Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling

 Switch
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 133 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 110 out of 133
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 133
  3. Negative: 17 out of 133

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  1. arh3399
    Aug 8, 2020
    7
    I liked this game but I feel its started very slow. The first 10 hrs were a slog to get through but then it picked up and was pretty fun. Wasn't to difficult even with the challenge badge they give you that makes the bosses harder. With all the quest you can really put a lot of time into this game if you want to. I don't love the quick time event battle system, but its solid.
  2. orukusaki
    May 29, 2020
    8
    Save points are kind of annoying in this game I think i saw another review that mentioned that. It's a good game, it def scratches that PM TYD itch until this new game releases later on this summer. I'm enjoying it.
  3. EraTostaNess
    May 29, 2020
    9
    This game succeeds in everything its trying to do, and I would say, it evens surpasses the beloved Paper Mario games!
  4. StageBuild
    May 28, 2020
    10
    Ok so one of my favourite game is Paper Mario TTYD and you know what Bug Fables is even better. Get this and You wont be disapointed I dont even know why are you checking reviews for serious. Get this game already
  5. Okie_Doki
    Apr 19, 2022
    0
    Way too buggy. I'd rather be in biology class and learning about the finches on the Galapagos. Darwins HMS beagle is 100X more interesting than anything in stupid fug bables. Bug fables clearly had some recessive alleles in it, and they weren't the good kind. If I were to draw a punnet square for this AFWUL game, it'd be bad game dominant allele, with stupid moth recessive allele. MothivaWay too buggy. I'd rather be in biology class and learning about the finches on the Galapagos. Darwins HMS beagle is 100X more interesting than anything in stupid fug bables. Bug fables clearly had some recessive alleles in it, and they weren't the good kind. If I were to draw a punnet square for this AFWUL game, it'd be bad game dominant allele, with stupid moth recessive allele. Mothiva took away 3 points by themselves. Don't buy this game unless you're trying to punish your biology class.… Expand
  6. GilArenas
    May 1, 2022
    0
    Bug Fables: The Everlasting **** This game is so boring it feels like its everlasting. There are more bugs in this game than Richard Parker growls at Pi through 227 days at sea. Heck, there's more bugs in this game than Macbeth kills people. Its kinda buggy. The only smidge of positivity in this game is that the main character is a wasp, and they may be a common ancestor to the GeospizaBug Fables: The Everlasting **** This game is so boring it feels like its everlasting. There are more bugs in this game than Richard Parker growls at Pi through 227 days at sea. Heck, there's more bugs in this game than Macbeth kills people. Its kinda buggy. The only smidge of positivity in this game is that the main character is a wasp, and they may be a common ancestor to the Geospiza Fortis. This game is too buggy for me and gets a 0, just like the Biology class average.… Expand
  7. greenbur
    May 29, 2020
    7
    I really enjoy this game but having specific save points is very annoying because that means you can't stop whenever you won't, you either have to lose your progress or keep going until you can save. Another small issue is you can't see enemy health which messes with tactics for the game. The last thing is there is part of the game where you are throwing things and you have to be preciseI really enjoy this game but having specific save points is very annoying because that means you can't stop whenever you won't, you either have to lose your progress or keep going until you can save. Another small issue is you can't see enemy health which messes with tactics for the game. The last thing is there is part of the game where you are throwing things and you have to be precise and it's hard to do that with the way the game moves the characters. You don't have complete control over how they're facing which makes being precise hard.… Expand
  8. JoySlip
    May 29, 2020
    10
    This game is a love letter for every TTYD lover in the world. Also one to people who are skeptical about the new paper mario. I can’t even sum up my joy for this game in this review, so just go play it. Please.
  9. zenn22
    Nov 23, 2021
    0
    How can you release a game that constantly stutters?
  10. EmCza
    Jul 19, 2020
    9
    After I’ve played Paper Mario: Origami King I changed my opinion about this game. Maybe this is not a PM:TTYD but this is very good RPG game. Origami King is a beauty crap, Bug Fables is unpolished diamond.
    I hope that the next part of this game will wipe out the Paper Mario series, which deserves to be forgotten
  11. Joerpg84
    May 30, 2020
    10
    This is the best Paper Mario game since TTYD. It truely is the spiritual successor and puts all the other Paper Mario games to shame. I wouldn’t be surprised if this may end up better than origami king based on the battle system alone.
  12. Captain_N
    Jun 6, 2020
    10
    What an incredibly charming game that taps into exactly what made the old Paper Mario games so much fun to play.
    It might not be as long or as polished as that but it's sure as hecc miles above what Nintendo has been doing with their franchise and I had a lot of fun playing it.
    The characters are lovely and their dialogue, jokes, and banter is so enjoyable. The graphic iconic and    What an incredibly charming game that taps into exactly what made the old Paper Mario games so much fun to play.
    It might not be as long or as polished as that but it's sure as hecc miles above what Nintendo has been doing with their franchise and I had a lot of fun playing it.
    The characters are lovely and their dialogue, jokes, and banter is so enjoyable.
    The graphic iconic and colorful and gameplay a lot of fun.

