Developer: Fabraz
Publisher: Atari
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Bubsy 4D – Review
Even though we have fond memories of Bubsy when growing up, Bubsy struggled as the years went by to stay a relevant IP while competing with Mario, Sonic, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and many others. The bobcat slowly faded to the background, and we actually assumed that the series was officially dead. That is, until Atari bought the rights back in 2023, making it clear that a new project was on the horizon. This brings us to the release of Bubsy 4D, with developer Fabraz, known from Demon Turf, helming the project. While Bubsy 4D certainly hit the right notes for a nostalgia-induced evening or two, it also dropped the ball on many occasions.
Story
Bubsy 4D revolves around Bubsy’s newest adventure, in which he reluctantly partakes. The game starts with some of the local sheep being abducted by aliens, but Bubsy and the rest of his family and friends decide to keep out of it. When the sheep eventually overthrow their captors and turn into BaaBots, they return to steal the Golden Fleece. Sadly, Bubsy can’t let this happen, and he must go on an intergalactic quest to defeat his woolly enemies as well as retrieve the Golden Fleece. All in all, the story is simple but more than enough for a game such as this, but we did find the ending a bit hastily done.
Graphics
For the most part, Bubsy 4D isn’t a bad-looking game, as it pushes all the right nostalgia-induced buttons, but compared to titles such as New Super Lucky’s Tale, it does look a bit rough around the edges. The main cast of characters all look good, and most of the enemies do as well, but the world, its structures, and the backdrops all look very unpolished. We even found most of the stages to feel very empty, with a lack of textures and clutter making them feel lived in. The overall old-school feeling is nice, but we wouldn’t have minded seeing Bubsy in a next-gen setting, rather than retro-inspired visuals that can come across as cheap.
Sound
While the sound design of Bubsy 4D wasn’t bad, it was rather forgettable. The music is okay, but it didn’t linger with us as it does with other iconic platformers. The voice acting was decent, but only a few of the game’s dialogues were voiced, rather than all of them. The sound effects provided decent audio feedback, but there was simply nothing here to write home about. Everything is functional, but we just missed a certain something here.
Gameplay
Bubsy 4D is a traditional 3D platformer with a few boss battles sprinkled in for good measure. You basically play through the game to collect a piece of golden yarn at the end of each stage. There is really not that much more to it. You just commit yourself to some harder platforming segments. Bubsy can also turn into a ball, which will help you clear other obstacles, and then there are a few other genre-standard abilities. The further you progress, the more abilities and skins you can unlock. Truth be told, Bubsy 4D offers no surprises and feels rather dated.
As stated above, the game feels a bit empty. You’ll often just go from one platforming segment to the next in the levels, with only very little in terms of things to do in between. You’ll sporadically encounter enemies during regular levels, but these often don’t pose a huge threat. You’ll often struggle more with the finicky controls, which sometimes feel a bit unresponsive and imprecise. The boss battles are probably the highlight here, even though some of these also feel a bit tedious at times. But even with dying occasionally, we managed to beat the game within three hours, which is a bit disappointing. We hoped for a bit more content, as the game currently feels like the introduction to something lengthier, especially since the ending also felt rather abrupt.
Conclusion
Bubsy 4D is a fairly okay blast from the past, but when taking off the rose-tinted glasses, the cracks are clearly there. As it currently stands, the game feels too rough around the edges, too short, and simply a bit too underwhelming to put the beloved bobcat back on the map. We missed more interesting level designs, more content, and less finicky controls. When comparing this new game with titles such as New Super Lucky’s Tale, you’re probably better off picking that one instead of Bubsy’s new outing. All in all, Bubsy 4D isn’t a bad game; it just feels like a rushed, unfinished homage to an icon.
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