to think outside the box (but only just outside it).
The game also contains a number of different levels, each one small but not sparse, styled after various biomes, with the bugs imitating the animals you might expect to find there. It works well, with each biome being notably distinct and unlocking each one allowing the developers to very effectively control your progression through the game. Just note that the game also contains fast travel, but it just doesn't tell you that (or maybe I just missed it). Don't be like me and only realise that 7 hours in. By the time I realised that it was there, I was getting pretty sick of running through each biome again and again, but at the same time, I kind of wish the fast travel wasn't so easy to use. It does feel like a shame to skip travelling through these levels entirely, but I have no suggestion of an alternative in this case.
One final note: I do not really agree with the common assessment of this game that generally goes along the lines of describing it as "psychological horror for kids"; that is going too far, if you ask me. The mystery around bugsnax, combined with the varying levels of caution advised by the NPCs, adds a disturbing air to the creatures, but the game's quests requiring you to feed them to the villagers and having no option to eat them yourself, again removes a large portion of the stakes (portion of the steaks). It is a case of the games narrative not lining up with its mechanics. The in-game discussion and consequences of comsuming the bugs is rarely tackled in a serious way, and the whole vibe aims more towards a group of diverse personalities stranded on an island, and the dangers and events that come with that, rather than how people battle with temptation and consumption. That being said, I don't think that's a bad thing. In fact, I think it's better that the game is not trying to be something it isn't. It adds some depth to the story, but it is not the focus of the game.
Overall, I would recommend Bugsnax, but I could definitely see some people finding it a bit boring. It is incredibly creative, with interesting characters and solid gameplay, but the lack of any real challenge beyond solving some basic puzzles really takes away from the experience. That being said, I do think that Bugsnax nails what it is trying to do perfectly and without the disturbing and unknown nature of the bugs, I think a lot of people would not play this. In the end, there is something to be said for the fact that the game delivers a unique experience and engaging mystery without trying to go beyond its means.
I was both surprised and ashamed at how much I obsessed over this game during shut down. You could not pry the controller from my hands for my eyes were permanently glued to the screen. “You are what you eat” indeed. I devoured it in its entirety.
Nunca vou perdoar o batikky
i looooove bugsnax!
Psychological horror about food. "You are what you eat".
Психологический хоррор про еду. "Ты то, что ты ешь".
Психологический хоррор про еду. "Ты то, что ты ешь".
Fun game. Bunger is peak
loved this game
It's cute. Love Filbo, love my big gay hunk, just a great time. Sometimes can handhold a bit too much but doesn't ruin anything, and still ends up being great.
This review contains spoilers
That was messed up!
What an odd little game.
Super duper cute and fun. def an all time fave
gay bug snack
It's... ok? I thought it was really boring, feels like they spent most of the budget on actually marketing the game and hiring the voice cast. Most of the game is just listening to the characters talk to each other, and the payoff at the end is just weird. Was hoping for a bit more dynamic gameplay when it came to catching different Bugsnax, but most of the critters felt the same to catch.
wait….are these bugs, snacks??
its so goofy. but was one of the only ps5 launch titles, and it seemed like a silly ol good ol time. id recommend to anyone under the age of 10, but otherwise just go play elden ring ;). 2.5/5
This review contains spoilers
The 2010's were the age of games that subverted expectations. Not necessarily expectations of quality, but rather of content. Games like Doki Doki Literature Club!, Undertale, and OneShot have gotten famous for on the surface seeming to be simple and fun experiences, but hiding beneath that veneer a deeper tale. Bugsnax is no different, although it tends to take a turn that not even the user-assigned "Psychological Horror" tag on Steam can prepare you for.
The premise is simple. You are an unnamed Journalist looking for a big break, so you venture off to the remote Snaktooth Island in hopes of documenting the discovery of the titular Bugsnax within it. While there you make conversation with the many different personalities that have also sought after Bugsnax for whatever reason, all on the heels of an intrepid explorer who has mysteriously vanished. The core gameplay loop that attracts players is collecting Bugsnax, and engaging in quests with the other islanders to uncover the greater mystery of the creatures' existence. Indeed that remains intact through almost the whole game but... something is off.
It's difficult to talk about the details of why because, as is typical with these kinds of games, explaining it spoils the experience. However I feel it necessary to do so in this case because how the story develops has had a large influence on what I think of the game as a whole.
The one thing you sense fairly quickly as you get to know the islanders is this great sort of tension in the air. Almost everyone has split up before you arrived, over disagreements that aren't yet obvious to you yet. However as you fulfill your quests and convince the people to rejoin the village in the center of the island, their animosities towards each other are revealed, and try as you might to help them all make amends it seems to be a fruitless endeavor.
Similar struggles appear in the side-quests when you try to help inhabitants with their own lives and issues. An example I'll give is with Wiggle: a rather melismatic singer desperate to prove she's not a one-hit wonder. You try various ideas to fuel her inspiration, including engaging in a fight with one of the "Legendary" bosses in an epic battle... but it's all to no avail. Her questline ends with her dejected and resigned to the fact that she may never be known for music that is truly meaningful to her. After it ends you get automatically warped back to your own hut in the village, which happens to be next to Wiggle's. I heard snoring noises from her hut that night. Given the context though, I thought she was crying.
This isn't unique to her. Every other Grumpus ends up in a depressive episode through their questlines and there is nothing you can do to snap them out of it. Chandlo has self-esteem issues and is left scared that he'll never be strong enough for his partner, Snorpy. Wambus and Gramble are devoted to farming and caring for the Bugsnax respectively, and shame themselves as failures when it doesn't work out. Floofty's experimentation on the Snax almost lead to them essentially taking their own life, but the real gutpunch actually came slightly earlier, when I discovered one of the video diaries belonging to the before-mentioned explorer Lizbert. In it, her assistant and partner Eggabell is directly being consoled through a depressive episode, and has to be convinced that her life still has worth.