    One of the things I wasn't too crazy about is how when you need to use Medal/Badges which gives you special attributes, there always seem to be a tradeoff instead of them outright improving your characters.
    Like, you'd get a badge that gives 1+ to attack BUT 1- to defense.
    You have to pour your level up points into medals to actually make use of them, which in itself should be the tradeoff so I didn't feel it as satisfying to use medals as I did when using badges in Paper Mario.

    I definitely hope to see more from this franchise again in the future!    … Expand
  13. CiphirSol
    Jun 2, 2020
    9
    Hey it's about time we got something like this out of a developer other than Nintendo. Cool premise, multi-platform and superficially reminds me of Hollow Knight. Sold.
  14. Krispy123111
    Jun 29, 2020
    10
    It's what made the original paper Mario games great in a new package that feels superb. If you want more of a challenge similar to the paper Mario mods the game has a hard mode badge right out of the gate, and additional challenge badges you can get later on to really make it punishing. I've seen comments about how specific save spots are a problem but that's the intention, it's just likeIt's what made the original paper Mario games great in a new package that feels superb. If you want more of a challenge similar to the paper Mario mods the game has a hard mode badge right out of the gate, and additional challenge badges you can get later on to really make it punishing. I've seen comments about how specific save spots are a problem but that's the intention, it's just like the older RPG from a bygone era. The only real complaint i have is that a few puzzles, particularly involving the boomerang, can be tedious and finicky.… Expand
  15. Heavydog
    Jun 24, 2020
    8
    Bug Fables ist ein gelungenes Abenteuer, das seine Inspirationsquelle mit Stolz vor sich trägt. Die Kämpfe machen durchgehend Spaß und bringen einen besonders im Hard Mode zum Nachdenken. Die Welt glänzt mit sympathischen und witzigen Charakteren, besonders die drei Protagonisten erhalten während des Spiels viel Character-Development. Nebenquests tragen zur Lore bei und beinhalten mitunterBug Fables ist ein gelungenes Abenteuer, das seine Inspirationsquelle mit Stolz vor sich trägt. Die Kämpfe machen durchgehend Spaß und bringen einen besonders im Hard Mode zum Nachdenken. Die Welt glänzt mit sympathischen und witzigen Charakteren, besonders die drei Protagonisten erhalten während des Spiels viel Character-Development. Nebenquests tragen zur Lore bei und beinhalten mitunter interessante Aufgaben und der Umfang des Spiels weiß mit weit über 30 Stunden zu überzeugen. Leider fehlt es dem Spiel an Feinschliff und Präzision (insbesondere beim Platforming), die man aus Paper Mario gewohnt sind. Wer aber Geduld zeigt und über diese Makel hinwegsehen kann erhält hier einen würdigen Seelenverwandten zum klassischen Paper Mario.… Expand
  16. VirgoCave
    Jun 7, 2020
    10
    This game is solid 8.5 but it deserves a lot of more attention .

