The Bug Butcher is a stylish, quippy and incredibly fun arcade shooter that’s only held back by its below average length and forgettable soundtrack.
The Bug Butcher
Developer: Awfully Nice Studios
Price: $5.99
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Mac
Monstervine was supplied with a PC Code for review.
Like many other games in the arcade-shooter genre, The Bug Butcher has a very minimal story. This is beneficial to the game as it allows the fast-paced action to flow at a quicker pace. The bits of story are presented in small bursts of text dialogue between the main character, and a rectangular scientist.
The premise is simple. You play as the titular Bug Butcher, who has come to a heavily bug-infested science centre, the game’s main setting, in order to exterminate all of the insidious insects. Each section of the lab is broken up with little quip-filled dialogues between the Bug Butcher and the scientist, and while it doesn’t normally add anything to the story, it more often than not proves to be entertaining.
The Bug Butcher‘s gameplay is where it really shines, as the combat is both fast and addicting. Each level has you vertically blast your way through all sorts of multi-legged vermin, as your character can only shoot upwards. This works well since the enemies always spawn in ways that propel them upwards. Numerous power-ups can be found and used as well, such as straight lasers and freeze blasts. These abilities prove to be unique enough to add another layer of enjoyment to the game. There are two main game modes, dubbed “Arcade”, and “Panic”. Arcade mode is a short romp through all of the game’s levels, while Panic is more or less Time Attack.
Arcade mode introduces an impressive amount of new insects to exterminate, each with their own unique abilities. Though almost every type of enemy splits into numerous smaller enemies, each bug’s unique designs and varied abilities feel like a new challenge to overcome. The bugs are also introduced at a reasonable and well thought-out pace, allowing the game to feel fresh all the way through. The stages also tend to have unique gimmicks, such as button-activated forcefields and a giant mashing hammer, letting players think more on their feet.
Panic mode is like an incredibly streamlined version of Arcade mode, with a focus on killing as many insects as possible before dying, or running out of time. Once one of the areas from Arcade mode is selected, bugs start rocketing out of spawn points for the player to butcher. As you slay bugs, upgrades become available using gold obtained from fallen enemies. These upgrades only last through the individual round they’re bought in, making them feel somewhat unnecessary. It’s an enjoyable mode in spurts, as it’s fun to try to climb the leaderboards, but it gets old after long periods of time.
The overall length is unfortunately short. Arcade mode takes a few hours at most, while Panic mode will probably have the player’s attention for another couple hours. The varying difficulty modes make the game last a bit longer for die-hard completionists, but most people will probably find it a bit on the short side.
The Bug Butcher‘s visuals are clean and stimulating. The animations for the bugs and main characters are all remarkably smooth, and fit the visual style well. Each level manages to be distinct in its own way, despite taking place in the same building. One area is full of lava and metal, while another level is full of sticky insect residue, reminiscent of a setting out of the Alien movies. These tonal differences go a long way in keeping the game interesting, as the levels never drag out, keeping the aesthetics refreshing.
The sound design is decent, with the sound effects standing out above the music. While the music is okay, it’s mainly varying pieces of techno that kind of blend together. It works well as atmospheric background music, but it’s not overly memorable. The sound effects on the other hand are fantastic. The bugs sound vile and gross, while the different weapons all emit their own flashy noises. This all lends credence to the main concept, as it really makes you feel like an interstellar bug slayer.
The Final Word
The Bug Butcher is a flashy and fun arcade experience. The core gameplay and visuals are absolutely fantastic, and are only complimented by the stellar sound effects. Though it is somewhat short, and has a forgettable soundtrack, it’s a very fun experience overall, with a good sense of humour. For fans of arcade shooters, this game is definitely worth a shot.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
