• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Bugsnax - Review Thread

ethomaz

Banned
HiSLdKU.png

Metacritic: 80 PS4 (27 reviews) / 73 PS5 (15 reviews) / 70 PC (10 reviews)
Opencritic: 76 (51 reviews)

9/10 TheSixthAxis https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2020/11/09/bugsnax-review-ps5/

Bugsnax is a unique and wonderful experience, and a must-play for anyone who can get their hands on it. If you’re lucky enough to have secured a PS5, make sure you make the most of PlayStation Plus and pick up your free copy while it lasts. If not, this game is still well worth your hard-earned cash.

9/10 Shacknews https://www.shacknews.com/article/121376/bugsnax-review-its-about-ethics-in-grumpus-journalism

Bugsnax is a truly unique and wonderful first-person adventure game that tugs at your heartstrings with its beautiful story. The themes of love, friendship, and overcoming adversity are not new, but the manner in which the story plays out is a sight to behold. Couple the amazing story with a tremendous soundtrack and nearly ten different biomes to explore, and this game is well worth a look this fall.

png

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...iew-a-fascinating-spin-on-creature-collecting

An island filled with critters is the setting for one of the more memorable games of the year.

4/5 GamesRadar+ https://www.gamesradar.com/bugsnax-review/

Bugsnax will be remembered for its brilliant crafted world, characters and titular Bugsnax for many years to come, despite some repetition and frustrating load times.

8/10 IGN https://www.ign.com/articles/bugsnax-review

It's got well-observed characters and some genuinely weird moments, but the actual bug hunting isn't much fun.

8/10 Gamespot https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bugsnax-review-delicious-and-nutritious/1900-6417606/

Bugsnax' unique concept is so compelling you'll want to see and catch every one of its cute, crawling culinary creatures.

4/5 - USGamer https://www.usgamer.net/articles/bugsnax-review-ps5-ps4-pc-epic-games-store-young-horses

Bugsnax sees Young Horses building on the strange sense of humor it developed with Octodad while embracing some familiar, less adventurous gameplay hooks at its core. I let out an involuntary "aw" when I saw my first Kwookie scuttling across the ground, but the real heart of Bugsnax is its cast of lovable Grumpuses. It has great characters, an entertaining story, and all the Bugsnak catching is just varied enough to keep the experience interesting to its end. All that talk about Bugsnax over the past few months wasn't misguided: it's a flavor-blasted joy.

9/10 God is a Geek https://www.godisageek.com/reviews/bugsnax-review/

Bugsnax offers thrilling gameplay with a poignant story about community and hope that continues to keep you engrossed throughout. The plethora of bugsnax are well-designed and different, allowing you to come up with various ways to catch them. and the colourful island of Snaktooth is a lot of fun to explore.

90/100 COGconnected https://cogconnected.com/review/bugsnax-review/
The intriguing mysteries, colorful characters to befriend, and overall charm in everything from the voice acting to the design of the different Bugsnax makes this game a true winner. It vaguely feels like Pokémon for the new generation, and both children and adults will find a lot to love here. The controls are easy to master, the gameplay is superb, and there’s a lot to do on the reasonably-sized map. If you are what you eat, then I’m the happiest Cinnasnail this side of Snaktooth Island has ever seen.

9/10 GameSpew https://www.gamespew.com/2020/11/bugsnax-review/

Bugsnax is a joyful, lovely experience from start to finish.

8.5/10 DualShockers https://www.dualshockers.com/bugsnax-review-young-horses-ps5-ps4/

With its fun story and entertaining characters, Young Horses' Bugsnax is a charming game that shouldn't be missed -- whether you play on PS4 or PS5.

Polygon https://www.polygon.com/reviews/21551529/bugsnax-review-playstation-4-5-xbox-one-series-x-pc

Ultimately, it’s that modern-day Mr. Rogers moralism that saves Bugsnax in the end. I’d happily recommend it to any family, and to any parent looking for a few hours to themselves — either in front of the screen for a bit of casual gameplay, or in the next room while the kids enjoy it all on their own.

60/100 PC Gamer https://www.pcgamer.com/bugsnax-review/

It's got well-observed characters and some genuinely weird moments, but the actual bug hunting isn't much fun.

3/5 Game Revolution https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/665534-bugsnax-review-ps4-ps5-pc-worth-buying

Bugsnax is an enjoyably dark mystery that deftly handles mental health issues with a superbly voice acted cast of entertaining characters, despite its shortcomings as an adventure game.

7/10 Destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/stories/review-bugsnax-608635.phtml

It's been a while since I've played a game with a cast of characters that was so good it elevated the rest of the experience, but that's where I am with Bugsnax. Because they're brilliant. And the concept behind Snaktooth Island is equally brilliant. It's just the actual gameplay here, catching all those 'snax, isn't quite compelling enough to match that brilliance.