    Full of secrets bosses, items and strategies using the medals. Technically is Paper Mario 3 Bug Fables but at least is better than the 64 original. A Must buy for any RPG fan, especially , Paper Mario Fans.
  17. iMustang
    Oct 12, 2021
    8
    Bug Fables delivers on the exact promise it stands for - Paper Mario 3. This game is truly the sequel we've waited nearly two decades for as it takes all the concepts of Paper Mario and pushes them to the next step, expanding upon the formula we know and love. The developers clearly knew their target audience as well; not only does this game call back to a nostalgic formula, it was createdBug Fables delivers on the exact promise it stands for - Paper Mario 3. This game is truly the sequel we've waited nearly two decades for as it takes all the concepts of Paper Mario and pushes them to the next step, expanding upon the formula we know and love. The developers clearly knew their target audience as well; not only does this game call back to a nostalgic formula, it was created in such a way that the difficulty itself would have aged with it's audience. This game can be downright brutal at times, yet always remains fair and gives it's player a chance to succeed. In many ways this game is even better than any Paper Mario with a heavier focus on story and lore, a vibrant cast of characters with great depth and growth, and a large amount of side-quests and optional areas to explore. You can spend anywhere between 25-100 hours playing this game depending on how much you want to put into it, and it always feels rewarding to play.

    If I have any complaints, aside from the difficulty curve, it's that some of the best parts of this story is hidden. To learn about one of the main character's pasts requires a side quest line, which leads to the story focusing on this plot point for a bit until they shelve it unless you want to pursue the answers on your own. Same with resolving the plots of two other characters, which is a shame because they're more interesting than the main narrative, so I would have rather they incorporated those journeys into the main plot. There is also a lot of unresolved plot points, which may or may not be explained in the hidden lore books (which notably I did not collect), but either way it feels odd to end a journey with so many unanswered questions. Also sometimes the witty dialogue the characters say disappear too quickly, which is a shame to those of us who don't read very fast. These complaints are very minor in the grand scheme of things however; at the end of the day, Bug Fables is a journey every Paper Mario fan should go on. If you can handle a greater challenge, you will be greatly rewarded.    … Expand
  18. Malsharif
    May 30, 2020
    9
    If you like Super Paper Mario you will love this game the gameplay is great
  19. ryanreynochu
    Jul 27, 2020
    10
    Just finished Chapter 2, fantastic game. Has a few shortcomings, but it's the most fun I've had with an RPG of this style in a very long time
  20. twztid13
    Jun 23, 2020
    8
    Fantastic game. Don't give up after the first few minutes if you're not a fan of Paper Mario (meaning you've never played them before). Give it a chance for an hour or two & i think you'll be glad you did. Every Paper Mario fan will love it. It runs great, even in handheld mode, btw.
  21. Hangedman84
    Jan 31, 2021
    10
    The game plunged me back to my childhood times! This is a gorgeous little gem in the game world!

    10 bugs from 10!
  22. aZombieDictator
    Jun 10, 2020
    10
    The Paper Mario we've all wanted. Amazing music, charming characters, wonderful gameplay, perfect combat anf awesome medal system.
  23. Jubal16
    Aug 26, 2020
    10
    Excellent RPG Game. Notoriously taking classic Paper Mario's style, this indie game really felt like a spiritual succesor, having a great story, great battling system, good music and overall, a rather pleasant adventure.
  24. Starfree
    Aug 19, 2020
    8
    Does Paper Mario need Mario to be good? No. I’d much rather prefer an actual Paper Mario RPG, but Bug Fables proves that you don’t need a big name to be a good RPG. Bug Fables doesn’t try to be anything special just a simple RPG with Bugs. But by keeping it simple it becomes something special and in some way more memorable then all these complex complicated concepts of other RPGs.Does Paper Mario need Mario to be good? No. I’d much rather prefer an actual Paper Mario RPG, but Bug Fables proves that you don’t need a big name to be a good RPG. Bug Fables doesn’t try to be anything special just a simple RPG with Bugs. But by keeping it simple it becomes something special and in some way more memorable then all these complex complicated concepts of other RPGs. Sometimes you gotta look at the little pictures. And the little pictures are sometimes prettier then the bigger ones.… Expand
  25. Ishrod24
    Apr 18, 2021
    10
    Wow! Great game! Got it on sale for 17$ and it’s worth the price of a full game! Beautiful art style! This game did what Mario origami king couldn’t ! Awesome combat! Get the game thank me later!
  26. Kavawuvi
    May 31, 2020
    10
    As a lot of people have noted, it's a really good game for people who liked the classic Paper Mario RPGs from the Nintendo 64 and GameCube.

