Young Horses’Bugsnaxsqueaked by relatively unnoticed in 2020, at a time when everyone was a little preoccupied. The hype around it didn’t pick up until a few years later, when it was picked up by the cozy and casual gaming community for its cute aesthetics and silly premise.
I consider myself a cozy gaming connoisseur. I get excited about every new decorating indie darling, and I collect relaxing farming sims like they’re Pokémon and I gotta catch ‘em all. Naturally, when I heardrumblings of a cozy game that I had missed,I just had to give it a try.
Since the title isavailable to play for free on the PlayStation Plus Games Catalog,I figured I might as well play it. I went into the game thinking I was in for an adorable experience with cute collectible critters themed around foods. Little did I know that I was about to experienceone of the most unsettling games on the PS Plus store.
Bugsnax Is Far From Just A Cozy Game
Body Horror Disguised As A “Wholesome” Title
There are many different kinds of horror. Obviously,Bugsnaxhas nojump scares or murderous monstersout to get you.The title’s brand of horror is much more subtle,the kind that sneaks up on you slowly with the sense that somehow, something isn’t quite right.
The story ofBugsnaxrevolves around the titular “snax,” sentient bug-like creatures that resemble snacks like bags of chips, cans of soda, strawberries, and French fries. Unfortunately for the critters, these little guys alsotaste as delicious as the foods they resemble. This leads the muppet-like residents of the island they inhabit to, naturally, start snacking on them.
The game’s story kicks off when your character, an unnamed journalist, heads to the island in search of a scoop. Instead, you find that the character who invited you has gone missing, and the town’s residents have scattered. It’s up to you toreunite the residents and uncover what became of their missing leader.
Much of the gameplay revolves around using different tools tocatalog and capture the bugs, which you may then feed to various characters. That’s wherethings start to go down a darker path.
“Their limbs and features become disfigured, turning their hands into tomatoes, their legs into hamburger buns, and their ears into pickles.”
As you feed these characters, theybegin to take on the characteristics of the foods they eat. Their limbs and features become disfigured, turning their hands into tomatoes, their legs into hamburger buns, and their ears into pickles.
It would be funny if the character designs weren’t already a little unsettling to begin with. Instead, it brings to mind Shirley Jackson’s famous short story,The Lottery:The entire village acts like the horrendous things happening around them are just another Tuesday, while Iobserve the body horror unfolding before me with growing dread.
Bugsnax Was Almost A Lot More Unsettling
Early Concepts Prove This Was Always Meant To Be Creepy
I’ve seen some players share their “Snackifications” of the characters, seeing it as an amusing way tocustomize the island residents. But others, like me, seeBugsnaxfor what it is:just plain creepy.
It’s not a case of my having delicate sensibilities (I don’t). Without spoiling too much, it’s worth noting that the main theme of the game, as you progress through it, is how the Bugsnax should be handled and their effect on the characters.
The fact is, the game wasalmost even more horrifying. Young Horses revealed onXthatthe title was originally going to have players “peel and dismantle their bodies before serving them to your friends!”
Whether you find it cute and cozy or disturbingly creepy, the fact remains thatBugsnaxis a unique little title that’s worth a gander—especially while it’s free on PlayStation Plus. Just be aware as you go in that you might not be in for the coziest, most wholesome ride of your life. But it will, however, be fun and almost definitely delicious.
