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{{Short description|Role-playing video game}}
{{Short description|2019 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Infobox video game
| title = Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
| title = Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
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| programmer = Marcio Cleiton Jr.
| programmer = Marcio Cleiton Jr.
| composer = Tristan Alric
| composer = Tristan Alric
| engine = [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]]{{cn|date=October 2022|reason=Body of article does not mention an engine}}
| engine = [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]]
| platforms = {{plainlist|
| platforms = {{plainlist|
* [[Microsoft Windows]]
* [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
* [[Nintendo Switch]]
* [[Nintendo Switch]]
* [[PlayStation 4]]
* [[PlayStation 4]]
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* [[Amazon Luna]]
* [[Amazon Luna]]
}}
}}
| released = '''Microsoft Windows'''<br />November 21, 2019<br />'''Switch, PS4, Xbox One'''<br />May 28, 2020<br />'''Luna'''<br />July 1, 2021
| released = '''Windows'''<br />November 21, 2019<br />'''Switch, PS4, Xbox One'''<br />May 28, 2020<br />'''Luna'''<br />July 1, 2021
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
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==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
[[File:Battle_in_Bug_Fables_The_Everlasting_Sapling.jpg|thumb|left|A screenshot showcasing combat in ''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling''. Protagonists Team Snakemouth (Leif, Kabbu, and Vi) fight enemies while facing to the left, with the former two wearing "Medals" to provide stat boosts and other bonuses.]]
The gameplay of ''Bug Fables'' is heavily inspired by that of ''[[Paper Mario]]'' and its sequel, ''[[The Thousand-Year Door]]''. The player controls three characters: Vi the [[bee]], who uses her boomerang for multi-hit attacks, Kabbu the [[beetle]], who uses his horn for single-hit attacks, and Leif the [[moth]], who uses ice magic to freeze enemies. When exploring the overworld, these characters can use their unique abilities to traverse the environment, solve puzzles, and find secrets, and as the game progresses, more abilities are unlocked. Enemies are visible on the overworld and can be either engaged or avoided. Combat is played in a [[turn-based]] format which makes use of small minigames similar to ''Paper Mario'', as the player must time button presses to maximize the efficacy of their moves, or to take less damage from enemy attacks. The party also shares Teamwork Points (TP), which are used for special attacks, as well as Medal Points (MP), which are used for equipable medals that can enhance certain attributes, grant resistance to status debuffs, or unlock special moves. Upon winning a battle, the party is awarded Exploration Points (EXP); earning enough EXP will [[Experience level|increase the party's explorer rank]], where the player can choose to increase their [[Health points|HP]] by 1 per member, or TP or MP by 3. At certain ranks, the party will learn new moves or gain boosts to their stats, or inventory space.<ref name=Vandal>{{cite web|url=https://vandal.elespanol.com/analisis/pc/bug-fables/74021#p-13|publisher=Vandal|language=es|date=December 4, 2019|author=Ramón Nafria|title=Análisis Bug Fables, una divertida aventura de rol a lo Paper Mario (PC, PS4, Switch, iPhone, Xbox One|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>
The gameplay of ''Bug Fables'' is heavily inspired by that of ''[[Paper Mario (video game)|Paper Mario]]'' (2000) and its sequel, ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door|The Thousand-Year Door]]'' (2004). The player controls three characters: Vi the [[bee]], who can use her boomerang for multi-hit attacks, Kabbu the [[beetle]], who uses his horn for single-hit attacks, and Leif the [[moth]], who uses ice magic to freeze enemies. When exploring the overworld, these characters can use their unique abilities to traverse the environment, solve puzzles, and find secrets, with more abilities unlocking as the game progresses. Enemies are visible on the overworld and can be either engaged or avoided. Combat is played in a [[turn-based]] format which makes use of small minigames similar to ''Paper Mario'', as the player must time button presses to maximize the efficacy of their moves, or to take less damage from enemy attacks. The party also shares Teamwork Points (TP), which are used for special attacks, as well as Medal Points (MP), which are used for equipable medals that can enhance certain attributes, grant resistance to status debuffs, or unlock special moves. Upon winning a battle, the party is awarded Exploration Points (EXP); earning enough EXP will [[Experience level|increase the party's explorer rank]], where the player can choose to increase their [[Health points|HP]] by 1 per member, or TP or MP by 3. At certain ranks, the party will learn new moves or gain boosts to their stats or inventory space.<ref name=Vandal>{{cite web|url=https://vandal.elespanol.com/analisis/pc/bug-fables/74021#p-13|publisher=Vandal|language=es|date=December 4, 2019|author=Ramón Nafria|title=Análisis Bug Fables, una divertida aventura de rol a lo Paper Mario (PC, PS4, Switch, iPhone, Xbox One|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>


