Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

Publisher

Young Horses

Developer

Young Horses

Genre

Adventure, Puzzle

Players

1

File Size (Minimum)

6.7 GB

Release Date (NA)

Nov 12, 2020

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Epic Games

From the creators of Octodad, indie studio Young Horses brings another amusing title, Bugsnax, to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. First revealed during the live-streamed PlayStation 5 reveal event on June 11, 2020, it was one of the first games launched for the new console. The first-person indie game does a solid job of entertaining with its quirky characters called Grumpses thrown on an island of mysterious creatures. Bugsnax is a game that’s worth playing while you wait on the next blockbuster game or simply need something relaxing to dive into.

Welcome to Snaktooth Island

You are a journalist for GNN that received a film from the unpopular explorer, Lizbert Megafig, who asks you to travel to Snaktooth Island to show the world a new species called Bugsnax. Bugsnax are half-bug and half-snack creatures that inhabit the island. Oh yes, they have googly eyes, too, so they look adorable to eat. After eating one, it’ll change the shape of your body to resemble the Bugsnax that was consumed. It’s very odd but amusing.

When arriving at Snaktooth Island, you unfortunately crash land after a large Bugsnax collides with your flying ship. You wake up to find a Grumpus named Filbo Fiddlepie lying on the ground, starving. The game introduces the mechanics of how to capture Bugsnax and does a good job of showing you how to use each tool. One of the most useful tools is your camera. The mechanic and usage of it feels like playing Pokemon Snap all over again. In addition to taking pictures, the camera helps display Bugsnax tracks to help you capture them. Another tool is the capture device. Like the famous Pokéball, it’s used to trap many (but not all) Bugsnax. You don’t have to worry about a supply limit with these traps; these and many other gadgets have infinite usages. The only limitations you’ll have to be aware of are the quantity of sauces to help attract certain Bugsnax and the storage in your backpack. When you capture Bugsnax, you won’t have an electronic Bugs-dex. Instead, you’ll have a journal to track all the critters you’ve photoshot and captured. This becomes a very handy asset when going for 100% completion and for tracking which areas to revisit to complete sidequests.

Getting back to Filbo, he thanks you for giving him a few Bugsnax and takes you to his town called Snaxburg, where he is the mayor. Though he’s not a very good mayor, as all the Grumpuses that were once in town left after Lizbert disappeared. Filbo asks you to go around the island to bring everyone back to town and to help find Lizbert. There are only ten Grumpuses to worry about, and after bringing each one back, you gain a new clue regarding Lizbert’s whereabouts.

You Do You

Very few video games dive into the realm of lesbian and gay couples and Bugsnax deserves recognition. In the beginning, there are signs of Lizbert and Eggabel flirting with each other. In fact, there are two same sex couples and a character who uses they/them pronouns. No one in the game discriminates or highlights any issues. It’s simply the norm here in Bugsnax.

The characters and the story as a whole are well written. From the meeting of Fiibo to the end of the game, it just feels like you’ve experienced a fun, light-hearted adventure. Each character in it has a unique style that makes them memorable. For example, Filbo is clumsy but caring, whereas Chromdo is the opposite, an aggressive salesman with hysterical dialogue. That said, it’s all over much too quickly. A second volume would be welcoming.

How Do I Look?

Despite the fact that eating Bugsnax changes their body structure, not one Grumpus seems to be freaking out about it. In fact, eating just one makes a Grumpus crave more. The nifty part about feeding Bugsnax to a Grumpus is the ability to change their body. It’s like giving a Barbie doll a makeover, but instead you’re replacing body parts. Later in the game, players can alter any body part that was changed based on what Bugsnax was eaten. This means you do not have to give a Grumpus two of the same Bugsnax to change two parts of their body.

Say That Again?

