KILLBUG Review: Simple Arcade FPS

KILLBUG is a game which wears its heart on its sleeve. As the name states, the game is about Killing Bugs, and that’s all. It is a simple FPS arcade game where one plays one level repeatedly to get the best score. Most arcade-style games usually have a progression system as one plays the game over and over again, but KILLBUG cuts down on all those aspects. The game is stripped down to its bare components of being a movement shooter with one level, one gun and one melee attack. That is all the game is. The only goal is to get the highest score in the game.

Another fun thing to do is see the new kinds of bugs appearing as the player scores more. These bugs have different attacks and all, but there is no other variation in terms of gameplay and level. The movement is fluid, with the wall running and trouble jumping altogether. So through all its fun movement, gameplay and enemy design, KILLBUG is an extremely bare-bones game.

KILLBUG releases on Steam on 4th May for $6.99.

Story –  There is nothing here

There is nothing to be told in terms of the story. The player seems to be a bug (most likely a grasshopper) with an SMG and a knife killing other bugs. There is nothing in terms of a story. It is just bug genocide committed by a bug.

Gameplay – Move and Kill

KILLBUG is extremely simple. There is only one gun and one melee attack. This is all the game has to offer. Players can also move fluidly with the game having double jumps and wall running. So as the hordes of enemies come to attack, there is only one thing to do, Move and kill. The moving and killing parts of the game feel great and are set in a flow where they feed off each other.

Swarmed by Enemies

The melee attack is more than a simple melee and a movement and healing tool. Each melee hit allows the player to move forward with the double jump and in the air. More importantly, each hit heals the player to keep going. So this game’s balance is about the players shooting and killing the bugs to regain health, as it is almost impossible to avoid damage. The variation comes in the game only through its enemy variety. There are even like “Demon Bullets” which deal more damage but i am not sure when they really activate.

Enemy Variety and patterns

So, the game gets varied mostly on enemy variety. There are bugs of various kinds, some of which are recognizable to me. Enemies have a stage, one where they get close and one where they attack; before an enemy attack, it glows for a bit to warn the player.

Honeybee

The levels always start out with ladybugs; they are slow and the most common and basic enemy in the game. They crawl and lunge at the player when close; these are followed by bees. The bees are ranged shooting enemies. This is followed by centipedes which are harmless by the side but hurt a lot at their mouths. These also provide the most health when killed in the melee.

Spiders are spawned as cacoons, and if the players do not kill them before they spawn, they lunge much further and take more damage. Wasp hives shoot darts at the players and are bullet sponges and are clearly made only to be shot at being very hard to kill. Slugs make the floor harder to move around, forcing the player to jump and move. This keeps going on till the player dies.

Healing in KILLBUG

So ya there is an extensive variety of enemies which appear as the waves appear, and they are hard to navigate after a point; they swarm the player forcing one to move and kill just to stay barely alive. The game is brutal and punishing in that way and actually pretty fun. I personally feel like the game would be really fun in co-op, with the players both trying to stay alive as long as they can. Along with more variety in weapons and it will do well too. I hope these get added later, as the game can be better with those additions.

Scoring and the Goal

So as there is no real story to care about or any other variation, the game has only one goal. That is, get the best high score in comparison with the rest of the players or against one. So, as I played the game before the release, there are relatively few names on that board, but once it does, I bet many will rack it up over a lot more. The scoring of this is the only reason to keep playing other than the fun factor. 

Leaderboard

And honestly, I feel like the game has about 2 to 3 hours of fun to offer its players with no other goals or variation. This is not the fault of the game, as variety is something it never tried in terms of the system. It wanted to be a simple arcade movement FPS, and it successfully is. My only worry is that this leaderboard system will be chezzed by a few, destroying its integrity. My best score is around 70K and a score which was fun to get, I hope that the scoreboard maintains its integrity.

Graphics and Sound – Retro and Competent

The retro blocky art style of the game was once quaint, but in the indie scene, it has been way more common. It is a good-looking retro game and is helpful for the gameplay. The blocky and colourful art style helps the players differentiate the enemies from each other. There are a few settings present, but honestly, it is a simple game with not much necessity.

KILLBUG Enemy Indicator

The music of the game is pounding and fun. It is nothing remarkable, but it gets the job done. So, ya it manages to be fun with the intense, challenging gameplay, which not feeling like it is overwhelming the players. Completely Adequate.

The key for KILLBUG was provided by samuraipunk.com