    Personally, I think the formula has aged quite well (and has even been improved upon!), so I'd actually argue this game is made for more than just those players in particular. Also, the characters and world are quite charming, and the OST is very    As a lot of people have noted, it's a really good game for people who liked the classic Paper Mario RPGs from the Nintendo 64 and GameCube.

    Personally, I think the formula has aged quite well (and has even been improved upon!), so I'd actually argue this game is made for more than just those players in particular. Also, the characters and world are quite charming, and the OST is very good. There's also a LOT to do in this game, so you're definitely getting your money's worth.

    I hope we can fondly remember this game 15 years from now like we did with Paper Mario 64 and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.    … Expand
  27. KINGTUTT52
    May 29, 2020
    10
    It's basically everything good about TTYD or Paper Mario 64 but way harder. This is a must buy in my opinion.
  28. BeeBoss
    Jul 19, 2020
    10
    Maybe this is not TTYD but is decent and better in any way from every modern Paper Mario. If you consider what buy (Origami King or Bug Fables, buy Bug Fables with a clear conscience; Origami King is a joke)
  29. Paulverizer
    Jul 20, 2020
    9
    If you've been looking for a game that will fill the void that Nintendo has created since making Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, this is the game for you. As a side note, this game vastly overshadows the new Paper Mario: The Origami King if you were a larger fan of the first 2 games of this series.

    On its own the combat system is creative and fun, with an interesting world to    If you've been looking for a game that will fill the void that Nintendo has created since making Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, this is the game for you. As a side note, this game vastly overshadows the new Paper Mario: The Origami King if you were a larger fan of the first 2 games of this series.

    On its own the combat system is creative and fun, with an interesting world to explore as you play the game. Any RPG fan will like this game.    … Expand
  30. Bebrop
    Jul 20, 2020
    10
    With the exception of a few very slight hiccups, the game accomplishes everything it sets out to be. It's characters are wonderful, the world is fascinating, and it's full of secrets. The combat is like classic Paper Mario with a few modernizations that make it flow all the smoother. This game is just so lovingly made that no one needs to hold out for a squeal to The Thousand Year DoorWith the exception of a few very slight hiccups, the game accomplishes everything it sets out to be. It's characters are wonderful, the world is fascinating, and it's full of secrets. The combat is like classic Paper Mario with a few modernizations that make it flow all the smoother. This game is just so lovingly made that no one needs to hold out for a squeal to The Thousand Year Door anymore; It's right here.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best Switch Game of 2020
22
#22 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Aug 29, 2020
    85
    Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling shattered my skepticism through its amazing main characters, quirky NPCs, challenging battles and interesting locales, and I sincerely hope more players will give it a shot. [Issue #47 – July/August 2020, p. 26]
  2. SpazioGames
    Jun 18, 2020
    84
    Bug Fables is much more than a loving tribute to the first two episodes of the Paper Mario franchise: it is a beautifully crafted rpg adventure that any Switch owner should not miss.
    Read full review
  3. Cubed3
    Jun 16, 2020
    80
    Everyone that is excited over the prospect of the upcoming Paper Mario: The Origami King needs to pick this up. While Sticker Star and Colour Splash took the series in quite unwelcomed directions, this fully embraces the original. The combat system keeps things constantly engaging, the world is inviting, and the trio of main characters utterly charming. This is a world that deserves to be further explored and returned to, and it will hopefully see future instalments. The Origami King has some genuine competition here.
    Read full review
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