Sisyphus Is a Bug

5 bucks for access to one of the most fun bite-sized speedrun compatible games i've played in a while. It's great value for simply playing through for the first time and never playing it again, assuming you have no prior knowledge about the game (the "progression" is based on figuring out new mechanics that you always could've done and then using those newly learned mechanics to find the next mechanics, this format is known as a knowledgevania). Once beat the game tho, you can interact with the community to learn cool speedrunning tricks and optimize your run. Even if ur not into speedrunning, it's quite casual speedrunning as the runthru only takes 1 minute once you actually gain the knowledge the game teaches you. Overall fun as hell and great value.

The eureka moments are incredible and genuinely fun the kind that make you stop and smile when everything finally clicks. The Hades map in particular is brilliant: it can be hard to figure out at first, but once the idea lands it’s so satisfying. It really amazed me how a game that looks this simple on the surface can pull off something that clever. I’ve been playing this since its GMTK Game Jam version, and it’s wild to see how much has improved since then. The core idea was already good, but the polish, feel, and flow are on a whole other level now. There’s also a ton of value here for speedrunners. The game really encourages you to optimize routes, experiment, and push for faster times. If you enjoy discovering tech and shaving seconds off your run, this is absolutely worth your time.

小粒な知識アンロックゲーム。 制限時間内にゴールにたどり着くのが目的で、間に合わなければギミックなどがリセットされて最初から。 はじめはとても間に合うように思えないが、要所要所に置かれた知識を活かすことで活路が見えてくる。 [h3]良い点[/h3] [list] [*]コンパクトながら知識アンロック特有の「そんなことできたんだ！」な要素はちゃんと含まれている。 [*]一部の動作中は時間を停止してくれるため、アクション面で精密操作を要求されない。 [*]ゲーム内マップがあり、得た知識も記録してくれる。タイムアタックなどせずに普通にクリアするだけなら、ゲーム外でのメモは不要。 [/list] [h3]注意点[/h3] [list] [*]ボリュームはかなり小粒。2ステージあるが途中で詰まらなければ2時間弱でクリアできてしまうレベル。 [*]知識アンロックの方法がやや無骨で、「こういう状況でこう操作すればこうなるよ」と壁に直接絵で描かれているという方式。例えば『Öoo』みたいな"レベルデザインで察させる"系ではない。 [*]日本語対応なし。知識アンロック部分はごく一部（1割程度）は絵に加え短文での補足があるので注意。とはいえ絵で察せられればOKで、そうでなくとも翻訳にかけるのが苦にならない程度の個数しかない。ストーリーについては読めなくても支障はない。 [/list] 全体としては「知識アンロックの金字塔的なゲーム群には及ばないものの、光る部分はある」といった感じ。 とはいえやっぱり小粒すぎ感は否めないので、セールで買うくらいがちょうどいいかな。

Had a lot of fun learning all the techniques this game has. Love me a knowledge based game.

Sisyphus is a Bug takes the “knowledge based platformer” to its logical extreme in a game that will genuinely only take a minute to beat if you know what you’re doing. The reveals are fun and well executed, never straying too far into more cryptic mechanics and instead adding more complexity to existing ones. If you enjoyed Leap Year, that’s the best comparison I could make, although Leap Year was much easier in terms of platforming - admittedly, I had to turn off the timer for the final platforming puzzle in the second part of the game. My only critique is that due to the sensitivity of the timer, some elements can get repetitive if you don’t fully grasp the concept of the moveset, which is what lead to me to turn off the timer for the final interaction. It’s not unfair, however, just more reliant on quick understanding vs. contemplative solves. Very few “Metroidbrainia” games can actually be completed in such a short time and for that this game is 100% worth it - the solid platforming and elegance in the design is a cherry on top.

Just a great experience. If you like metroidbrainias (knowledge-based progression) games, this is a must play. I did not expect too much playtime initially since I had already spent hours 100%ing the demo and had learnt many secrets. Despite that, the new hades campaign and its hard mode had me hooked. The leaderboards were an excellent idea and I kept trying to micro-optimise my route. Overall, it was a great experience that you should definitely give a shot. The entire first campaign is in the demo so feel free to try that to check if this is your cup of tea. My rating for this is: 9.5/10

Sisyphus Is a Bug is a short yet very cute & charming puzzle-platforming game with a satisfying gameplay loop as you plan new routes using the movement techniques taught to you throughout the game. Would recommend for anyone who enjoys using advanced movement techniques to blaze through stages in other platformers.

Bug with (dung) ball go FAST! - Knowledgevania/Metroidbrainia - Speedrunner friendly (with leaderboards and quick resets) - Surprising amount of depth with many routes and strategies to go FAST. - Lil' Sisyphus has AURA. 10/10 would watch flying burning dung roll up a hill again

A short and sweet game that relies 100% on player knowledge and skill while still allowing everyone to enjoy it. Well worth the money.

smart rule discovery platformer that does a lot with simple controls