The snax are back with scanning and hats; This is what I saw when I was able to check out a hands-off demo of Young Horses’ new DLC for the game Bugsnax. Young Horses’ improvements for Bigsnax are best understood when there is context involved.
It may not be much of an upgrade from the original game, but Bigsnax justifies its existence by not costing players a dime. The new improvements might not seem substantial right away, but when they are viewed in the bigger picture, they make perfect sense. The new content also unlocks after players reach a certain point in the story, so there really isn’t a reason for players to avoid it.
Players can expect the same kind of humour and creepiness as the original game, along with new customization options where they can overhaul their new home base called, huts. The huts will ingrain a sense of place, which is a smart addition, because when players put the game down they will most likely remember the time they spent building and customizing their homes.
Along with the new DLC, the developers are bringing the game to the Nintendo Switch where it will run at 720p and 30 frames per second. While players might see this as a negative, perspective is important. Thankfully, having it on the Switch will allow the game to reach new audiences while hopefully gaining new fans in the process. Like I mentioned earlier, the DLC is completely free, so once players get a feel for what Bugsnax is, they will most likely feel the need to keep going. Young Horses’ choice here is great especially when you consider they’re a smaller team so not charging for added bonuses is nice to see.
The devs are bringing Bugsnax to other platforms too, specifically Steam and the Xbox Series S and X. So while there might be a lot of new stuff here, the core mechanics, writing, and characters are all rock solid.
However, these positives do come with a negative. With it being over $30 CDN, it may be a hard sell for those with multiple consoles trying to decide whether or not to double-dip. Thankfully, the side quests look like they have enough variety to stop the game from becoming stale. The writing and characters are unique so that’s a positive as well.
Earlier in the demo, the developers embarked on one of the side quests. This showed one of the many puzzles where the player will use the game’s new tech to guide Bugsnax around a moving wall. The goal seems for this one is to move the Bugsnax around without them getting crushed. While they might seem simple, it’s important to remember the game is intended for both young and old.
Another positive is that players can scan and keep track of various items throughout the game. This will most likely keep players coming back to it even if it’s only a little as some will want to fill out the index. Back to the visuals, while the devs are using the same game engine, they’re still pleasant to look at, and it’s also worth considering that time constraints could have played a factor here. So this choice is actually a positive one as Young Horses saved themselves a lot of time, and we’re probably able to get the game out faster than if they had started from scratch.
Catching and keeping track of Bugsnax also looks like a lot of fun. This is where the meat of the game lies and the process of keeping track of what you’ve caught, going out to get more, and then doing the same thing again looks like an addictive gameplay loop. While it hasn’t changed too much, it’s worth remembering the developers probably felt confident in this aspect of the game so there wasn’t any point in changing it. Of course, the nature of this game is its humour and the developers have excelled in that area. The Bugsnax can now wear hats.
So the question remains, should players indulge in the weird and wacky world of Bugsnax when it comes to all major consoles with the new Bigsnax DLC? The DLC is free, so it’s a no-brainer. Bugsnax will be released on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S and X, and Steam on April 28 for around 30 bucks. Fans of PlayStation will also get new trophies to unlock.