==Synopsis==
==Plot==
'''<big>Setting</big>'''


=== Setting ===
Bug Fables takes place in the land of Bugaria, which is revealed to be entirely within the backyard of an abandoned house. The land is populated by intelligent insects, who gained sapience following the extinction of humans in an unspecified cataclysm.
''Bug Fables'' takes place in the land of Bugaria, entirely within the backyard of an abandoned house. It is home to numerous types of sentient insects, who were [[Uplift (science fiction)|uplifted]] by a mysterious force following the disappearance of humans in an unspecified cataclysm. Other insects were unaffected by the force, and remained feral. Bugaria is separated into several kingdoms: Ants to the center, Bees to the West, Termites to the South, and Wasps to the North. The land also includes features such as a vast desert - actually an old [[Sandpit|sandbox]] - and a lake formed by a leaking pipe. Bugaria is a rare safe haven due to the effects of a magical crystal, and while other lands exist in the far north and east, they are at the mercy of unknown giant beasts.


⚫
The land is also home to strange relics and ruins left behind by the first group of insects to gain sentience: Roaches. One such legendary relic is the Everlasting Sapling, said to grant bugs eternal life. The Sapling was hidden by the Roaches, but it is known that a collection of artifacts can be used to unlock it. In the more recent past, Queen Elizant I arrived from a faraway land, established the Ant Kingdom, and searched for the Everlasting Sapling until her life's end. Following this, her daughter, Queen Elizant II, took over and established an Explorer's Association to fund expeditions to find these artifacts as a means of recovering the Sapling.
The land of Bugaria is separated into kingdoms, each ruled by a different species of colonial insects: Ants to the center, Bees to the West, Termites to the South, and Wasps to the North. The land also includes features such as a vast desert (contained in a sandbox) and a lake (a puddle formed from a leaky hose).


=== Characters ===
⚫
The land is also home to strange relics and ruins left behind by the first group of insects to gain sentience: Roaches. One such legendary relic is the Everlasting Sapling, said to grant bugs eternal life. The Sapling is hidden however, but it is known that a collection of artifacts can be used to find it. The search for the Sapling has led the Ant Kingdom to establish an Explorer's Association, to fund expeditions to find these artifacts.
''Bug Fables'' has three main playable characters, Vi, Kabbu and Leif. Vi is a young bee who is short and fiercely independent for her kind. She is outwardly greedy and immature, though she has a kind heart. While she claims she was exiled from her hive, in reality, she ran away from home after being accused of being a weakling by her sister. Kabbu is a chivalrous warrior beetle who journeyed from the far North. He has heavy [[survivor guilt]] due to being unable to save his companions from a monstrous feral bug during the journey there. Leif, whom the other two discover while exploring the cave of Snakemouth Den, is a moth explorer with a corpse-like appearance who had seemingly perished a century earlier, and can use powerful ice magic. He is stern, mature, and displays little emotion. Leif later discovers that he is actually an advanced form of [[cordyceps]] created by the Roaches as part of immortality experiments, who inherited the original Leif's memories, but finds meaning in carrying out Leif's legacy. A fourth playable character, a player-nameable baby [[carnivorous plant]] (named Chompy by default) can be unlocked to assist the team in battle, and blindly follows the team due to [[Imprinting (psychology)|imprinting]].


Queen Elizant II is a primary supporting character. While her motivations are initially suspect, her search for the Sapling is actually prompted by her insecurity as a ruler. The game's true villain is the Wasp King, real name Hoaxe, a once-impoverished bug who chanced upon an ancient Roach crown with the ability to control Wasps and manipulate fire, and is willing to sacrifice anyone in his single-minded pursuit of the Sapling.
'''<big>Plot</big>'''


=== Story ===
In order to form an adventuring team, Kabbu the beetle partners up with Vi the bee to register with the Explorer's Association. After passing their initial trial, they are deployed to Snakemouth Den, a dangerous cavern and suspected home of an artifact.
The game begins with the characters Kabbu and Vi arriving at the Association. They form an explorer team to achieve their common goal of exploring Snakemouth Den. Along the way, they meet a moth trapped in a spider's web, free him, and narrowly escape from the spider. The moth, Leif, learns of his newfound ability to use ice magic and knowledge of the Roach language, and joins the two as a fighter. At the end of Snakemouth Den, the team finds one of the ancient artifacts, but taking it triggers a trap that floods the room, and they are attacked by the spider once more.


