Beetle Uprising
- November 5, 2020
- Slug Disco
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Beetle Uprising" is a real-time tactics game with breeding simulation elements, allowing you to breed an army of beetles and lead them into battle. The game features a complex genetics system based on real-world science, allowing you to interbreed your beetles to bring out the best traits for combat, aesthetics, and survivability. The game includes 16 campaign missions and additional side missions for your beetle army to conquer.
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique and engaging concept, allowing players to breed and manage beetles with a detailed genetics system.
- Players appreciate the humor in item descriptions and the cute graphics, making the game enjoyable and visually appealing.
- The gameplay loop of sending beetles on foraging missions and watching them interact adds a fun and relaxing element to the experience.
- Many players find the game lacks depth and becomes repetitive quickly, with limited strategic options and a grind for resources.
- Technical issues such as crashes, disappearing UI, and bugs detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration.
- The requirement to 'kill' older beetles to make room for new ones can feel morally uncomfortable and detracts from player attachment to their beetles.
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around managing a colony of beetles, where players must send them on foraging and scouting missions to gather resources for survival. While the gameplay involves strategic breeding and upgrading of beetles to tackle increasingly difficult missions, some players find the mechanics frustrating, particularly the reliance on in-game currency and the challenge of maintaining a sustainable food supply. Overall, the narrative is driven by the need to explore and conquer the environment, but it can feel repetitive and punishing due to resource management constraints.
“The main loop is sending beetles out on foraging and scouting missions, where if successful they return with food or furnishings for your nest.”
“You can also go to the 'world map', which is basically a map of a vacant lot with a few areas in it that are locked at the start and have to be explored with quests to get access to them.”
“There are automated missions where you can send out designated beetles on missions to gather items for your lair, or take missions whereby you are placed in charge of a group of 'offspring' beetles to take on the other inhabitants in the yard.”
“You can also go to the 'world map', which basically is a map of a vacant lot with a few areas in it that are locked at the start and have to be explored with quests to get access to them.”
“If the difficulty setting only exists in creative mode, then it is not fun, as there are no missions and enemies to beat.”
“Use the limited loot drop system, or do the repeatable missions that cost you more 'goop' than you get back from said mission, so you run out and lose the game!”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Beetle Uprising" is praised for its detailed genetics system and the evolving mechanics that unlock new features for players' beetles, providing a fun and engaging experience. However, some users feel that the game lacks mechanical depth compared to similar titles and suggest improvements like crafting mechanics and more diverse beetle species. Overall, the game offers a solid gameplay experience with room for enhancement.
“The game is really fun; I like how the gameplay changes over time and you unlock new stuff for your beetles!”
“This game is filled to the brim with potential; it has a very detailed genetics system, and the overall gameplay is not too bad.”
“Where EOTU gives you slight variations and behavioral changes in your ants, one of Beetle Uprising's core mechanics is the genetic variance and behavioral changes you induce in your beetles.”
“There is Critter Mond, Slurpy Derpy, and this, but they all feel lacking in mechanical depth.”
“The only thing I'd recommend to make it better is a crafting mechanic (for beds or food, etc.) and adding skins/visual styles of beetles to be actual beetle species (stag beetle, Hercules beetle, flower beetle, dung beetle, etc.).”
“Actually, any game should have difficulty settings (not in creative mode), so players can choose the gameplay experience at the exact level they want at that certain time.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are praised for their quality and attention to detail, particularly in the well-designed beetle animations. Utilizing the Unity engine, the visuals are complemented by fantastic sound effects, creating an engaging and immersive experience despite the absence of a major studio backing. Overall, the graphics effectively enhance the simulation and charm of the gameplay.
“The animations and graphics are quite nice, and the beetles are really well done and pretty.”
“The Unity engine delivers great graphics, fantastic sound effects, and just a ton of fun!”
“While it doesn't have a major studio behind it, it's clear that the team has emphasized quality of simulation as well as functional yet endearing graphics that help bring your colony to life.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for feeling generic and jarring, leading some players to turn it off in favor of their own selections. There are calls for a significant overhaul to improve the overall audio experience.
“The UI and the music create a unique atmosphere.”
“The music could use an overhaul to enhance the overall experience.”
“The music could use an overhaul.”
“A minor detail from my part, as I've immediately turned off the music since it sounded like something that was royalty-free and very jarring, replacing it with my own.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to enhance the experience, with features like funny objects and charming environments contributing to its lightheartedness. However, some players feel that these elements are ultimately superficial and lack meaningful impact.
“I think it adds some more humor to the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While "Beetle Uprising" excels in various aspects compared to "Empire of the Undergrowth," it falls short in optimization, indicating that performance issues may detract from the overall experience.
“Beetle Uprising is the beetle equivalent of Empire of the Undergrowth and somehow manages to slightly outpace EOTU in basically everything it scores on, aside from optimization.”
“Beetle Uprising is the beetle equivalent of Empire of the Undergrowth and somehow manages to slightly outpace EOTU in basically everything it scores on, except for optimization.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues that hinder the overall experience.”
“Despite its potential, the lack of proper optimization makes it frustrating to play.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its lack of stability, with users describing it as a "buggy mess" that significantly detracts from the overall experience.
“The game is a buggy mess.”
“Constant crashes make it unplayable.”
“Frequent glitches ruin the overall experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally resonant, evoking nostalgia for classic 3D games from earlier eras. The creativity embedded in the game enhances this emotional connection, making it a worthwhile experience for those seeking a trip down memory lane.
“So far I've played 4 hours (which to me is worth the 7 dollars I got it for) and I can tell it's bursting with creativity. It really succeeds in evoking the nostalgia of old 3D games from a certain era on old PCs.”
