Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling

You will see many people compare Bug Fables:TES to the first two Paper Mario RPGs,that this game is a spiritual successor of sorts, which are not bad comparisons. Though, this comparison misses the mark on how much this game improved on pretty much every aspect of its inspiration. This game is as close to a true 5 star game as I can think of. The only thing holding it back is some small levels of jank and a slow start till chapter 4 when character development and story progression start really taking off. So if you are here just because you heard it was inspired by Paper Mario, know that this game is better in every regard.

Though Bug Fables was released in 2019, in the first minutes I was already engulfed in a warm and fuzzy coat of nostalgia, filling a Paper-Mario-shaped hole that was left open roughly 20 years ago. So if you enjoyed Paper Mario or its successor (bonus points if you are nostalgic about it), you will probably also enjoy this carefully crafted JRPG. As a consequence I can really only talk about this game in relation to Paper Mario. The combat system was updated to allow more tactical options, the questing system also got a conservative paint job (there's a journal, but no map markers) and the protagonists now speak which makes the narrative more dynamic. The plotlines are a little bit more mature, although characterisations seem to be influenced by shonen Anime. The insect theme is the biggest aberration from the original formula, but this seemed neccessary to create an own identity. This also means the various settings do not look like shroom-induced dreams anymore, but are more footed in the reality of a suburban front yard. If you miss Paper Mario look no further, if you don't, well, take a look at the other reviews.

This game is a really cute and nice game, that would remind you of the paper Mario series, especially the thousand year door one. This game, doesn't re-invent the formula and don't pretend to do so, but it take what exist already and is working, and apply it on their own story with their own character, and it works very well. In this game, you take the control of a small bug adventurer team throught their stories, the humour is funny, the combat system is simple to get your hands on, but can be challenging if you play in hard mode (which I recommend, because the added challenge makes you think about how to approach the engagements with the ennemies). You get really easely attached to the characters, and the music are simply sublimes. The artstyle is really cartoony, and I get that and it's really cute, but sometimes when you look in details at the texture, and the edges of the model, you feel that they could have made a tiny bit more. But it's still nice to watch and only get's to you when you watch attentively. I 100% recommend this game if you like the genre.

Bug Fables is a colourful and shiny tactical adventure game. Apart from upgrading some stats, there are no Role-Playing Elements (no actual character or story choices). Many compare it to Paper Mario, but I have never played that game, so I didn’t have the nostalgia bias when writing this review. It took me around 37 hours to do almost everything on Hard mode. The Good: Well-made and detailed world. Fun exploration. Decent story An excellent distraction from coronavirus The Bad: Default PC controls are awful. Some keys can not be remapped. More effort should have been out into PC release. Difficult to play without a controller. Too much grind Some options are clearly better than others. While some builds are also viable, others are obviously superior and save a lot of time. Essential Tips for Blind Playthrough: Google Food Recipes. Food turns impossible fights into trivial ones. Bank is the number one place to earn money. After 500 on your account, the return rate doubles (3% vs 6%) Summary: Clearly above average. A lot of effort and care was put into development. But the grind and PC-unfriendliness marr the experience. A big nostalgia bonus for previous Paper Mario fans. 3.5/5