After defeating the spider, the gang is washed out, but are pulled up near the Ant Kingdom. From there, the trio (now dubbed Team Snakemouth) goes after the rest of the artifacts, while seeking answers about Leif's past and his ability to use magic. They collect several artifacts, but the Wasp Kingdom becomes ever more belligerent, until they invade the Ant Kingdom seeking the relics. The usurping Wasp King, Hoaxe, is narrowly repelled, and Team Snakemouth goes on a covert mission to confront the king. This is revealed as misdirection, and Hoaxe invades the anthill a second time, capturing the relics for himself.
In the cave, the pair find the ruins of a roach city, guarded by a monstrous spider. They also find a moth trapped in its web. Together, the two free the moth and escape deeper into the ruin. The moth, Leif, reveals himself to be able to use magic, an extraordinarily rare feat; but also admits to memory loss: he is unable to recall what happened to him in the cave to give him this ability.


Elizant II reveals that she was looking for the Sapling to free her mother from eternal sleep and install her to the throne forever, believing herself an inferior ruler. She and Team Snakemouth travel to Termite City in order to beseech the aid of the more advanced species. Convinced by the team's combat skills, the Termites give them a submarine, allowing them to attack Rubber Prison, a facility that the Wasps captured as a staging area to enter the Giants' Den, the boarded-up house neighboring Bugaria. Team Snakemouth recaptures the prison, but it is too late to stop Hoaxe from entering the house. The Wasps' true queen gives the team a relic that can deflect Hoaxe's magical flames.
Eventually, the trio manage to find the artifact and defeat the spider, barely escaping as the cavern floods. They are dubbed "Team Snakemouth" in recognition of the accomplishment, and are rewarded by the queen of the Ant Kingdom, Elizant II. Before long, the team is sent out again to find the other artifacts in different regions of Bugaria.


The team enters the lifeless Giants' Den, fighting off mutated creatures. They discover a surviving Roach tribe that has been guarding the Sapling, but was easily defeated by Hoaxe. Elizant changes her mind about the Sapling, and orders it to be destroyed. Team Snakemouth catches up with Hoaxe at the Sapling, but are unable to stop him from unlocking it. However, the Sapling is withered after being without sunlight for ages. Hoaxe eats its last remaining fruit, gaining massive power, but, after being defeated, loses control and becomes an inert tree himself. With the Sapling now dead and its power forever lost, the remaining Roaches reunite with the other bugs in Bugaria, and the team is knighted for their efforts.
As they explore, Leif reveals that he served Elizant II's mother and predecessor, Elizant I, and that he had apparently been in the cave for at least a whole generation. Vi reveals her estrangement to the Bee kingdom, who criticized her decision to become an explorer, but is later able to make peace with her sister. After exploring a ruined castle in the desert, Team Snakemouth is able to explore deeper into Snakemouth Den, where in an optional mission set in the abandoned Roach laboratory, Leif discovers the truth about his amnesia, his magic, and his lapse in time: He is in fact a colony of sapient Cordyceps fungus created by the Roaches to channel magic, inhabiting the body of the deceased adventurer Leif, who was killed by the Spider but reanimated by the fungus.

After recovering the fourth and final artifact, the Ant Kingdom is attacked by soldiers of the Wasp Kingdom, led by the mysterious Wasp King. The Wasp King, able to wield fire magic, proves too much for the adventurers, and he absconds with the final artifact.

Team Snakemouth ventures into the northern grasslands to recover the artifact from the Wasp Kingdom, an isolated and militaristic people. They pass through a dangerous swamp, during which Kabbu reveals that a monstrous centipede living in the area killed his travelling companions during his journey to Bugaria from his home to the north. Upon encountering the beast again, Kabbu is able to slay it, finally avenging his comrades.

Infiltrating the Wasp Kingdom, Team Snakemouth discovers the imprisoned and deposed Wasp Queen, Vanessa II, who reveals that the Wasp King mysteriously took control of the wasps as if by magic and usurped her. They also realize the Wasp King is not here; this was a trap set to lure the Ant Kingdom's strongest out of the kingdom so the Wasp King could return and take the other artifacts with little resistance.

