#sbug games

[ladymczee]

Relevant Isopod screenshots #3 and #4

[gebo4482]

Isopod: A Webbed Spin-off

[cheapsweets]

So, I just finished playing through Isopod: A Webbed Spin-off...

It's a physics platformer by the same team who made Webbed, which I loved when it came out. This is definitely not a genre I'm particularly good at, but I had a lot of fun with it, and while I faced a couple of roadblocks along the way there was nothing I couldn't get past with a little time, practice and focus. The physics do feel very satisfying, and it has a really good heart (and by heart, I mean critique of colonialism and late-stage capitalism... 😉).

There are a lot of secrets and things to collect if you're into that sort of thing, and loads of different skins (which I didn't get to appreciat too much, as I ended up playing most of the game using the Pride skin as soon as I'd unlocked it...)

It also has Ted, the spider wizard.

Spider wizard below the cut...

[miloscat]

[Review] Isopod: A Webbed Spin-Off (PC)

Emphasis on the spin.

After playing Another Crab's Treasure I thought I'd check out another crustacean game; this time, it's about a land-based form of crustacean, the terrestrial isopod. These little critters have thousands of species worldwide and dozens of common names even in English, but here in Australia they're called slaters. This is relevant because this game is the follow-up to Webbed by Queensland-based studio Sbug Games. Webbed was an adorable 2D game about using your spider's web in fun ways, and helping out your fellow bugs. How exactly does a 3D spinoff hold up?

Winston is head of the Isopod Union, and as the game starts finds himself negotiating with a conglomerate of invasive fire ants who are attempting a hostile takeover of the bush. This is based on real ecological issues, although here the fire ants are depicted as greedy capitalists seeking to exploit native animals or, failing that, to burn the whole bush down. Winston gets involved with some native ants (returning characters from Webbed, including the ant mech from that game!), fighting back against the highly industrialised fire ants and seeking support from other bugs and minibeasts. It's a simple story but with clear and positive messages about unionisation, cooperation, biodiversity, and that sort of stuff. Ripper!

For the first portion of the game, it seems to be about managing your momentum and ability to roll into a ball. There's a lot of fun to be had scooting about, dashing and smashing into things, and exploring the macro-scale bush environment. But soon you are granted a cartoon magnet and you find out that secretly this was a grapple-swinging game all along! Combining the magnetic pull with the existing movement systems becomes remarkably satisfying, whether it's for exploring the open-space areas, zooming through fast-paced action segments, or zipping around boss fight arenas. The final portion opens up an absolutely huge zone and gives you a glider, which of course also enables new movement possibilities if scouring old areas for collectibles.

Along the way there's activities to do, which grant you either unique collectibles or scrap metal (possibly inspired by Another Crab's Treasure?), either of which can be traded in for costumes to reskin your little bug boy. The bugs you meet along the way (based on real species of course) are fun and quirky, from the funnel web spider in a wizard's hat to the skateboarding ant youths to the standoffish dragonflies, plus all the many one-offs in between. Buddy from Webbed even gets a cameo, lovely to see she's doing well.

The environments looks nice and more-or-less authentic, from the forest to the creek to a mangrove swamp (covered in bells to grapple between), to inside a whale. You can seamlessly move between zones, or use the mystical funnel web's liminal space to fast travel. I can imagine this being a much larger scoped game, but as it is the areas are fairly contained. This makes exploration much more manageable but I was enjoying the game so much I just wanted more! I suppose it's a good thing that it doesn't overstay its welcome… but what a vibe this game has, the jazzy soundtrack, the realistic yet cute bug characters, the zippy physics and movement. It's bonza, mate.

[generic-ralsei-worshipper]

Boyfriend's here!

[verodynamix]

01. Webbed (Sbug Games, 2021)

An absolutely precious little platformer staring an adorable jumping spider and featuring a unique physics-based tethering system used for both movement and puzzle-solving. Can be a bit fidgety at times and the optional objectives can overstay their welcome, but generally makes clever and varied use of its core mechanic and is overall very satisfying. As a fan of unique platformers and cute bugs alike, I'm incredibly eager to see what Sbug Games does with their 3D title Isopod when it releases!

[ladymczee]

Relatable Isopod Screenshot #6

[ladymczee]

Relevant Relatable Isopod Screenshot #5