Bee Island
- August 25, 2023
- Lemma Arts
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Bee Island" is a farming simulation game where players manage a bee farm on a picturesque island. Plant flowers, breed different bee species, and produce honey to expand the farm and meet various objectives. The game features a soothing atmosphere, colorful graphics, and educational elements about bees and pollination. Protect the environment and save the island from potential threats to become a successful beekeeper.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and quirky take on the tower defense genre, with adorable graphics and engaging gameplay.
- Players enjoy the unique mechanics of controlling turrets and the humorous concept of bees defending their hive with various weapons.
- The developers are responsive to feedback and are actively working on updates, which gives players hope for future improvements and content.
- The game lacks polish and quality of life features, making it feel unfinished and sometimes frustrating to play.
- Many players find the game to be short, with limited replayability and a lack of depth in gameplay mechanics.
- Performance issues, including lag and unclear UI elements, detract from the overall experience and make it difficult to manage resources effectively.
- gameplay35 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its engaging mix of resource management, strategy, and defense elements, offering a fun and dynamic experience, especially with the unique mechanic of personally defending your base. While the mechanics are generally well-received and the game has a charming visual style, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, and there are calls for improved tutorials, more varied missions, and better customization options. Overall, it provides a refreshing take on strategy games, though it lacks polish and depth in certain areas.
“The gameplay can be simple at times, but that's part of the fun!”
“Engaging gameplay: the game combines resource management, strategy, and defense elements effectively.”
“Balancing the growth of your bee colony while defending against threats keeps the gameplay dynamic and engaging.”
“The gameplay quality is eh and the tutorial is not entirely clear/helpful to me.”
“Game in its core is fine, but for 10€ there is not enough gameplay.”
“I wasn't expecting a Cities: Skylines level of simulation, but even a small amount of city builder mechanics were indeed expected; when really it's just simply problem solving and, once solved, setting the game to 3x speed and waiting.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with many praising the vibrant and charming visuals, unique bee aesthetic, and overall beauty when gameplay elements come together. However, some players have reported issues such as pixelation, screen tearing, and lag, particularly on lower-end systems, suggesting that while the art style is appealing, technical performance may need improvement. Overall, the game's graphics are considered cute and engaging, contributing positively to the overall experience despite some technical drawbacks.
“Beautiful graphics: the game boasts vibrant and charming visuals.”
“Its charming graphics and dynamic gameplay make it an excellent choice for players looking to manage their own bee colony and defend against threats.”
“The moment I dived into 'bee island,' I was greeted with breathtaking visuals and meticulous attention to detail.”
“The visuals may look a bit rough but when you get into the game and all the pieces start working together it's actually quite beautiful.”
“Graphics sometimes pixelated, screen tearing, and bugs.”
“Right now this feels like a $5 game with $10 visuals but being listed at $20.”
- humor20 mentions
- 85 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky tech tree evolution and the amusing interactions of the bees, which are described as both cute and funny. Players appreciate the lighthearted animations and the absurdity of combining adorable bees with military elements, creating a unique and entertaining experience that keeps them engaged and laughing throughout gameplay. Overall, the game's charm lies in its whimsical design and humorous execution, making it a standout in the tower defense genre.
“I don't usually play tower defense games, but this one has some creative and funny ideas.”
“There wasn't a single minute of gameplay where I wasn't laughing or awestruck because I have 300 bees with a modern military.”
“Funny and cute animations of bees bumping into structures and each other keep this game light on the heart while keeping you engaged and challenged with the next tiers of enemies.”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game features a single story mode that can be completed in under three hours, with players expressing that it lacks depth and replayability. While the narrative centers around defending a queen bee from various enemies, many reviewers feel that the simplistic wave-based gameplay does not justify the story mode's designation. Although a challenge mode is announced for future release, the current version leaves players wanting more varied missions and gameplay mechanics to sustain long-term interest.
“This is a feel-good game with wholesome visuals and a wholesome story that is supposed to have broad audience appeal.”
“The story has you growing and defending the queen bee from hornets, dragonflies, ladybugs, and moths, each of whom are more destructive than the first.”