The team returns to the Ant Kingdom but is powerless to stop the Wasp King from carrying out his plan and escaping to the Sapling's resting place: the Giant's Lair, the abandoned human domicile looming over Bugaria. Elizant II, broken and humiliated, admits that her true plan with the Sapling was to use it to revive and rejuvenate her mother (who, thought dead, is actually being kept alive in stasis through Roach technology), and to abdicate the throne to her, understanding that her mother was a much more beloved queen and that her own lack of diplomatic tact has led to several broken ties with other kingdoms.

Out of options, Elizant II requests that Team Snakemouth escort her to the Termite Kingdom, a powerful and technologically advanced, but isolationist kingdom located in the foggy and barren Forsaken Lands that had become estranged from the Ant Kingdom following Elizant I's alleged passing. There, they meet with the Termite monarchy, and after Team Snakemouth proves the magnitude of the threat of the Wasps, the Termites agree to provide military support and transportation to the entrance to the Giant's Lair. Team Snakemouth, other adventuring teams, Ant Soldiers, and Elizant II convene at the entrance. Once there, Vanessa II gives Team Snakemouth a personal heirloom that protected her from the Wasp King's magic.

Within the abandoned monolith, the adventurers discover a village of living Roaches, who have sworn to protect the Sapling, but were unable to stop the Wasp King from passing through. When questioned, Elizant II reveals that her new plan is to destroy the Sapling, saying its influence consumed her mother, and (backed up by Leif) had ruined the lives of countless bugs, including the Roaches who doomed themselves to living in the dangerous and dreary Deadlands to protect it.

Moved by this, the Roaches allow them to proceed, and eventually they find the Wasp King just before he unlocks the Sapling. Using his fire magic, he incapacitates everyone except Team Snakemouth, who are protected by Vanessa's relic. Without his strongest weapon, the team defeats the King, but they are unable to stop him from unlocking the Sapling. However, the Sapling is withered, only growing a single shriveled seed. Despite this, the Wasp King consumes the seed, granting him incredible strength and vitality, and destroys the Sapling. Even with this, Team Snakemouth is able to defeat him, and, having exhausted all of his power, the Wasp King is transformed into a harmless, nonmagical tree.

Back in the Ant Kingdom, Team Snakemouth is rewarded with a grand celebration, and are officially knighted by Elizant II, who, thanks to reopening relations with the Wasps and Termites, is now seen as a much better queen. While talking with Leif, she admits that while not fully satisfied that she was unable to bring her mother back, she is glad that she was able to fulfill her greatest wish.


