The Bug Butcher Reviews

The Bug Butcher is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2018

Gorgeous graphics, combined with explosive—and addictive—gameplay make The Bug Butcher the perfect addition to your Nintendo Switch library.

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7.5 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2016

There must have been more the developers could have done with the game to keep it going for longer, and considering some of the repetitiveness and a lack of interesting levels, I think they definitely should have. But otherwise, the game is well worth a look for any shooter or bullet hell fans. It's exciting and enjoyably challenging with an aesthetic and mechanical twist that sets it apart from the plethora of other shooters available.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 8, 2018

Overall, if there’s any piece of you that has a love for a rock-solid arcade shooting experience The Bug Butcher is a wonderful surprise with an extremely fair price. If you’re an old-school gamer like me you’ll likely appreciate the nods to Pang’s iconic style but if you’re not familiar with that title it will probably just feel like a shooter with bouncing enemies that you’ll need to carefully destroy to get maximum results. Throw in global leaderboards, an ability to slowly enhance your skills, and a pretty surprising variety of weirdo bugs to deal with and it’s a very good time. While I don’t expect my high scores to last for long, it was a lot of fun getting them.

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 17, 2016

The Bug Butcher is a fun arcade game that has you chasing and killing alien bugs to clear out a laboratory. Along with the clever writing, the music and art style work together to create a great presentation. Even though it is short, it adds a lot of value by encouraging you to play for a higher score, giving you a separate Panic mode, and providing a local co-op mode. If you are looking for your next obsession, try The Bug Butcher.

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4 / 5
Jan 23, 2016

The Bug Butcher is a flashy and fun arcade experience.

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Unscored
Jan 20, 2016
The Bug Butcher (Critical Eye): Programmer's Nightmares video thumbnail
80 / 100
Nov 8, 2018

The Bug Butcher is a tremendously robust shooting arcade, with high production values and a simple but very careful gameplay. With a caricatured and colourful visual aspect, it is a totally valid proposal in a relatively abandoned genre.

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Nov 20, 2018

Overall, I feel The Bug Butcher is a success. Fans of classic games are sure to enjoy it, as are those who love vying for the top spots on leaderboards. For $7.99, you get a respectable amount of game here. I probably spent a couple hours playing through Arcade mode, and easily that long playing around with Panic mode. It’s not a huge game, but it also didn’t feel too short. Most of the replay value is found in trying for better scores to earn stars and additional coins in stages. Really, the only thing I wanted from the game that I didn’t get was a bestiary showcasing details about the creepy bugs, as well as a couple actual boss fights. But that’s just cause I’m an old school gamer, and I always want epic boss fights. If you want a fun and challenging game with old school charm, I would highly recommend The Bug Butcher. 2Awesome Studio has published a great game, and I’m eager to see what else Awfully Nice Studios has brewing next for the future.

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6.1 / 10.0
Oct 23, 2016

The Bug Butcher is a decent take on the classic Pang formula but it also manages to turn it into a more mindless experience.

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8.5 / 10.0
Apr 12, 2019

As stated at the beginning of the review, The Bug Butcher is an absolutely solid homage to classic arcade shooters. It nails the shooting mechanic and provides a gradual level of difficulty that doesn't veer too much into impossible territory. Though it's a short game, there's enough to keep people interested for more than an afternoon, and it's a good fit on the Switch thanks to the short levels and co-op gameplay for endless mode. This is another indie port to Nintendo's console that's worth checking out.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2018

The music is also surprisingly catchy. The Bug Butcher is a fun Pang-style romp that works in bursts or in longer play sessions—I found it a good game to play while catching up on TV shows. If you like this arcade game style, The Bug Butcher should definitely be on your radar.

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91%
Jan 25, 2017

You know a game is fun when you're done writing a review for it, and you still end up going back to play some more. The Bug Butcher is an excellent arcade-style action game that is a must-have for PlayStation 4 owners. The bite-sized nature of each level makes the whole package highly addictive. You'll keep playing to get all three stars and to meet the combo requirement in a level… only to then aim at beating your high score, or beating the high score of your friends.

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GameSpew
Top Critic
6 / 10
Jan 26, 2016

Like an RPG, there must be ways of giving the player a customisable experience that you can continuously tweak and invest in. But this isn't the case here. It just doesn't have enough variety to separate itself from seeming like a free flash game

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PS4Blog.net
the_nmac
9 / 10
Jan 2, 2017

The Bug Butcher is a great release that pays homage to the arcade-style games of ages past. It controls perfectly, offers a ton of great weapons, and lots of replayablitly. The game is perfect for both short burst of gaming as well as for longer sessions, making it a must-have for your PlayStation 4.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
7 / 10
Oct 18, 2016

The Bug Butcher does a fine job of paying homage to the arcade titles that inspired it. Rather than attempt to be an inept clone, this shoot 'em up goes for a faster, more frenetic take on the concept. The variety of bugs and traps makes each level feel fresh, and there's enough of a difficulty curve to keep everything interesting. When played for score, this game becomes even more enjoyable. It's not quite as polished as it could be, but all things considered, Awfully Nice Studios delivered a quality product for insect-blasting enthusiasts.

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Eric Zander
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Nov 1, 2016

The Bug Butcher is exactly what the name implies and more. Sporting 30 levels, each usually lasting less than 2 minutes, there is a strong urge to try "just one more time" to beat your high score. Fans of the Pang/Buster Bros series will feel right at home with this game.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 13, 2018

The Bug Butcher feels like Earthworm Jim and Alien Hominid met in an arcade to play Space Invaders and the residual DNA collected from their shared joystick and button usage was used to genetically engineer The Bug Butcher. Its frenetic pace and creative arsenal create a humorously fun experience full of equal parts mirth and mayhem. If you enjoy arcade-style side scrolling shooter, The Bug Butcher needs to be in your go-to rotation.

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10 / 10
Apr 27, 2016

All in all The Bug Butcher is a distinct pleasure I keep finding myself going back to. It's got that great arcade feel and frantic pace you look for in a title like this, and is so deftly executed it could delight the most stridently anti-nostalgia gamer. But when you get right down to it, The Bug Catcher just makes it so darn fun to wipe out wave after wave of those gross bastard bugs, and that's really all I need to keep me happy for a good hour or two at a time.

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3.5 / 5.0
Jan 18, 2016

All these elements come together to make an arcade-style game that easily lives up to its Pang/Buster Bros.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 21, 2016

The Bug Butcher is a great game with entertaining gameplay and neat weapons that is only slightly held back by longevity issues.

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