Products You May Like
We’re in an era where exclusives are typically timed, which is a wonderful thing for those of us that don’t have every console at our disposal. Eventually most fascinating and fun games make their way around to Switch and other platforms, especially in the Indie space – now we can add former PlayStation exclusive Bugsnax to that list. It’s confirmed for Switch and will be arriving, along with a free DLC expansion called The Isle of Bigsnax, on 28th April priced at $24.99USD.
One of the Indie highlights of the PS5 launch in late 2020 and included in PlayStation Plus for the new system (it arrived without inclusion in PS Plus on PS4, as well), it was a much talked about and streamed game at the time. It’s the creation of Young Horses, the studio that first came to prominence with Octodad: Dadliest Catch. The hook in Bugsnax is that you’re trying to capture an assortment of creatures that are (yep) walking snacks, with all sorts of quirky methods and requirements to do so. Its humour and creativity were certainly key contributors to its buzz.
During a press event confirming new platforms (also Xbox and Game Pass, alongside Steam) we got a look at a major update that’ll be included with the game – it’ll be free for current owners, too. The Isle of Bigsnax is said to add 3-4 hours of additional content, maybe more for completionists, and sees four of the main characters head to a new island to explore and encounter super-sized creatures – the Bigsnax.
The gameplay certainly looked enjoyable in the preview – puzzle solutions can vary from inciting a Bigsnax to knock down a wall, to Metroid Prime-esque mazes in which you navigate a ball, and more besides. For those new to the game, this DLC will be available relatively late in a playthrough (but before a ‘point of no return’) as it uses established characters. The update will also add new sidequests, letters and hats for the Bugsnax.
In terms of the Switch port the studio had assistance from Enduring Games, though internally it was a small team effort. It’s said to be targeting 720p and 30fps in both docked and handheld configurations, with the team stating that it’s happy with the look and performance that’s been achieved. Whereas the Octodad port on Switch could draw on work previously done for mobile, in the case of Bugsnax it required learning new optimisations and techniques.
In addition to the digital release it’s confirmed that iam8bit will put together a special edition vinyl, a two-disc LP that includes 25 tracks from composer Seth Parker.
It’ll be fascinating to see how Bugsnax shapes up on Switch at the end of the month – are you planning to pick it up?