==Development==
==Development==
''Bug Fables'' was developed by independent [[Panama]]nian developer Moonsprout Games, made up of Panamanian writer and programmer Jose Fernando Gracia and [[Brazil]]ian programmer Marcio Cleiton Jr. The two had initially met on a [[Pokémon|Pokémon Nuzlocke]] forum.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://youtube.com/8pp5wPoyWng|title = Guest Boyz 4: Bug Fables Dev Team|date=February 7, 2018|accessdate=June 18, 2023|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> The game started development in 2015 and was tentatively titled '''''Paper Bugs''''' until its final name was revealed in January 2018, alongside an [[IndieGoGo]] campaign.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://paperbugdev.tumblr.com/post/169586111830/its-time-for-a-new-chapter-and-a-new-name-bug |title = Bug Fables|date=January 11, 2018|accessdate=May 14, 2020|website=[[Tumblr]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bug-fables-an-exploration-rpg-full-of-bugs |title = Bug Fables - an exploration RPG full of bugs!|website=Indiegogo}}</ref> A playable demo was also released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/the-bug-fables-demo-took-me-17-years-to-the-past-487599.phtml|title=The Bug Fables demo took me 17 years to the past|publisher=[[Destructoid]]|date=February 14, 2018|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> ''Bug Fables<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' gameplay and aesthetics were inspired by the first two ''Paper Mario'' games, as the developers felt the later games strayed too far from those games' formula. Other role-playing games which influenced ''Bug Fables'' include ''[[Persona 5]]'', ''[[Tales of Zestiria]]'', ''[[Golden Sun]]'', and ''[[Xenoblade]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/int-en/bug-fables-nintendo-switch-interview|title=Paper Mario meets A Bug's Life in Moonsprout Games' Bug Fables|date=June 6, 2019|author=Aron Garst|publisher=[[Red Bull]]|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>
''Bug Fables'' was developed by independent [[Panama]]nian developer Moonsprout Games, made up of Panamanian writer and programmer Jose Fernando Gracia and [[Brazil]]ian programmer Marcio Cleiton Jr. The two had initially met on a [[Pokémon|Pokémon Nuzlocke]] forum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://youtube.com/watch/8pp5wPoyWng|title=Guest Boyz 4: Bug Fables Dev Team|date=February 7, 2018|accessdate=June 18, 2023|website=[[YouTube]]}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The game started development in 2015 and was tentatively titled '''''Paper Bugs''''' until its final name was revealed in January 2018, alongside an [[IndieGoGo]] campaign.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://paperbugdev.tumblr.com/post/169586111830/its-time-for-a-new-chapter-and-a-new-name-bug |title = Bug Fables|date=January 11, 2018|accessdate=May 14, 2020|website=[[Tumblr]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bug-fables-an-exploration-rpg-full-of-bugs |title = Bug Fables - an exploration RPG full of bugs!|website=Indiegogo}}</ref> A playable demo was also released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/the-bug-fables-demo-took-me-17-years-to-the-past-487599.phtml|title=The Bug Fables demo took me 17 years to the past|publisher=[[Destructoid]]|date=February 14, 2018|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> ''Bug Fables<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' gameplay and aesthetics were inspired by the first two ''Paper Mario'' games, as the developers felt the later games strayed too far from those games' formula. Other role-playing games which influenced ''Bug Fables'' include ''[[Persona 5]]'', ''[[Tales of Zestiria]]'', ''[[Golden Sun]]'', and ''[[Xenoblade Chronicles]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/int-en/bug-fables-nintendo-switch-interview|title=Paper Mario meets A Bug's Life in Moonsprout Games' Bug Fables|date=June 6, 2019|author=Aron Garst|publisher=[[Red Bull]]|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> The game was developed using [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=paperbugdev |date=2018-01-04 |title=Bug Fables |url=https://paperbugdev.tumblr.com/post/169309679705/what-engine-are-you-using-to-develop-the-game |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Tumblr}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
{{Video game reviews
| MC = PC: 86/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling |title=''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling'' for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref><br />NS: 85/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling |title=''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling'' for Switch Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref><br />PS4: 79/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling |title=''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling'' for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref>
| MC = PC: 86/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling'' for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref><br />NS: 85/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch |title=''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling'' for Switch Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref><br />PS4: 79/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=''Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling'' for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref>
| NLife = NS: {{rating|8|10}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/bug_fables_the_everlasting_sapling|title=Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling 2020|website=Nintendo Life|date=2 June 2020|language=en|accessdate=July 18, 2020}}</ref>
| NLife = NS: 8/10<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gipp|first=Stuart|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/bug_fables_the_everlasting_sapling|title=Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling Review (Switch eShop)|website=Nintendo Life|date=2 June 2020|language=en|accessdate=July 18, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602065304/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/bug_fables_the_everlasting_sapling|archive-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref>
| NWR = NS: 9.5/10<ref name="NWR">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/53853/bug-fables-switch-review|title=Bug Fables (Switch) Review|website=Nintendo World Report|language=en|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref>
| NWR = NS: 9.5/10<ref name="NWR">{{Cite web|last=Morningstar|first=Xander|date=May 28, 2020|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/53853/bug-fables-switch-review|title=Bug Fables (Switch) Review|website=Nintendo World Report|language=en|accessdate=June 1, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804004121/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/53853/bug-fables-switch-review|archive-date=August 4, 2024}}</ref>
| RPG = 4/5<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rpgamer.com/review/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling-review/|title=Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling Review|website=RPGamer|date=28 May 2020 |language=en|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref>
| RPG = 4/5<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rpgamer.com/review/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling-review/|title=Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling Review|website=RPGamer|date=28 May 2020 |language=en|accessdate=June 1, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803182113/https://rpgamer.com/review/bug-fables-the-everlasting-sapling-review/|archive-date=August 3, 2024}}</ref>
| TA = 4.5/5<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://toucharcade.com/2020/06/15/switcharcade-round-up-mini-views-featuring-the-takeover-bug-fables-and-more-plus-the-latest-new-releases-and-sales/|title=SwitchArcade Round-Up: Mini-Views Featuring 'The TakeOver', 'Bug Fables', and More, Plus the Latest New Releases and Sales|website=TouchArcade|date=15 June 2020|language=en|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref>
| TA = 4.5/5<ref>{{Cite web|last=Privitere|first=Andi|url=https://toucharcade.com/2020/06/15/switcharcade-round-up-mini-views-featuring-the-takeover-bug-fables-and-more-plus-the-latest-new-releases-and-sales/|title=SwitchArcade Round-Up: Mini-Views Featuring 'The TakeOver', 'Bug Fables', and More, Plus the Latest New Releases and Sales|website=TouchArcade|date=15 June 2020|language=en|accessdate=June 16, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240908225347/https://toucharcade.com/2020/06/15/switcharcade-round-up-mini-views-featuring-the-takeover-bug-fables-and-more-plus-the-latest-new-releases-and-sales/|archive-date=September 8, 2024}}</ref>
}}
}}