7/10 Push Square https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/bugsnax

Bugsnax is a strange concoction of elements that come together for a truly unique adventure. Finding and catching the titular creatures is great fun, but the gameplay is broken up by story beats that belie the game's simple, whimsical style. The mysterious narrative and memorable ensemble cast will keep you interested between hunting for snax, too. Despite loading screens interrupting the flow and a handful of repeated beasties, this curious game is an unusual blend of flavours that works wonderfully.

8/10 PlayStation Universe https://www.psu.com/reviews/bugsnax-review-ps4/

Despite early fanfare very much focusing on Kero Kero Bonito's catchy theme song, and on just how outlandish a game the initial trailer seemed to show it as, the actual fact of the matter is Bugsnax is a real success, a game chockful of charm, wit, and plenty of heart - and one that revels in its eccentric trappings and delivers a meaningful adventure that'll ensure you never quite want to leave the inhabitants of Snacktooth Island after all.

3.5/5 Twinfinite https://twinfinite.net/2020/11/bugsnax-review-more-than-a-meme/

Bugsnax is an odd and wacky experience that’ll be remembered as the black swan of the PS5 launch lineup, in the best way possible. It highlights PlayStation’s commitment to having a diverse catalog of games at the PS5 launch, and with Bugsnax being free on PS Plus for PS5 players at launch, there’s no reason not to try it if you’re a subscriber.

8/10 Press Start https://press-start.com.au/reviews/ps5-reviews/2020/11/10/bugsnax-review-a-fun-adventure/

Whether it's the super-catchy theme song, the nostalgia-evoking gameplay, or simply the very basic fun of hunting new Snax to transform the Grumpuses, Bugsnax is a game that is well worth your time. Its simple yet addictive challenge of catching the cute yet strange creatures coupled with some wholesome storytelling delivers a well-rounded and fun adventure.

8/10 WayTooManyGames https://waytoomany.games/2020/11/09/review-bugsnax/

There is no reason not to visit this delightful world. Whether you focus on catching every single bugsnax available or mixing it with the mystery, wit, boss fights, charm and an overall system that appeals to adults while accessible to kids, it is a treat. Bugsnax is an excellent entry point to story driven narrative adventures.

7/10 GameSkinny http://www.gameskinny.com/ldtjf/bugsnax-review-hilarious-writing-in-an-unsettling-world

Bugsnax is memorable for its writing, world, and creative premise, but its more gamified elements somewhat spoil a delicious meal.

7/10 Game Informer https://www.gameinformer.com/review/bugsnax/bugsnax-review-creative-nonsense

Equal parts bizarre and good-hearted, Bugsnax is a breezy sequence of encounters and puzzles, but the continual errand structure of quests starts to feel like a chore

80/100 GamingTrend https://gamingtrend.com/feature/reviews/like-pokemon-but-you-eat-them-bugsnax-review/

Bugsnax is an odd combination of Pokémon, a Cabela's hunting game, and Octodad. It's got a lot going for it in the fun gameplay, as well as a wonderful island filled with incredible creatures to discover. I do think the ending doesn't necessarily fit, and the backtracking is annoying, but it doesn't make the game unenjoyable. If you want the weirdest game of 2020 that's unusually entertaining, then pick up Bugsnax. Now if you'll excuse me, the Kero Kero Bonito song is stuck in my head again.

9/10 But Why Tho? https://butwhythopodcast.com/2020/11/09/review-bugsnax-caught-me-in-its-trap/

Bugsnax has me thoroughly impressed. I have truly, madly, and deeply fallen in love with Snaktooth Island and its entertaining cast of characters. Chasing after Strabbys and Buffalocusts, bonding with the Grumpuses, and uncovering the mystery of Elizabert Megafig is an experience like no other. Not only is Bugsnax a brilliant launch title for the PlayStation 5, but a brilliant game in general that I cannot recommend enough. They’re kind of bug and kind of snack. What’s not to love?
 
Last edited:
"Stop reading now and go and play Bugsnax."

Bugsnax is so interesting that I suspect it deserves a pretty short review. The real fun here is discovery and interpretation, two things that both require a little mystery. Really, it would be good for you to stop reading now and go and play it. Go and play Bugsnax. It's not a spoiler to tell you that it's definitely worth your time.

If you need a little more than that, know this: a lot of the time Bugsnax is a sort of riff on the creature-collecting genre, more Viva Piñata than Pokémon. You gad about an island composed of various different biomes, collecting the local creatures, known as Bugsnax, which are half-insect and half snack. In the early stages you'll find a spider that might have French fries for legs, a hamburger that's also a beetle, and a hotdog worm. Designs are inventive and often funny. My favourite, from much later in the game, is a moth that I think is also made of French toast. I could be friends with a moth like that.

