The Bug Butcher

 Switch
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12

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  1. Narann
    Aug 22, 2020
    7
    Game is nice, simple, fast paced, fine tuned, addictive and quiet polished. Art is very nice and gameplay focused and controlled (background is desaturated, enemies are very colored), animations are cool.

    You more from level to level with a lot of enemies, each one having it's predictable pattern. This predictable pattern approach is the key of the game where you anticipate what is on    Game is nice, simple, fast paced, fine tuned, addictive and quiet polished. Art is very nice and gameplay focused and controlled (background is desaturated, enemies are very colored), animations are cool.

    You more from level to level with a lot of enemies, each one having it's predictable pattern. This predictable pattern approach is the key of the game where you anticipate what is on screen and move accordingly. This is very pleasant and part of the addictive approach. If you loose, it's on your own.

    Solo arcade mode is the main "campaign" with a tiny story. You move levels, win money, buy new power ups and repeat. This progression system is fine tuned, after a moment, levels become harder and you can try to improve your score on previous levels, and because you have new power up, previous levels become easier to beat, improving your score and money to win new gear for harder levels. This allow you to still discover new possibilities after few hours.

    There is a 1 player and 2 players mode where you need to beat improve your world wide score in a continuous level. You win money, buy power ups to beat stronger waves.

    Each run is around 2/3 minutes which is a perfect timing for intensive action.

    I noticed some bugs in character animation (when under power up) but that doesn't impact the gameplay. When there are a lot of coins (when a wave is over), random coins are not catch when you walk on them. Some coins and item fall, near the borders and can't be catch. This doesn't appear often but it distract you from the action.

    My main concern about this Switch version is some (few) random big frame rate drops that can happen is some intense action moment and you could lost a point for this (like 10 frames drop). It's a real shame because the game very smooth all along and then, at some random moment: Frame drop.

    I wanted to give this game a 8 but it lost a point because I lost some lives in intensive fight because of the frame drop. We can hope devs will fix those and I will increase my score.

    EDIT: Increasing to 8 as I still play and enjoy it, depicts the frame drops.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Nintendo Life
    Oct 6, 2023
    60
    Presentation-wise, it’s okay, but not great. The art style harkens to Saturday morning cartoons, but the alien designs are bland and unoriginal. It’s also jarring how the enemies are generic aliens/monsters rather than resembling the titular bugs. The sarcastic dialogue between the Butcher and the Scientist gives our protagonist a little more personality and the Animal Crossing-inspired chibi sounds they make in place of words render it that bit more amusing. Overall, The Bug Butcher is enjoyable but forgettable.
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  2. Worth Playing
    Apr 12, 2019
    85
    The Bug Butcher is an absolutely solid homage to classic arcade shooters. It nails the shooting mechanic and provides a gradual level of difficulty that doesn't veer too much into impossible territory. Though it's a short game, there's enough to keep people interested for more than an afternoon, and it's a good fit on the Switch thanks to the short levels and co-op gameplay for endless mode. This is another indie port to Nintendo's console that's worth checking out.
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  3. FNintendo
    Mar 3, 2019
    70
    The Bug Butcher draws on the much beloved 2D shooters of the 1980s and 1990s to deliver an experience that is not only visually marvelous but also brings simple and fun gameplay mechanics and a completely absurd and well-written humour. The game is set to be enjoyed for a long time and any fans of the genre and beyond should definitely check out this piece of work.
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