''Bug Fables'' received generally favourable reviews, with most praise focusing on the game's level design and combat, positively comparing it to the early ''Paper Mario'' games as well as the writing being on par and one of the game's highlights.<ref name ="NWR" /> Another highlight of the game according to critics is the art style which was both "pleasant and simple". However, some critics felt that it did falter in its platforming sections.<ref name="Vandal"/> In addition, certain puzzles were cited as quite hard to accomplish due to the 'flat' artstyle, mostly with Vi's boomerang.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/bug-fables-review-pc/|title=Bug Fables Review: Paper Mario Is (Kind Of) Back!|website=The Gamer|date=24 November 2019|language=en|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref>
''Bug Fables'' received generally favourable reviews. Praise was directed to the game's level design, combat, and writing, which were positively compared to the early ''Paper Mario'' games.<ref name ="NWR" /> Another highlight of the game according to critics is the art style which was both "pleasant and simple". However, some critics felt that it did falter in its platforming sections.<ref name="Vandal"/> In addition, certain puzzles were cited as quite hard to accomplish due to the 'flat' artstyle, mostly with Vi's boomerang.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Latour|first=Jamie|url=https://www.thegamer.com/bug-fables-review-pc/|title=Bug Fables Review: Paper Mario Is (Kind Of) Back!|website=The Gamer|date=24 November 2019|language=en|accessdate=June 1, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603174938/https://www.thegamer.com/bug-fables-review-pc/|archive-date=June 3, 2023}}</ref>


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[[Category:2019 video games]]
[[Category:2019 video games]]
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[[Category:Dangen Entertainment games]]
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[[Category:Post-apocalyptic video games]]
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[[Category:Video games about bees]]
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[[Category:Video games developed in Panama]]
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Latest revision as of 06:57, 10 December 2024

Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Developer(s)Moonsprout Games
Publisher(s)Dangen Entertainment
Designer(s)Jose Fernando Gracia
Programmer(s)Marcio Cleiton Jr.
Writer(s)Jose Fernando Gracia
Composer(s)Tristan Alric
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
ReleaseWindows
November 21, 2019
Switch, PS4, Xbox One
May 28, 2020
Luna
July 1, 2021
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling is a role-playing video game developed by Panamanian independent studio Moonsprout Games and published by Dangen Entertainment. It was released on November 21, 2019, for Microsoft Windows,[1] on May 28, 2020, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One,[2] and on July 1, 2021, for Amazon Luna.[3] Taking inspiration in art and gameplay from the first two Paper Mario games, the game's plot centers around three bugs (Vi, Kabbu, and Leif) as they search the mythical land of Bugaria in pursuit of the Everlasting Sapling, an item capable of eternal life. Along the way, they meet rival teams, past traumas, and other roadblocks hunting for the titular sapling.[4] Bug Fables received positive reviews from critics, who praised its characters, combat system, presentation, and amount of content, but criticized its control issues.

Gameplay

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A screenshot showcasing combat in Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling. Protagonists Team Snakemouth (Leif, Kabbu, and Vi) fight enemies while facing to the left, with the former two wearing "Medals" to provide stat boosts and other bonuses.

