Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling

If you are hitching for a new Paper Mario experience that doesn’t include Mario or anything related to his series, then Bug Fables has got you covered. Developed by Moonsprout Games and published by DANGEN Entertainment,  Bug Fables is an adventure RPG inspired by the first Paper Mario games. Discover hidden treasures and explore various kingdoms in the land of Bugaria, and find the Everlasting Sapling for your queen.

In Bug Fables, you will follow the story of Kabbu the beetle, Vi the bee, and Leif the moth, three adventurers who are on a quest to find the everlasting sapling, a mythical artifact rumored to give immortality to those who eat it. Charged by the queen of the Ant Kingdom, Queen Elizant II, the three will embark on an epic quest across the land of Bugaria, inhabited by, you guess it, more bugs. Throughout their journey, they’ll explore lands where no bug has ever been before, fight epic bosses and discover the secrets that this giant land has to discover.

If you have ever played Super Paper Mario then the basis of this game will be familiar to you. In this land filled with bugs, not everybody is as friendly as they might look. You will find giant spiders, ladybugs, and worms ready to fight against you.
It’s a turn-based RPG where our attacks are based on our timing and reflexes. Most of our attacks and skills require us to press a button at the right time or just mash the buttons until the gauge it’s maxed out. It’s possible (and basically required) to parry the enemies’ attacks. By pressing A at the right time, you can drastically reduce the damage your team might take, and sometimes even nullify it.

You can also use a wide arrange of skills, which require teamwork points (TP), to inflict status effects such as poison or freezing, or even just to deal more massive damage. You can also use a move called “Team Relay” to give your turn to an ally, but their attack will be weaker for every turn they get. This can be very useful, as some enemies can only be weakened by a specific attack from one ally. For example. Vi can hit airborne enemies with her boomerang to make them fall off, and then Kabbu can hit them with his horn.
Combat is surely engaging, but it can also be hard. Battles depend on your own skills and wits, and the more damage you take the worse it gets.

The world of Bugaria is big, and there is A LOT to do. There are badges to find, which will give you various advantages such as higher stats and new skills to use,  recipes to learn to have better healing in battle, and even more!
Bugaria’s lore is very well written and engaging. There are tons of unique NPCs, all of which have unique dialogues and sometimes even side quests to do. You can also find various books around the world about the history of the Ant Kingdom to gain even more knowledge about the events of this land. The writers did an excellent work by creating something vast and unique. The writing is both engaging and fun, and the characters are also very well written. While our three main characters all have diverse personalities, they can come together and grow together to fulfill their duties as explorers. Vi might come off as bratty and Kabbu might sometimes be too wise and humble, while Leif has a mysterious past that he doesn’t even remember, but as time goes on they all grow due to their friendship and experiences.

A big part of the game revolves around puzzles and platforming. Vi, Kabbu, and Leif all have field abilities that they use in order to proceed with their exploration and reach new areas. Puzzles aren’t that hard but might require some thinking, while the platforming sections can be a bit tricky as the fixed camera can give the wrong perspective to the player. Luckily though, they are never tedious and it’s easy enough to get back on your tracks.

The visuals are great, and while they are obviously taken from the Paper Mario series, they aren’t just a copy, but rather a new take in a new setting. They are extremely well done, and the various parts of the world are all different and unique. The Bee Kingdom is located in a desert filled with bandits and living cactuses, there are caves filled with old relics from the lost roach civilization and even a giant honey factory filled with robots!
The music is flawless. It’s catchy, fun to listen to, and overall it’s just a jam to listen to! It’s always top-notch and fits with the overall theme of “bugs in a semi-fantasy land”.

This game was made with love and care. It always tries its best to please the player, with tons of optional content and even a hard mode than can be activated at any time if the player wishes so. While I compared it to paper Mario too many times, it truly is an exceptional experience filled with love. The story itself is worth every dollar, and the side content won’t let you down

In conclusion, Bug Fables is an excellent game with TONS of contents. If you are an RPG lover then getting this game is a no brainer. It’s great, colorful, fun to play and it all comes together perfectly to create a wonderful experience. And hey, it’s portable now! So why are you still reading? Go buy it!

Highly Recommended

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Game reviewed by Senpavo on the Nintendo Switch. Game provided by DANGEN Entertainment..