The Bug Butcher Reviews

The Bug Butcher is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
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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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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7 / 10.0
Jan 31, 2016

The Bug Butcher is a little, nice game. Its funny and cleverly designed, but too short and a little boring in the second half of the game.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Oct 20, 2016

The Bug Butcher is a fun arcade title that has the player exterminating bugs at an increasingly frenetic pace until all bugs have been destroyed. The easy-to-operate game mechanic and variety of difficulties that are available make it fun for all skill levels, but the challenging achievement list and buggy saving could squash some players' enthusiasm like...well, like a bug.

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7 / 10
Mar 3, 2019

The Bug Butcher builds on the classic 1980s and 1990s 2D arcade shooters to bring a fun and addictive experience, riddled with humour, fluid animations and wide amounts of contents. An experience that is certain to please to all kinds of players and which is especially recommended to fans of the genre.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Feb 4, 2016

If this is the first efforts from Awfully Nice Studios, it's a damned good one. While the Bug Butcher won't win any awards for innovation, it definitely will with how much fun you'll have with the same. Simple, frantic, charming and fun are easily the four best words to describe The Bug Butcher. It's also nice to know that Awfully Nice Studios is constantly fixing bugs (No pun intended) that are found in the game, so it's also nice to see that they're committed to making this the best experience it can be.

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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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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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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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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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Unscored
Jan 20, 2016
The Bug Butcher (Critical Eye): Programmer's Nightmares video thumbnail