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 loved this game and I'd have loved even more a game like this during my teens.
Bugsnax tem uma ideia muito louca de captura de monstros que são baseados em alimentos, mas o jogo tem uma gameplay divertida e engajante, visual agradável, mas senti que eles deram uma importância maior a história doq deveriam. Poderiam ter focado mais na gameplay já que ela é o ponto forte
there's a reason this game has a psychological horror tag. ALSO ROGER CRAIG SMITH IS IN IT 💜
You can tell a lot of passion was put into this game. I'm always happy when games like this are made because it makes me wish I could've played them when I was younger. Even though the mechanics can be a bit clunky at times, they're still fun and can be quite challenging.
That being said, I was NOT expecting the fucking body horror
That being said, I was NOT expecting the fucking body horror
Bugsnax is more of a virtual experience than a game. I was hoping for a kind of Ape Escape/Pokemon mashup, but there really aren't puzzles in this game beyond "use the right tool to capture the Snak." There also isn't any challenge to navigating the island beyond navigating a three dimensional space. The visuals are great, but the writing is aimed at a pretty young age group. Overall this would be a great game for young children but doesn't present anything sophisticated for adults to grab onto.
This review contains spoilers
Solid game
Bugsnax be like: just eat me… ignore any changes in the body 👀
7 - Very cute and silly game. Wish there was a little more to it and that the story had a twist
I'll never forget how Kojima had nothing to say regarding Cyberpunk 2077, but had a fair share to say about Bugsnax.
Surprisingly good, and with a great story and cast to support it. I definitely enjoyed this one.
Surprisingly good, and with a great story and cast to support it. I definitely enjoyed this one.
Bugsnax is a cute puzzle game that follows a journalist on his adventure to interview the residents of Bugsnax island. Gameplay-wise, Bugsnax is a collectathon in which each creature needs to be caught through environmental puzzle solving and proper utilization of tools that are given to you as the story progresses. There are plenty of different Bugsnax to catch, and it doesn't get boring. The game paces itself to make sure you don't receive tools too early or too late, which prevents mechanic burnout that is way too common in overly complicated puzzle games. Aside from pacing, the tools given have multiple use cases, so multiple bugsnax can be caught using the same trap, but the way in which you do so depends on the synergy of multiple tools.
As for the story I mentioned before, it is extremely charming, funny, and an overall good time. I wanted to learn about every character that I encountered, their backstories and personalities kept me from rushing through the story. I wanted to learn the subplots that led to the problems of their small island community. The bugsnax lore is deep! The ending is such a twist but it makes sure you never feel bored or unengaged. To keep it short, the story of Bugsnax feels like a kids movie focused on accepting people's differences and teamwork. Cliche, but the wackyness of the setting and Grumpeses, as well as a balance of silly bits and heartfelt back stories, makes it a kids movie that you just can't help but rewatch whenever you need a pick me up! I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this game, and I'm looking forward to trying out the DLC !
As for the story I mentioned before, it is extremely charming, funny, and an overall good time. I wanted to learn about every character that I encountered, their backstories and personalities kept me from rushing through the story. I wanted to learn the subplots that led to the problems of their small island community. The bugsnax lore is deep! The ending is such a twist but it makes sure you never feel bored or unengaged. To keep it short, the story of Bugsnax feels like a kids movie focused on accepting people's differences and teamwork. Cliche, but the wackyness of the setting and Grumpeses, as well as a balance of silly bits and heartfelt back stories, makes it a kids movie that you just can't help but rewatch whenever you need a pick me up! I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this game, and I'm looking forward to trying out the DLC !
A solid indie like title that does a good job feeling familiar while still having engaging gameplay. Not something that is going to blow you away in any aspect in particular but is overall a fun 8-10 hours spent in a videogame.
i know bugsnax had a lot of memes attached to it, especially around its launch, but going in even without the meme context, i had a genuinely good time here. the concept is novel, and explores tough themes through innocent-looking, colorful, fun characters. oftentimes i'd feel like the only human character around a cast of puppets, a la mr hooper in sesame street.
every character is memorable, the bugsnax are hilarious design-wise, and i loved every second with the game, even when the physics got a little janky. sometimes it could be frustrating to catch specific bugsnax, but it didn't deter my enjoyment.
every character is memorable, the bugsnax are hilarious design-wise, and i loved every second with the game, even when the physics got a little janky. sometimes it could be frustrating to catch specific bugsnax, but it didn't deter my enjoyment.
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
I didn't find it as charming as others did but it had surprisingly adult themes for what a goofy game it was.
if I had played this game as a kid it would’ve blown my mind
A cutesy, fun, and endearing game that has more than what meets the eye. Sure, the gameplay is simple but the story is surprisingly mature, and honestly, if it wasn't for the adorable look, this game could be straight-up horrific. Something short and nice and fun for the whole family! Don't forget to eat some Bugsnax! :D
Funny little game. Mechanically interesting and engaging. I enjoyed my time with it
This review contains spoilers
This game ruined my life, wife left me and filed for custody of the children
I played this game for the first time while tripping. One of the best nights of my life
It's not too much, but what it is is so damn good.
An okay experience. Funny and charming at the start, but kinda overstays it's welcome. I was expecting some sort of disturbing twist, but it ended up lackluster.
It's fine.
It's fine.
A fun and cute game. An interisting entry for the PS5.
Stealth games are too difficult for me. Seriously though the game did nothing for me. The writing was ok, world was ok, gameplay ok, ect. I own a Bugsnax shirt tho
On a more comedic note everyone I know who really liked Bugsnax is in a happy, committed relationship. Maybe me being single is what kept me from connecting with the divorced guy
On a more comedic note everyone I know who really liked Bugsnax is in a happy, committed relationship. Maybe me being single is what kept me from connecting with the divorced guy
What a crazy and fun little game. I went into this blind and had a good time, especially with the story and character interactions.
Xbox achievements complete