That is the heart of Bugsnax. Not the creature collection, not even the ending which I haven't gotten to (although it certainly twists the knife), but rather an expose of a bunch of sad desperate people that can only spiral further into despair, with no real closure or remedy at the end of it.
If I had to describe this game in one word, it would be draining. The gameplay at first solid, only soured on me thanks to a story that emotionally debilitated me, while giving me barely anything for my troubles. Combine this with the fact that I initially came for Bugsnax with the seeming promise of a relaxed and cute experience? Let's just say it leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach.
The premise is simple. You are an unnamed Journalist looking for a big break, so you venture off to the remote Snaktooth Island in hopes of documenting the discovery of the titular Bugsnax within it. While there you make conversation with the many different personalities that have also sought after Bugsnax for whatever reason, all on the heels of an intrepid explorer who has mysteriously vanished. The core gameplay loop that attracts players is collecting Bugsnax, and engaging in quests with the other islanders to uncover the greater mystery of the creatures' existence. Indeed that remains intact through almost the whole game but... something is off.
It's difficult to talk about the details of why because, as is typical with these kinds of games, explaining it spoils the experience. However I feel it necessary to do so in this case because how the story develops has had a large influence on what I think of the game as a whole.
The one thing you sense fairly quickly as you get to know the islanders is this great sort of tension in the air. Almost everyone has split up before you arrived, over disagreements that aren't yet obvious to you yet. However as you fulfill your quests and convince the people to rejoin the village in the center of the island, their animosities towards each other are revealed, and try as you might to help them all make amends it seems to be a fruitless endeavor.
Similar struggles appear in the side-quests when you try to help inhabitants with their own lives and issues. An example I'll give is with Wiggle: a rather melismatic singer desperate to prove she's not a one-hit wonder. You try various ideas to fuel her inspiration, including engaging in a fight with one of the "Legendary" bosses in an epic battle... but it's all to no avail. Her questline ends with her dejected and resigned to the fact that she may never be known for music that is truly meaningful to her. After it ends you get automatically warped back to your own hut in the village, which happens to be next to Wiggle's. I heard snoring noises from her hut that night. Given the context though, I thought she was crying.
This isn't unique to her. Every other Grumpus ends up in a depressive episode through their questlines and there is nothing you can do to snap them out of it. Chandlo has self-esteem issues and is left scared that he'll never be strong enough for his partner, Snorpy. Wambus and Gramble are devoted to farming and caring for the Bugsnax respectively, and shame themselves as failures when it doesn't work out. Floofty's experimentation on the Snax almost lead to them essentially taking their own life, but the real gutpunch actually came slightly earlier, when I discovered one of the video diaries belonging to the before-mentioned explorer Lizbert. In it, her assistant and partner Eggabell is directly being consoled through a depressive episode, and has to be convinced that her life still has worth.
That is the heart of Bugsnax. Not the creature collection, not even the ending which I haven't gotten to (although it certainly twists the knife), but rather an expose of a bunch of sad desperate people that can only spiral further into despair, with no real closure or remedy at the end of it.
If I had to describe this game in one word, it would be draining. The gameplay at first solid, only soured on me thanks to a story that emotionally debilitated me, while giving me barely anything for my troubles. Combine this with the fact that I initially came for Bugsnax with the seeming promise of a relaxed and cute experience? Let's just say it leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach.
I've described this game to my friends as "gay Muppets psychological horror if it was Pokémon" and honestly, if that's not enough to make you want to play it, I don't know what is. I have fully fallen down the rabbit hole that is Bugsnax and I am now completely obsessed.
This game will lure you in with its bubbly soundtrack, cute character/creature design, and simplistic gameplay. Then it will absolutely sink its claws into you. The story is so much more than what it appears on the surface. Despite the game being set in a world of hilarious Muppet-like creatures called Grumpuses, the characters and their relationships feel incredibly human and well-written, and the story is incredibly compelling with all its twists and turns. Trust me, it is much better without spoilers. Go in as blind as possible for the best experience.
If you want to get the DLC, I would recommend getting it before playing the main game, since it adds features to the main game as well as additional game content. The DLC is also just really good, so I think you should get it. But I played the game for the first time before the DLC was out, and I loved it just as much back then, so it's definitely not necessary to get the full Bugsnax experience.
I truly cannot describe the layers to this game and its story. The visuals are cute and pleasant, the soundtrack fun and enjoyable, the gameplay fun with lots of puzzle elements. There is truly no other game quite like it. Go play Bugsnax!!!
- L
This game will lure you in with its bubbly soundtrack, cute character/creature design, and simplistic gameplay. Then it will absolutely sink its claws into you. The story is so much more than what it appears on the surface. Despite the game being set in a world of hilarious Muppet-like creatures called Grumpuses, the characters and their relationships feel incredibly human and well-written, and the story is incredibly compelling with all its twists and turns. Trust me, it is much better without spoilers. Go in as blind as possible for the best experience.
If you want to get the DLC, I would recommend getting it before playing the main game, since it adds features to the main game as well as additional game content. The DLC is also just really good, so I think you should get it. But I played the game for the first time before the DLC was out, and I loved it just as much back then, so it's definitely not necessary to get the full Bugsnax experience.
I truly cannot describe the layers to this game and its story. The visuals are cute and pleasant, the soundtrack fun and enjoyable, the gameplay fun with lots of puzzle elements. There is truly no other game quite like it. Go play Bugsnax!!!
- L
Hooooly shit