Bugsnax

Bugsnax is an adventure video game developed by independent game studio Young Horses. In the game, players explore a mysterious island and attempt to find and capture the eponymous half-bug-half-snack creatures. The game was unveiled via an announcement trailer shown during Sony's PlayStation 5 livestreamed reveal event on June 11, 2020.[1][2] British indie pop band Kero Kero Bonito performed the game's theme song, which was featured in the announcement trailer.[3] The game was released on November 12, 2020 for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and macOS.[4]

Bugsnax
Developer(s)Young Horses
Publisher(s)Young Horses 
Director(s)Kevin Zuhn
Designer(s)John Murphy
Programmer(s)Kevin Geisler
Devon Scott-Tunkin
Artist(s)Christopher Stallman
Megan Varde
Writer(s)Kevin Zuhn
Composer(s)Seth Parker
EngineIrrlicht Engine
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
macOS
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
ReleaseMac, Win, PS4
  • WW: November 12, 2020
PlayStation 5
  • NA/OC: November 12, 2020
  • WW: November 19, 2020
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Bugsnax is a first-person adventure game, in which players traverse Snaktooth Island trying to find and capture different species of Bugsnax using various contraptions. Over 100 Bugsnak species are available for capture.[5] Once captured, the Bugsnax can be fed to the local Grumpuses, which transforms their bodies based on the properties of whatever Bugsnak they eat.[6]

Plot

Players control a nameless newspaper journalist, who one day receives a film strip in the mail from Lizbert Megafig, a disgraced explorer. Lizbert details the mysterious Snaktooth Island, inhabited by creatures called Bugsnax who are "half bug and half snack", and encourages the journalist to come to the island and document them for the world to see. Intrigued, the journalist makes their way onto the island, only to discover from Lizbert's assistant Filbo Fiddlepie that she has gone missing, and all the other Grumpuses that joined her on her expedition have scattered. Filbo requests that the journalist help him bring the others back to their makeshift home of Snaxburg so that they might band together and find out what happened to Lizbert.[5]

The journalist proceeds to return the Grumpuses to Snaxburg, one by one. However, the Grumpuses regularly argue with each other, and each of them have a specific issue in their life. Two Grumpuses, Snorpy Fizzlebean and Shelda Woolbag, believe that there is a secret conspiracy behind the island. Snorpy believes that the “Grumpinati” are controlling the Bugsnax, while Shelda, who refuses to eat Bugsnax, warns of harmful “toxins”. One night, Snaxburg is attacked, and signs appear warning its residents to leave the island. Wiggle Wigglebottom, a banjo-playing singer, believes that the “Queen of Bugsnax” is planning to eat the Grumpuses.

After the journalist manages to bring all residents back to Snaxburg, a volcano erupts, triggering an earthquake that destroys the village. They are soon joined by Eggabell Batternugget, Lizbert's partner, who leads the journalist and Filbo to Lizbert's location. Upon arriving, they discover that Lizbert has been mutated into a giant creature made up of various Bugsnax. She reveals that Bugsnax are actually parasites that eventually transform anyone who regularly consumes them into more Bugsnax, and urges the group to leave the island. Eggabell stays behind while Filbo and the journalist return to Snaxburg, which is now under attack from various Bugsnax. After fending off the Snax, the journalist, Filbo, and any surviving villagers leave the island on a balloon ship.

After returning to the mainland, Filbo stays with the journalist and acts as a witness for their story, in which they intentionally omit any mention of Bugsnax. Their supervisor, Clumby, is impressed with the story, but fires the journalist as she did not expect them to return. Filbo then decides to run for Mayor, asking the journalist's help.

In a secret ending, Clumby can be heard talking to a mysterious voice - the Grumpinati. The two believe that the journalist is hiding the truth and decide to keep watch on them. Meanwhile, a single Bugsnak is revealed to have stowed away aboard the ship.