“Currently, there is only a story mode available in which you are introduced to everything the game has to offer.”
“At the end, after I unlocked and tried everything and finally was able to end the story mode, I have nothing left to do.”
“So far the entire story can be beaten in less than two hours and there isn't enough depth to justify starting a new game.”
“Because it's basically wave after wave until you lose the queen, the story mode doesn't even deserve the name.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the potential for varied strategies and challenges, many express disappointment due to limited content and a lack of depth. Several reviews highlight that the core gameplay can become repetitive, and the absence of significant updates or modes further diminishes replay value. Although there are hints of future improvements, such as a challenge mode, the current state leaves much to be desired in terms of replayability.
“4-replay value: with various strategies to explore and different challenges to face, 'Bee Island' offers a high replay value.”
“There is not a ton of content, but it is replayable because of its upgrade/research paths.”
“Hopefully, the upcoming 'challenge mode' will bring some extra (needed) content to this game and increase the replayability.”
“Currently, there is next to no replayability, so I can't see myself coming back to it.”
“Replayability is somewhat limited; you do unlock sandbox after you complete the game and there are a couple of different victory end choices, but I would like it if you could replay with increasing difficulty.”
“There isn't much replayability, and the developers seem to have abandoned the game.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and even masterful, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users have reported audio issues that detract from the enjoyment, suggesting that while the music can evoke strong emotions, technical problems may hinder its impact. Overall, the soundtrack is a highlight for many, contributing to the game's fun atmosphere.
“The soundtrack is nothing short of a masterpiece.”
“There were moments where I would simply pause to let the music wash over me, feeling both tranquility and inspiration.”
“A must-have for anyone who appreciates art, music, and a deep emotional connection with the digital medium.”
“Not gonna lie, I bought it because the music in the preview videos seduced me.”
“Issues: the audio quality of the music is kind of rough and hurts the ears.”
“Good game, would be glad to play again - I need doom music to listen to when shooting bugs.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is notably poor, particularly at maximum speed and with high populations of in-game entities, leading to performance issues. While it remains playable and enjoyable, many users feel it is not worth the full price due to its unfinished state and lack of optimization. Overall, significant performance fixes and quality-of-life improvements are needed for a better experience.
“Great little game that is not quite finished and optimized, but is still fully playable and good.”
“Could definitely be something I enjoy more after a lot of performance fixes and general quality of life and UI upgrades.”
“It's not quite worth the full price in my opinion, because of the amount of content and it is not fully optimized.”
“Performance is pretty bad too.”
“It's a little unoptimized right now.”
“Optimization is terrible with 300 bees and enemies, but seeing the pure chaos was comical all by itself.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overwhelming, particularly as early as tech area 2, where clarity on objectives diminishes. The lack of understanding regarding game mechanics, such as enemy behavior and resource management, adds to the frustration, leading some to feel that a second life is necessary to cope with the grind.
“Quickly becomes tedious.”
“The overview is lost very fast and early (during tech area 2); there's no way to know what's going on. One can figure it out, but it is really tedious, especially when trying to understand why the bees keep dying and how the enemies stay up in the air with so many guns shooting at them.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wholesome visuals and story, creating a deep emotional connection that resonates with players. Its well-crafted emotional arcs and passionate world-building contribute to a lasting impression, making it a must-play for those who value art and music in gaming.
“The emotional arcs and the sheer passion embedded within the world-building left a lasting impression on me.”
“A must-have for anyone who appreciates art, music, and a deep emotional connection with the digital medium.”
“This is a feel-good game with wholesome visuals and a wholesome story that is supposed to have broad audience appeal.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by glitches, such as rounds not progressing despite defeating all enemies, and audio issues. While players find the game enjoyable overall, the confusion and lack of clarity in mechanics detract from the experience.
“It's very fun, although there are some glitches (I was in round 8 and I killed every enemy, but the round was still going on). Aside from that, it's very fun, but they should add multiplayer in some way.”
“The audio was buggy, and the game was kind of boring and confusing, with most things unclear on how they work.”