The gameplay of Bug Fables is heavily inspired by that of Paper Mario (2000) and its sequel, The Thousand-Year Door (2004). The player controls three characters: Vi the bee, who can use her boomerang for multi-hit attacks, Kabbu the beetle, who uses his horn for single-hit attacks, and Leif the moth, who uses ice magic to freeze enemies. When exploring the overworld, these characters can use their unique abilities to traverse the environment, solve puzzles, and find secrets, with more abilities unlocking as the game progresses. Enemies are visible on the overworld and can be either engaged or avoided. Combat is played in a turn-based format which makes use of small minigames similar to Paper Mario, as the player must time button presses to maximize the efficacy of their moves, or to take less damage from enemy attacks. The party also shares Teamwork Points (TP), which are used for special attacks, as well as Medal Points (MP), which are used for equipable medals that can enhance certain attributes, grant resistance to status debuffs, or unlock special moves. Upon winning a battle, the party is awarded Exploration Points (EXP); earning enough EXP will increase the party's explorer rank, where the player can choose to increase their HP by 1 per member, or TP or MP by 3. At certain ranks, the party will learn new moves or gain boosts to their stats or inventory space.[5]

Plot

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Setting

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Bug Fables takes place in the land of Bugaria, entirely within the backyard of an abandoned house. It is home to numerous types of sentient insects, who were uplifted by a mysterious force following the disappearance of humans in an unspecified cataclysm. Other insects were unaffected by the force, and remained feral. Bugaria is separated into several kingdoms: Ants to the center, Bees to the West, Termites to the South, and Wasps to the North. The land also includes features such as a vast desert - actually an old sandbox - and a lake formed by a leaking pipe. Bugaria is a rare safe haven due to the effects of a magical crystal, and while other lands exist in the far north and east, they are at the mercy of unknown giant beasts.

The land is also home to strange relics and ruins left behind by the first group of insects to gain sentience: Roaches. One such legendary relic is the Everlasting Sapling, said to grant bugs eternal life. The Sapling was hidden by the Roaches, but it is known that a collection of artifacts can be used to unlock it. In the more recent past, Queen Elizant I arrived from a faraway land, established the Ant Kingdom, and searched for the Everlasting Sapling until her life's end. Following this, her daughter, Queen Elizant II, took over and established an Explorer's Association to fund expeditions to find these artifacts as a means of recovering the Sapling.

Characters

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Bug Fables has three main playable characters, Vi, Kabbu and Leif. Vi is a young bee who is short and fiercely independent for her kind. She is outwardly greedy and immature, though she has a kind heart. While she claims she was exiled from her hive, in reality, she ran away from home after being accused of being a weakling by her sister. Kabbu is a chivalrous warrior beetle who journeyed from the far North. He has heavy survivor guilt due to being unable to save his companions from a monstrous feral bug during the journey there. Leif, whom the other two discover while exploring the cave of Snakemouth Den, is a moth explorer with a corpse-like appearance who had seemingly perished a century earlier, and can use powerful ice magic. He is stern, mature, and displays little emotion. Leif later discovers that he is actually an advanced form of cordyceps created by the Roaches as part of immortality experiments, who inherited the original Leif's memories, but finds meaning in carrying out Leif's legacy. A fourth playable character, a player-nameable baby carnivorous plant (named Chompy by default) can be unlocked to assist the team in battle, and blindly follows the team due to imprinting.

Queen Elizant II is a primary supporting character. While her motivations are initially suspect, her search for the Sapling is actually prompted by her insecurity as a ruler. The game's true villain is the Wasp King, real name Hoaxe, a once-impoverished bug who chanced upon an ancient Roach crown with the ability to control Wasps and manipulate fire, and is willing to sacrifice anyone in his single-minded pursuit of the Sapling.

Story

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The game begins with the characters Kabbu and Vi arriving at the Association. They form an explorer team to achieve their common goal of exploring Snakemouth Den. Along the way, they meet a moth trapped in a spider's web, free him, and narrowly escape from the spider. The moth, Leif, learns of his newfound ability to use ice magic and knowledge of the Roach language, and joins the two as a fighter. At the end of Snakemouth Den, the team finds one of the ancient artifacts, but taking it triggers a trap that floods the room, and they are attacked by the spider once more.

