DIGITISER
  • MAIN PAGE
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Game Reviews
  • FAQ

REVIEW: THE BUG BUTCHER (PC/Mac)

22/1/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Do you remember when you'd spend 30-odd quid on an arcade-style game that only had one idea in it?

The Bug Butcher is precisely the sort of thing that, once upon a time, would've been priced at the equivalent of an Assassin's Creed or a Call of Duty.

And because we didn't know any better, we would've lapped it up, like the ignorant proles we were. Now enjoy this noise: hurnh-hurnh!! For we now have a resurgence in indie gaming, and all those sorts of games are back - except now they cost under a tenner. That's about the same price as an organic almond milk latte in some parts of London... You know the parts we mean: where the streets are paved with beard wisps.

Picture
HAVE A BUTCHER'S
The Bug Butcher is basically Pang, but with aliens.

Do you remember Pang? Little guy in a pith helmet shoots at bubbles with a harpoon? And the bubbles break into smaller bubbles, and he has to shoot those too?

Well, I say "has to" - he doesn't have to do anything. He could just stand there, but then he'd probably die, and it wouldn't be much of a game. 
That's The Bug Butcher in a nutshell.

You control a spaceman with a gun, who wanders back and forth a series of single-screen levels, shoots at assorted aliens as they drop from above, or pop up from the floor, or are ejected from the walls, and he tries to not get hit by them.

Some aliens burst into smaller versions, some bounce around like hi-balls, some of them will attempt to kidnap your assistant - a chap who doles out the power-ups (freezing grenades, laser beams, rockets et al) - and some of them shoot at you. As you progress, the levels introduce elements such as walls and flame-throwers, or find other ways to make the aliens' movements more unpredictable. And that's it. It continues. You earn coin. You buy things in a little shop.

​And it looks really very lovely indeed, and it's very addictive, and very simple, and it gets harder as it goes along, as you'd expect. I could spend another couple of paragraphs padding this out, and going into all sorts of tedious detail, but - frankly - that would insulting your ability to fill in the blanks, when all you want to know is whether it's any good.

And it is. Not particularly original admittedly, but a lovely arcade-like throwback nevertheless. And - hey - no pixel art! See? It can be done.

SUMMARY: Addictive, retro-shooter larks, with a Saturday morning cartoon sheen.
SCORE: 6 legs out of 8

FROM THE ARCHIVE:
REVIEW: PONY ISLAND (PC/MAC)
REVIEW: PUNCH CLUB (PC/MAC)

REVIEW: OXENFREE (PC/MAC)
2 Comments
PeskyFletch
22/1/2016 11:20:40 am

Pang was my joint favourite arcade game as a young un( Tied with Sunset Riders) an i always looked forward to playing it when we'd go to Spain on the bus. I'll have to check this out.

Reply
Mr Biffo
22/1/2016 11:22:04 am

You won't be disappointed. It's Pang... but faster.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    This section will not be visible in live published website. Below are your current settings:


    Current Number Of Columns are = 2

    Expand Posts Area =

    Gap/Space Between Posts = 12px

    Blog Post Style = card

    Use of custom card colors instead of default colors = 1

    Blog Post Card Background Color = current color

    Blog Post Card Shadow Color = current color

    Blog Post Card Border Color = current color

    Publish the website and visit your blog page to see the results

    Picture
    Support Me on Ko-fi
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    RSS Feed Widget
    Picture

    Picture
    Tweets by @mrbiffo
    Picture
    Follow us on The Facebook

    Picture

    Archives

    December 2022
    May 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • MAIN PAGE
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Game Reviews
  • FAQ