Techtite's PC Game Reviews!

Bugdom

 

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A Techtite Review

This Game is Mac-compatible

(and was given with 1999-2000 Macs, for FREE!)

How many 3D children's games are there? Not many. As a rule, games made to appeal to the younger gamer (under 10 years) are mere 2D games, and are often little more than "interactive storybooks" or something similar. I think the best exception to this rule of thumb for child-friendly games was Nightmare Ned, though that was years ago. How many 3D games lack the violence that make most of them unsuitable for a child-oriented PC? Bugdom is an apparent attempt to change all this, by offering a 3D action game that is suitable for the really-young age group. If it wasn't for its moderate bugs (and I'm not talking about the insects), it might be the must-have for any family PC.

If your choice of Family PC is a Macintosh, you're in luck; most new Macs include Bugdom in an introductory software package, for free! However, owners of a PC (as in Windows 95, 98, Me, and so forth) will have to shovel out some dough for the experience. With this in mind, this review pertains mostly to the PC version, although I have heard that the original, native-to-Macintosh version does not have all these flaws. I wouldn't know; I bought my iMac too early to be blessed with a free copy of Bugdom for the Mac, and the only decent way to get this game was off-the-shelf, in its version for Microsoft Windows. Bummer.

The story is simple; you're a bug (sort of like a potato bug; your best power is the ability to roll like a ball). The Queen Lady Bug has been kidnapped by the evil Ant King, and it's up to you to defeat him. If you succeed, you can become the King of all of Bugdom! This will be no easy feat, with 10 different levels and any number of enemy bugs trying to keep you from your goal: ants, mosquitoes, dragonflies, bees, and so on. To make matters even more challenging; your only mode of attack is a "kick," or to curl up into a ball and try to crash into your adversaries while rolling. Yes, these are your only modes of attack, though this is one of many ways the game is suitable for children and parent alike.

Power ups are plentiful, and found in fallen walnut shells throughout the garden. Most such secret power-ups are mere clovers, that only offer a score boost when the level completes. Some power-ups, however, offer health increases, temporary invincibility, or a friendly flying bug who automatically defeats any enemy you choose (though can only be used once). Other items include keys or tokens required to proceed in that level, allowing for the typical search-for-item-to-proceed puzzle.

The game has its share of intriguing added concepts. One of the more amusing game levels has an ingenious obstacle; human feet, which must be dodged as you traverse the grassy meadow the humans are walking on. Such giant feet are an inspired concept of an action game obstacle, and it enhances the amusement of being in a "small" world of little bugs. Another idea I liked was the CD-quality music, which is repetitive yet never tedious, and is overall a lot of fun to listen to while playing the game.

There is talk of people who had problems installing the game, due to the older OpenGL drivers offered on the CD. I had no such problems, so I can't complain. What I will complain about, however, are the in-game flaws of gameplay, that hindered my total enjoyment of the game experience. For one thing, the game has no decent save game feature, which for a computer-only game is inexcusable. In addition, inexplicably, you're only given a finite number of lives to play with, before the game ends. Kids, take note: "limited lives" is a thing of the past, used in arcade games of the '80s to try and make gamers enter more and more quarters. On an at-home game, limited lives is a pointless concept, and just plain tedious. You'll be forced to restore your game when you truly shouldn't have to, instead of the start-easily-from-beginning game strategy that we've all learned to love in most modern 3D games made today.

This is still an amusing game, as one of the rarest of 3D games that is truly suitable for all age groups, including really little kids. However, I can't recommend it per se, due to its flaws in the game design department. Some parents hesitant to buy their child a PG-13 (or so) 3D game, might still want to give this game a look. As for me, I guess I just prefer the other 3D games that have been offered lately, even if most of them are intended for a much older age group.

	Final Rating : Near Miss. Not the worst game I ever played, and might be worthwhile for a parent to give their small child. However, I can't recommend it per se.
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