After defeating the spider, the gang is washed out, but are pulled up near the Ant Kingdom. From there, the trio (now dubbed Team Snakemouth) goes after the rest of the artifacts, while seeking answers about Leif's past and his ability to use magic. They collect several artifacts, but the Wasp Kingdom becomes ever more belligerent, until they invade the Ant Kingdom seeking the relics. The usurping Wasp King, Hoaxe, is narrowly repelled, and Team Snakemouth goes on a covert mission to confront the king. This is revealed as misdirection, and Hoaxe invades the anthill a second time, capturing the relics for himself.

Elizant II reveals that she was looking for the Sapling to free her mother from eternal sleep and install her to the throne forever, believing herself an inferior ruler. She and Team Snakemouth travel to Termite City in order to beseech the aid of the more advanced species. Convinced by the team's combat skills, the Termites give them a submarine, allowing them to attack Rubber Prison, a facility that the Wasps captured as a staging area to enter the Giants' Den, the boarded-up house neighboring Bugaria. Team Snakemouth recaptures the prison, but it is too late to stop Hoaxe from entering the house. The Wasps' true queen gives the team a relic that can deflect Hoaxe's magical flames.

The team enters the lifeless Giants' Den, fighting off mutated creatures. They discover a surviving Roach tribe that has been guarding the Sapling, but was easily defeated by Hoaxe. Elizant changes her mind about the Sapling, and orders it to be destroyed. Team Snakemouth catches up with Hoaxe at the Sapling, but are unable to stop him from unlocking it. However, the Sapling is withered after being without sunlight for ages. Hoaxe eats its last remaining fruit, gaining massive power, but, after being defeated, loses control and becomes an inert tree himself. With the Sapling now dead and its power forever lost, the remaining Roaches reunite with the other bugs in Bugaria, and the team is knighted for their efforts.

Development

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Bug Fables was developed by independent Panamanian developer Moonsprout Games, made up of Panamanian writer and programmer Jose Fernando Gracia and Brazilian programmer Marcio Cleiton Jr. The two had initially met on a Pokémon Nuzlocke forum.[6] The game started development in 2015 and was tentatively titled Paper Bugs until its final name was revealed in January 2018, alongside an IndieGoGo campaign.[7][8] A playable demo was also released.[9] Bug Fables' gameplay and aesthetics were inspired by the first two Paper Mario games, as the developers felt the later games strayed too far from those games' formula. Other role-playing games which influenced Bug Fables include Persona 5, Tales of Zestiria, Golden Sun, and Xenoblade Chronicles.[10] The game was developed using Unity.[11]

Reception

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Bug Fables received generally favourable reviews. Praise was directed to the game's level design, combat, and writing, which were positively compared to the early Paper Mario games.[16] Another highlight of the game according to critics is the art style which was both "pleasant and simple". However, some critics felt that it did falter in its platforming sections.[5] In addition, certain puzzles were cited as quite hard to accomplish due to the 'flat' artstyle, mostly with Vi's boomerang.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling on Steam".
  2. ^ "Bug Fables-Mushitachi to Eien no Wakagi-". Nintendo Japan. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  3. ^ "New on Amazon Luna". Twitter. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling on DANGEN".
  5. ^ a b Ramón Nafria (December 4, 2019). "Análisis Bug Fables, una divertida aventura de rol a lo Paper Mario (PC, PS4, Switch, iPhone, Xbox One" (in Spanish). Vandal. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  6. ^ "Guest Boyz 4: Bug Fables Dev Team". YouTube. February 7, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2023.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Bug Fables". Tumblr. January 11, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  8. ^ "Bug Fables - an exploration RPG full of bugs!". Indiegogo.
  9. ^ "The Bug Fables demo took me 17 years to the past". Destructoid. February 14, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  10. ^ Aron Garst (June 6, 2019). "Paper Mario meets A Bug's Life in Moonsprout Games' Bug Fables". Red Bull. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  11. ^ paperbugdev (2018-01-04). "Bug Fables". Tumblr. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  12. ^ "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  14. ^ "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  15. ^ Gipp, Stuart (2 June 2020). "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling Review (Switch eShop)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on June 2, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  16. ^ a b Morningstar, Xander (May 28, 2020). "Bug Fables (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  17. ^ "Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling Review". RPGamer. 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  18. ^ Privitere, Andi (15 June 2020). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Mini-Views Featuring 'The TakeOver', 'Bug Fables', and More, Plus the Latest New Releases and Sales". TouchArcade. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  19. ^ Latour, Jamie (24 November 2019). "Bug Fables Review: Paper Mario Is (Kind Of) Back!". The Gamer. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
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