The grumpuses you meet for the first time will assign you goals before agreeing to return to Snaxburg. Many times, they will either hand you new tools to use to accomplish these goals or clue you in on new ways to capture Bugsnax. Many of the goals given are straightforward, but even as you collect the necessary tools, you aren’t given much detail on how to go about completing your tasks. As such, you’ll need to do some problem solving and to spend time looking around at your surroundings.

For example, you’ll be asked to “break” the Preying Picantises. Some Bugsnax are made up of multiple Bugsnax and “breaking” them apart requires some work to make it happen. In some cases, that requires luring them to aggressive Bugsnax. However, doing this doesn’t work for the Preying Picantis. Instead, players are left looking around the area to figure out ways to make the Bugsnax fall apart. In this instance, it involves luring the Preying Picantis to a body of water and then waiting till they explode. It’s certainly not obvious. Plus, some Bugsnax can be tricky to lure off platforms, so repeatedly failing to do so can lead players into entirely giving up on the idea and trying something else. Honestly, capturing Bugsnax can come down to sheer luck sometimes.

Repetitive Travelling

Some sidequests do tend to become repetitive, though, such as Beffica’s requests to spy on others during the middle of the night. Similarly, Triffany’s goals about visiting locations is more about creating a backstory for her than anything else. It’s one thing if there were some juicy details or unique gameplay events, but it’s just dialogue of her reason for coming to the island.

When it comes to revisiting areas to complete goals, players will have to travel by foot all over the island multiple times. Admittedly, the island isn’t very big, but the game could still use some kind of way to make getting from A to B faster.

It’s Legendary

If you want to be the very best like no one ever was, you’ll need to face the legendary Bugsnax. Similar to legendary Pokémon, these four Bugsnax are quite huge and require problem-solving skills to take each one down. One example of such a battle is against a watermelon-looking Bugsnax called the Mama Mewon. Players will need to drive the creature to a statue to knock it out for a few seconds. During that time, you’ll have to swap weapons to make a stone pillar fall on top of it. If you don’t take the time to research your surroundings and end up breaking all the statues, you’ll have to start the battle over.

The more annoying one is the Megamaki, a giant sushi-snake monster. When broken apart, the head of the beast will get in your face and flips you in midair. This makes it annoying as you try to capture its body parts. Lucky for you, you don’t die in the game. Capturing these beasts takes more time to capture, but when pulled off, it feels like you won a treat—a tasty one.

That DualSense Feeling

The PlayStation 5 DualSense controller’s capabilities play quite well with Bugsnax. The feedback from the haptic triggers makes taking photos feel great. Moreover, walking through the grass or thunder in stormy weather give off a detailed vibration. Similar to the Dualshock 4, voice and sound effects echo on the controller; you’ll notice based on the Bugsnax caught. The touchpad itself feels neglected, though, but overall, it’s great to see a launch game using some of the DualSense’s features.

Trophy Lovers

If you enjoy unlocking trophies for your PlayStation, you’re in for a treat in Bugsnax. The game doesn’t push the difficulty level to insanity like Final Fantasy X’s requirement of dodging 200 lightning bolts in a row. Instead, players will feel like they’ve played every inch of the game when earning that platinum trophy at around 13 hours. You can almost hear Filbo telling you, “Great job, buddy. You earned it!”

It’s Catchy!

The game has an official theme called “It’s Bugsnax!” by Kero Kero Bonito. It’s catchy and upbeat to dance to. In fact, there’s a vinyl record on iam8bit.com for this track. That said, you’ll only catch this song on a trailer online or after beating the game.

The original soundtrack may not have a catchy song like “It’s Bugsnax!” but it does a good job fitting in with this whimsical adventure. The heavier beat tracks are geared toward the legendary Bugsnax battles and the last part of the game’s story mode, making it feel more serious and stimulating compared to adventuring on a beach.

The Final Catch

Bugsnax is an interesting, well written, and whimsical adventure. Even if the game is pretty short, it’s a delicious game for players to start catching the Bugsnax vibe.

A code was provided for this review and gameplay footage.