Development

Young Horses took about six years to develop the game in order "not to burn out", as well as "to figure out what the game was."[5] The initial idea was when the company's creative director Kevin Zuhn drew a sketch of a "Wafflepillar"—a caterpillar made out of waffles.[5] Initially the gameplay was inspired heavily by Pokémon Snap, but over time the gameplay evolved into "a weird amalgamation of all of these different game ideas."[5] In addition to Pokémon Snap, the final game also takes inspiration from Ape Escape, Dark Cloud and Viva Piñata.[7] Zuhn also stated that during the developmental phase, the storyline for Bugsnax was intended to be much darker.[8]

The game was first revealed via an announcement trailer during Sony's Future Revealed PlayStation 5 event on June 11, 2020. The trailer featured the game's theme song "It's Bugsnax!", performed by British indie pop band Kero Kero Bonito. The song became popular in its own right, with GamesRadar calling it "the internet's new favorite meme ingredient", also writing "even if you haven't heard of Bugsnax, the game, there's a good chance you've probably heard Bugsnax, the theme tune."[6]

Reception

Bugsnax on the PlayStation consoles received "generally favorable reviews", while the Windows version saw "mixed or average reviews", according to the review aggregator Metacritic.[10][9][11] Several critics noted how the story and presentation was perceived as light hearted but that the ending's effect gave the plot a dark tone.[19][20][21]

LGBT-video game blog Gayming praised the game's inclusion of same-sex couples.[22] The game has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game.[23]

Sales

Despite releasing as a launch title via PS Plus on PlayStation 5 for two months, Bugsnax has outsold Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Young Horse's previous hit indie game.[24]

References
  1. May, Bex April (June 11, 2020). "PS5 reveal: 7 of the most exciting new games unveiled". The Luxe Review. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  2. Chris, Plante (June 11, 2020). "The new game from Octodad creator is Bugsnax and it features cuddly, living food". Polygon. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  3. "Bugsnax Song Writer Explains How Band Kero Kero Bonito Crafted The PS5 Game's Catchy Theme Song". GameSpot. June 28, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  4. "Bugsnax's Official Website". Bugsnax. June 11, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  5. Suddi, Aran (June 19, 2020). "Interview – Talkin 'bout Bugsnax and its surprising inspirations with Young Horses". The SixthAxis. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  6. Avard, Alex (June 26, 2020). "Big in 2020: Talkin' about Bugsnax with Young Horses co-founder Phil Tibitoski". GamesRadar. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  7. Gilbert, Ben (June 20, 2020). "Here's how an adorable and bizarre new game from a tiny indie studio stole the show at the big PlayStation 5 reveal". Business Insider. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  8. "Bugsnax's Original Ending was Darker Than Release Version". Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  9. "Bugsnax for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  10. "Bugsnax for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  11. "Bugsnax for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  12. "Review: Bugsnax". Destructoid. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  13. Game Informer https://www.gameinformer.com/review/bugsnax/bugsnax-review-creative-nonsense. Retrieved January 15, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bugsnax-review-delicious-and-nutritious/1900-6417606/. Retrieved January 15, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. GamesRadar+ https://www.gamesradar.com/bugsnax-review/. Retrieved January 15, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. "Bugsnax Review". IGN. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  17. "BUGSNAX REVIEW". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  18. "Bugsnax Review: Stranded on an Island and Lovin' It". USgamer. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  19. "Bugsnax's Ending Is Some Wild Shit, But It Doesn't Really Work". Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  20. "Bugsnax may not be scary, but it's still one of the most unsettling games I've played all year". Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  21. "HOW TO UNLOCK BOTH BUGSNAX ENDINGS AND WHAT THEY MEAN". Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  22. Henley, Stacey (December 8, 2020). "The Queer Paradise of Bugsnax". Gayming Magazine. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  23. https://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/32/nominees
  24. "Bugsnax is Big Sales Success for Young Horses Despite Being A Free PS Plus Game". Retrieved February 3, 2021.
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