These Bugsnax are caught by using an expanding arsenal of gadgets, starting with a trap that you can put down and then trigger when the Bugsnax is within its grasp, and scaling to include stuff like a sort of hamster ball you can steer by laser, a bounce pad, and even a kind of Hookshot. Really, though, the Bugsnax are caught by studying them - uncovering their likes and dislikes and plotting their paths through the world. Then you have to think about how to use your gadgets - and any other Bugsnax - to get them in range of a trap. How to bring down a flying Bugsnax? How to lure a ketchup-loving Bugsnax out of the bush it's hiding in? How to increase the size of a Bugsnax that looks like a kernel of popcorn so it won't escape your trap? How to get a chilly Bugsnax to stop freezing you before you can get to it?

At its best this stuff plonks you into a world that is predictable enough to puzzle your way through, but still dynamic enough to surprise. I spent an absolute age trying to get a sentient bowl of noodles out of some lava using a sort of lollipop stick-insect. I caught fire many times, which was fine, but so did the stick-insect, which really put a crimp in things. There is a pleasure here to working out everything that a gadget can do and everything that a Bugsnax can do, and then discovering the possibilities of combining these possibilities. If this was all Bugsnax was, it would still be pretty good.

But it's not all. Beyond that, there is a mystery to be solved on the island where the Bugsnax live, and solving it means gathering and understanding the relationships between a wonderfully diverse group of Grumpuses, sort of muppety creatures that stand in, I guess, for humans at the top of the food chain. These Grumpuses love Bugsnax and have a very particular set of uses for them, but they don't often love other Grumpuses, and the game progresses as a kind of inquest into their attempt to create a community on the island where the Bugsnax live.

Even this feels like saying too much. Really, just go and play this game, which uses familiar ideas, all of them well-handled, in the service of something that I will be continuing to turn over in my mind for the next few months, I suspect. Bugsnax is colourful, clever, and surprising - and you deserve to discover the deepest aspects of it for yourself.


 
Last edited:

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Is that 9/10 review a parody?
...

For all the darkness, there is also a lot of light to enjoy here. One of my first moments of genuine appreciation for this game was seeing that Liz, our absent leader, is dating another female character. There is no comment about how these characters are gay and there is no trace of homophobia from the other residents. They are accepted for being themselves. Given the sly innuendoes this pair of characters slip in (like Shrek and the Lego Movie), these moments of joy just keep coming.

giphy.gif
 
Why is the PS5 version rating 5 points below the PS4 version? Seems like a decent difference and the reviews I've read don't clarify what the difference is between the two.
 

ethomaz

Banned
I'm really happy one of the games I choose to buy (that one is free for PS5 users) is interesting.
At launch I will have only family games: Sackboy and Bugsnax.

I'm still on fence with Niche-man because I did not played the first on PS4 so I can end buying the version that come with both games... and the Demon's Souls is a game I already played dozens of times to get Platinum and farm Pure Bladestores so it is not aimed to me.

I can't wait my little baby looking me playing these games (he loves to watch the Netflix's Jurassic World animation).
 
Last edited:

Xellos

Member
This looks like one of those games that relies more on wackiness than gameplay. "Food golems" is a pretty good wacky idea, though. I'd try it if it wasn't locked on Epic's store, or if I could find a PS5.
 

ethomaz

Banned
Kind of game you'll find in Aldi or Lidl 3 years from now for €7.99
Why not play it on PS+ without need to buy it?

imagine being triggered by this game
Scores really drive some I guess.

If you compared the PS5 launch titles to PS4 ones... the first is receiving good scores (at least from the ones already reviwed) from the critic while the PS4 really rad some low quality games at launch (even Killzone that I liked received low scores but I can see it because the MP was really subpar even when compared with Killzone 2 and Killzone 3).
 
Last edited:

Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
How the fuck is the disparity between PC version and console version so huge?

Is the PC version broken or are reviewers for console versions just starved for games so anything must be a 9 out of 10
 

ethomaz

Banned
How the fuck is the disparity between PC version and console version so huge?

Is the PC version broken or are reviewers for console versions just starved for games so anything must be a 9 out of 10
Only 8 review articles said they played the PC version... that is not a exclusivity of this game... others games including AAA are most reviewed on consoles.

You can see all of them here: https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bugsnax/critic-reviews

Most reviews are for the PS4 version.
 
Last edited:

Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
Only 8 review articles said they played the PC version... that is not a exclusivity of this game... others games including AAA are most reviewed on consoles.

You can see all of them here: https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bugsnax/critic-reviews

Most reviews are for the PS4 version.

yeah I get that.
But usually unless a version is broken or something the score differences between platforms isnt 68 one platform 80 on another.
Its usually ~5 points between all platforms.

Its just a really jarring gap for the PC version so i assumed it must have some bug(heh) in it or something thats causing its scores to be that much lower
 

ethomaz

Banned
yeah I get that.
But usually unless a version is broken or something the score differences between platforms isnt 68 one platform 80 on another.
Its usually ~5 points between all platforms.

Its just a really jarring gap for the PC version so i assumed it must have some bug(heh) in it or something thats causing its scores to be that much lower
I did not read anything about deal breaker bugs yet in the reviews... let's see how it will settle after all reviews are posted.
 
Top Bottom