Bugsnax: The Isle of Bigsnax preview – free update offers a customizable pad and more snax
Some things are worth contracting a parasite for, as I’m sure some grumpuses would agree. It’s almost time for us all to be infected by that most stubborn of earworms once more, as Bugsnax: The Isle of Bigsnax gears up for launch, allowing us to catch some more hitherto unknown and edible beasts.
As the title suggests, there are a bunch of new snax to capture this time around, including an array of oversized versions of creatures from the original game, such as the Bunger Royale. Stomping around like a bison, these meaty mammoths will require more than a simple trap to bring down.
In the demo, we see one of Young Horses’ developers shrink a Bunger Royale down to size with an explosive spice pot, before tripping it and finally scooping it up in a net. We see snax with lids that must be pulled off with a grapple gun before you can get to their gooey insides. We see eggs baited, forcing other snax to carry them away and hatch them prematurely so the creature within can be snapped up. We see more egg puns than a bald man’s Twitter replies.
The new DLC – which features around four hours of fresh story content – sits around in the middle of the main game, accessible once you’ve done a bunch of personal side quests for the island’s grumpuses. It takes you to a whole new landmass, which looks far more open than many of the areas in the main game.
There’s a bigger focus on puzzles this time around. At the start of the DLC, you have to use the trip trap to move fire from a set of flaming coals to some unlit ones, which then raises a bridge for you to cross. There are also some puzzles that require the buggy ball, asking you to roll your little Strabby pal over and around a bunch of tiny elevators to unlock a door. These start off simple but get more complex as the game progresses, adding in annoying Bugsnax that can throw your buggy ball out of the contraption.
It’s funny too. A personal highlight remains Yuri Lowenthal’s turn as Chandlo, a hench himbo with a heart of gold and guns of steel. He’s an adorable idiot, and he returns here with three other grumpuses – voiced by original actors Casey Mongillo, Debra Wilson, and Haviland Stillwell. Each of them brings new dialogue and interpersonal dramas with them. There’s also fresh voice talent behind the new snax.
Then there’s your home on the island. It’s not just a bed for you to sleep in anymore. This time, you unlock a bunch of cosmetic items throughout your adventure – posted to you by characters still on the mainland – that you can deck out your pad with. Bunger bed? Sure. Strabby desk toy? Why not, eh?
None of it is particularly game-changing, but it’s a good excuse to head back to this wonderful world once more. There are even some extra snax variants to scratch that Pokémon shinies itch for collectors.
Bugsnax is coming to Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on April 28. It’ll be on Game Pass for Xbox and Windows 10 on day one. On top of that, the new DLC, The Isle of Bigsnax, is landing on the same day as a free update. Merry Grumpmass, everyone.
Written by Kirk McKeand on behalf of GLHF.