When Bugsnax revealed himself during Sony's PlayStation 5 presentation, all we really knew about the game was that it had a real earworm from a theme song. Details have been scarce on this game since its debut, but USGamer caught up with the studio to find out more.
Philip Tibitoski is co-founder and president of Young Horses, the small developer behind the equally unusual Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Tibitoski says the game is "a first-person adventure game where you play as a reporter who is sent a mystery film from an adventurer named Elizabert Megafig." She's probably the character we meet in the trailer above, and she's discovered Bugsnax, a mysterious animal species that's part bug, part snack. Even weirder – if someone eats a Bugsnak, their body will transform into that food. When you start the game, you arrive on the island to find that Megafig has disappeared. Your task is to capture and document each of the 100 Bugsnax, learning more about the creatures and the island they inhabit.
While the larger story remains under wraps, it looks like the main gameplay focus will be on setting traps and catching the titular beasts. Ape Escape is brought up in the interview as a point of reference for how the game will play out, a series that's been MIA on PlayStation for way too long. This cheerful game just might scratch the itch on PS5, and Young Horses also relies heavily on the unique features of the DualSense controller.
Haptic feedback will figure particularly well in Bugsnax. Tibitoski says "Running through the environment and feeling the different types of terrain under your feet while sprinting is really cool and weird," and it makes a "big difference." It then describes how you might also feel if a creature tries to escape one of your traps.
We don't know everything, then, but we are extremely curious about this title. If you want to know more, the USGamer interview also touches on how the team collaborated with Kero Kero Bonito for that catchy song, other key influences, and more.
Are you excited for Bugsnax on PS5 (and PS4)? Grab your lunch in the comments section below.
