Hands-On With Bugsnax Expansion The Isle Of Bigsnax

The oddly lighthearted and heartfelt adventure Bugsnax launched November 2020, making it one of the first games many played on PlayStation 5, which was released the same day. Nearly a year later, Young Horses, the game’s developer, announced during a Sony State of Play the game would be getting a new DLC. The expansion is called The Isle of Bigsnax and will be provided free of charge to all players that already have the base game. The creators estimate that the story will take between three and five hours. Fans also get a lot of additional content. And while it’s aiming to release in the first half of 2022, we got an early hands-on look at the game at GDC.

Young Horses added hours to the game by announcing that players will receive an in-game home to renovate. This will allow you to feel like a part of Grumpus. At first, the hut is a pile of sticks. By completing the requests of fellow villager, players can gain furniture, paint and other decorative items. Many objects received reflect their givers. The exercise-obsessed Chandlo may offer players a weightlifting trophy, while Snaxburg’s Mayor Filbo might gift an adorable stuffed Grumpus.

After entering Snaxburg, new players will be shown their new home. However, returning players get a tour of their shack upon talking to Filbo and find their mailboxes already stuffed with retroactive rewards for any requests they’ve unwittingly completed. Young Horses explains that the new objectives and tasks should provide players with a reason to keep exploring Snaktooth and engaging in conversation.

Keeping this goal in mind, Young Horses’ latest expansion will also introduce hats for your favorite scrumptious Snax. Ever wonder where the heads of your Grumpus friends went after they took on Bugsnax forms? Well, it looks like the island’s tasty residents got them, and it’s up to you to track them down. The hats are more than an odd cosmetic design. They require players to complete a search similar to a scavenger hunting hunt in order for them each to be earned. You can find hats in nature on Bugsnax, which you can capture to get a new cap. There are around 25 in total and include a chef’s hat, witch’s hat, and Chandlo’s “Snax” baseball cap. This is a challenge for players that will make it worthwhile to return to previous places.

The Isle of Bigsnax

I got a chance to go hands-on with the upcoming DLC, and, from what I’ve played so far, the expansion will be another merry romp through a strange world. The Isle of Bigsnax gives players more – and bigger – Bugsnax, content that builds on the original experience, and a chance to dive deeper into the relationships and story from the base game.

I am accompanied by the Muscle-bound Chandlo and the scientific Floofty and bone-carrying archeologist Triffany in this demo. After reaching the beach and finding the titular island in the middle, it appears that we have been pushed out of reach of all the villager’s. There are many puzzles in the experience, most of which I have created using my collection of odd gadgets. First, I have to use a torch to cross a gap. One maze had moving pillars. Another one was too narrow for any Grumpus. But it was large enough for my Strabby (ball bound), which I navigated through to reach a switch that would open the doors.

There are also many bigger-than-life Bugsnax encounters for players. Chandlo is sent flying by a huge Bunger into a heap of dusty jars. This makes Bigsnax even smaller. The creature must still be amazed to be caught, even though it has been slimmed down. Now, I take the tripwire, and give my reward to Chandlo who is weak, giving him strength to continue.

Once the team has set up camp, it begins to unfold. As the shrine was home to the Bugsnax-catching powder jars, this archeological expedition may challenge some of our beliefs. There are four quests I can choose from at the camp. However, I’m instructed to follow Triffany’s storyline for this preview. She has me work my Snax-guiding magic to open a few blocked-off areas. This includes one puzzle that triggers a boulder-like Bigsnax to pop out at us, a nice Indiana Jones reference that highlights the game’s humorous tone.

I encounter plenty more Bigsnax in my short adventure, though I don’t have any handy shrink dust to capture them. Every enlarged Snax is entertaining, looking like a sendient celery stick with separate chocolate-looking critters. A lobster that was made of macaroni noodles and loved cheese I witnessed. Millimochi was my new favorite Snax. This is a combination of several frosty treats that are arranged to form a multi-snack creature.

It is expected that The Isle of Bigsnax would be available April 28. The new content, which includes the hut and hats as well as fresh adventures, is approximately 80 percent bigger than the original. According to the developers. It may take you around eight hours to discover all the new content, even if the original game took 10 hours.