While there has been a smorgasbord of new game announcements over the summer,
few have captured the imagination as much as the infectious curiosity of Bugsnax.
With its deliciously goofy creature designs and catchy theme song,
there’s plenty to get people talking,
and it doesn’t hurt that it’s included with PlayStation Plus for new PS5 owners.
Thankfully, if you find the concept of catching sentient sandwiches appealing,
you’ll likely enjoy this outing to Snaktooth Island.
If you’ve somehow missed all the talk about Bugsnax,
it centers on unexplained creatures that look like edible treats.
There’s the basic Strabby, which is just a strawberry with googly eyes.
There are the hot dog-shaped Weenyworms, butterfly-shaped Cheepoofs,
and french fries that take the form of spiders that crawl along the ceiling.
Much of the fun of Bugsnax comes purely from the sense of discovery
as you come across new creatures in the wild.
And much like the original Pokémon cartoon,
each bugsnak enhances its personality by constantly repeating its own name,
often in melodic ways that easily stick in your head.
While the Pokémon influences are unmistakable, in terms of gameplay,
Bugsnax isn’t about RPG mechanics or raising up a team;
it’s more focused on finding your prey and figuring out how to capture it.
By using a trusty camera, you can identify each bugsnak you find in the wild,
and when targeting an individual creature, you learn its name and characteristics
as well as a list of things it likes, hates, or fears.
Catching some creatures is as simple as setting a trap in their path,
but others may require you to lure them in with various sauces
like ketchup or chocolate,
or you might need to use a more aggressive bugsnak to flush out another.
As you progress, you also unlock additional tools that help,
like a launch pad that you can use to reach higher areas
or that you can combine with your trap to chuck it towards airborne snax.
There’s a real sense of puzzle-solving and experimentation
that comes with figuring out how to catch each critter on your list.
At times though, this can lead to frustration as well as joy.
It’s easy to experience a sense of tug of war with the AI
as you try to lure a creature to another area
since they constantly try to turn back to where they came from.
Awkward moments can similarly arise when trying to overcome status effects
like fire, although to some extent that’s part of the learning process as well.
Bugsnax isn’t just about following your natural desire to find and catch new creatures though.
There is an overarching story, and in fact, there’s far more dialogue and character interaction
than you might expect.
You play the role of a journalist who has been invited to Snaktooth Island by Elizabert Megafig
who has just discovered bugsnax and wants to share the story with the world.
After crash landing, you learn that the expedition has had a falling out,
and Mayor Filbo Fiddlepie asks you to help bring everyone back to town.
Each time a resident comes home, you then get to interview that person,
learning more about them, the events that caused everyone to go their separate ways,
and the mysterious bugsnax themselves.
The grumpuses, as they’re called, are all charming and bear unique personalities.
There’s the purple gossip, Beffica,
who repeatedly has you dig up dirt on her neighbors.
The exuberant pop star Wiggle sings as much as she talks.
And the naïve and innocent Gramble doesn’t want to eat bugsnax, but instead treats them like family.
Every grumpus animates in a very puppet-like way, but strong storytelling and vocal performances
really help you get attached to each and every one of them.
That said, there are times when the sheer amount of dialogue can get a little tiresome
as you just want to get out there and play.
Overall, the story really has more to do with the growth and reconciliation of this colorful cast
than it has to do with the creatures they ask you to catch.
It’s these requests, though, that drive the gameplay
and guide you to new areas across the island.
In order to convince a grumpus to return home,
you might need to find some of their favorite bugsnax, or
you may need to learn to use a new tool.
Other quests involve remedying differences between neighbors,
and a few lead you to unique boss encounters, which
feel appropriately grand, but at times
exemplify some of the awkwardness with the game’s systems.
Despite the fact that the majority of the game is essentially a series of fetch quests,
the context is strong enough to keep it from feeling like a chore most of the time.
However, there are a few quests near the end
that have you retreading areas you already fully explored without bringing anything new to the table.
The other wonderful quirk about Bugsnax is that when a grumpus eats these creatures,
parts of their bodies transform to match whatever you’ve brought them.
It’s a very literal interpretation of “you are what you eat”
that has character’s limbs turning into strawberries or teeth turning into pretzels.
It makes characters look quite ridiculous, in a good way,
and it’s fun to experiment with applying different treats to different body parts.
If you want to catch them all and check off the full list of side quests,
Bugsnax takes about 10 hours or so to complete.
The gameplay can feel a little clumsy here and there, but
it makes up for it with the silliness and creativity of it all.
There’s a lot of joy to be had with these bizarre critters,
and there’s more to the story than you might guess.
So if you’re curious about where this adventure ends up,
pack your bags for Snaktooth Island,
and be sure to bring a healthy appetite.
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