Bubsy 4D

For being a BUBSY game, this is honestly the first time they made one that's actually good! I wouldn't say it does anything ground-breaking, it's pretty short but if you just want a pretty safe, light-hearted platformer, it's a good buy.

[h1]One of the sleeper hits of '26... an experience that no action platform gamer should miss![/h1] Bubsy's long running streak of mediocre to terrible games has finally come to an end with this surprising hit from Demon Turf and Demon Tides creators Fabraz! While previous titles drastically missed the mark, this one is absolutely stunning... original... Bubsy 4D climbs back to the top... check it out! These developers understand how to make a fun 3D platformer and they certainly delivered. You have a very complex moveset that encourages mastery to discover shortcuts or secret routes. The roll move felt very weird at first and took a lot of getting used to due to how loose the steering can be at high speeds, but I was able to get a feel for it eventually. Fortunately, it's not like Demon Turf that had a steep learning curve - you don't need to make the most of your entire moveset to finish this game. Like with Demon Tides, combat is very basic. The only way you can attack enemies in this game is with the pounce attack which automatically targets and locks onto nearby enemies similar to the homing attack in 3D Sonic games. Most enemies die in one hit and take no more than two, so it rarely gets in the way of the main platforming especially considering there is only 1 mandatory combat section in the entire game and even that doesn't overstay its welcome. Graphics aren't the greatest, but what more than makes up for that is how expressive all the characters are. I liked the unique death animations from dying in different ways, and although not as varied or entertaining as Crash, it definitely adds to the overall presentation, as well as the cutscenes which are well animated and the voice overs get the job done. It's an appealing game to look at despite not being cutting edge visually. Not to mention all the fan service that pays tribute to the entire franchise. The VR monitors show Bubsy 3D footage which is ironic considering the graphics that game had. Several characters from the cancelled cartoon pilot appear as major characters and are represented very well in the game - Fabraz clearly did their homework there. There's also a Bubsy 3D tank control scheme and costume just for lols if you really want it. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3765515965 Much like Fabraz's previous games, the level design is very good and makes great use of your entire moveset. You have infinite lives, beating a level is as simple as reaching the end and it isn't too difficult to finish if you're going through it normally, but they really want you to replay these levels and explore them to experience everything they have to offer. Each level has 150 yarn balls to collect, which can be traded with the twins to buy skins. Always a welcome addition in these games for me. Also in each level is one blueprint which can be exchanged for new abilities. These are permanently unlocked and there's no limit to how many you can enable, but these can be disabled by selecting them again. Collecting everything in every level unlocks the secret gauntlet level that's quite tough to beat and must be done on a single life, though it shouldn't be too difficult if you're coming from Fabraz's previous games. After their absence from Demon Tides, the trophy times from Demon Turf make a very welcome return here and makes replaying levels a lot of fun. Each level has a time to beat to earn a trophy and they are all required for 100%. You can compare your times online and even challenge other players' ghosts. The one from the tutorial is incredibly tough to beat - I couldn't beat it myself, but thankfully that one isn't necessary, nor is the gauntlet time trial needed, only the ones from the main levels are. Bosses also have trophy times, but they're actually fun to speedrun this time unlike the ones from Tides. My only major complaint, however, is the very short length. Bubsy 4D only has 3 planets containing 5 levels each for a total of 15, not including the mandatory tutorial level or the secret gauntlet level for finding everything, and average game completion can take about 2 hours if you're not going for 100%, or 5 hours if you are. It's a shame, because I really enjoyed my time with this one and I wanted even more, making this feel like a more fleshed out Neon Splash rather than the next big thing. I guess that short length works in its favour though, because this game also features a Nine Lives Mode for experienced players to try! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3765684474 This permadeath mode resets all of your progress after getting hit 9 times, requiring you to be very careful throughout. It's actually not as bad as you think it might be given you can beat the game in about an hour this way and you can disable all cutscenes so repeat plays don't become a slog if you need to retry. If Steam let me give out a Gold X Award to one game, I'd gladly give it to Bubsy 4D this year. This can be perfectly described as "short and sweet" while providing more challenging content for those that seek it. It's also a great example of big publishers letting indie game developers with experience in the genre take a shot at making games in well known franchises and is something I'd love to see more of in this industry. Not only is this worth checking out for fans of the series, but I can even recommend this to those that hated the other games - a shining example of a failed 90's mascot platformer finally having its redemption and the treatment it deserves. It's also good for those that are just looking for another 3D platformer to sink their teeth into. This one was actually quite fun, though you may want to wait for a sale if you don't want to pay that much for 3 hours of content even for how replayable it is. Also consider checking out Demon Tides if you haven't already as this game carries a lot of its DNA.

The level designs a little flat, the non voice-acted dialogue is kinda flat, but the core gameplay, the voice acting on Bubsy himself are fantastic, it doesn't overstay its welcome, musics not bad. The cynicism is JUST right, isn't too light while also not full of self hatred. It's alright, I reccommend it. Also check out Fabraz's other games!

Single glitchiest game I've ever played. It's a little janky throughout the whole game, but it went off the rails in level 3-4, the second to last level. Errant uncommanded character movements, errant cameras changes, speed issues, graphical distortions, input failures, etc. I could put the controller down and Bubsy would just move on his own. The final level was better, but I couldn't enjoy the game anymore at that point. It didn't help that the final boss was boring and tedious, and only challenging because it was essentially a bullet-hell type challenge where the game just throws old bosses at you repeatedly with increasing amounts of random hazards. At times I could barely see Bubsy through the visual clutter, and it felt like success was determined more by luck than skill. None of the boss fights are good, but the final one might be the worst. You don't feel excited to finish the game, you're just glad you're done. The game isn't smooth, with bad dialogue and janky controls. It's a bad Sonic rip-off and I'd save your money.

-game froze right after i beat the first boss and i had to force quit -bubsy doesnt shut up in menus even with chatter turned down to 0 -some minor visual glitches like when going through pipes -go play Demon Tides

Played the entire game hedgehog style

There are only 3 worlds, each with 5 levels, but the movement feels so good youd wish it went on for at least twice as long. The fact that 'I want more' is pretty much my only complaint (for a Bubsy game of all things) is a baffling thought.

Pretty fun, very easy going 4d plantaformer. Great art style, graphics, funny, well voice acted, 10/10 experience.

This game is so freaking fun! I absolutely love Bubsy so i was pretty hyped to see this game announced and it has lived up to my expectations and then some. I love the graphics, I love the optimization, and the art style and controls are so good.

love this game :D