Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back
- October 31, 2017
- Black Forest Games
- 23h median play time
Bubsy: The Woolies Strikes Back is thankfully only about an hour long so we can go back to forgetting Bubsy exists.
"Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back" is a classic-style platformer featuring the wise-cracking bobcat, Bubsy. After the Woolies steal his precious golden fleece, Bubsy embarks on an intergalactic journey across 13 levels to retrieve it. Utilize his glide ability and a variety of power-ups to outmaneuver enemies and obstacles in this fun and challenging game.
Reviews
- The game features colorful graphics and a catchy soundtrack that appeals to fans of platformers.
- Controls are improved compared to previous Bubsy games, making the gameplay more enjoyable.
- The game is fun for a short playthrough, especially for those who appreciate collecting items like yarn balls and T-shirts.
- The game is very short, with many players completing it in under two hours, making it feel overpriced at its launch price.
- Level design is repetitive and lacks variety, leading to a generic platforming experience.
- Bubsy's dialogue becomes annoying due to its limited variety, resulting in repetitive one-liners throughout the game.
- music65 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchiness and solid composition, particularly noting its appeal to fans of synth music. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and uninspired, lacking the charm of the original SNES game. Overall, while the music enhances the game's colorful graphics and fun gameplay, it may not leave a lasting impression for all players.
“The soundtrack is outstanding (especially if you are into synth music) and fits the game very well.”
“I actually like how Bubsy sounds and looks, and the music is quite well composed!”
“The visual style, music, and sound are very appealing too.”
“Soundtrack is awfully forgetful, nothing at all like the original SNES game.”
“I would have liked to have heard some remixes of the original SNES soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack is okay at times but it's the same song throughout the entirety of a world, which gets super annoying.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally viewed as generic and repetitive, with limited mechanics introduced after the initial levels, leading to a lack of depth and engagement. While some players appreciate certain core mechanics and clever boss fights, many criticize the short playtime and feel that the game does not justify its price, often comparing it unfavorably to more substantial titles. Overall, the game shows potential but suffers from a lack of content and variety.
“Overall, it's an entertaining game with interesting mechanics and gameplay, although it tends to be a bit repetitive.”
“But I really enjoyed the firm delivery of fun gameplay!”
“I see a lot of wonderful potential in this game; there are a lot of mechanics here that could be used very well in a fully featured game with enough length and development to really exercise its full potential.”
“The gameplay was decent, but I'm not spending $20 - $30 on a game that's the length of a demo.”
“As of writing this review, I'm two and a half hours in and have yet to see any actual gameplay or story content.”
“What I got was three bosses, a handful of levels, 108 minutes of gameplay, and undirected rage.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by their colorful and bright aesthetic, reminiscent of 90s cartoons, but are often described as bland, generic, and low-budget. While some reviewers appreciate the detailed backgrounds and the redesign of the main character, many find the overall visual presentation uninspired and lacking in memorable elements. Optimization issues also hinder performance on certain systems, further detracting from the graphical experience.
“The graphics are great - a lot of work has been put into the detailed backgrounds and of course in Bubsy himself.”
“It is easy to control, fun to play, graphics are colorful/nice and the soundtrack is wonderful!”
“Feeling like a mix of early Saturday morning cartoons of the 90s mixed with current art styles for its own personality.”
“Graphically, the game is pretty bland, and none of the levels were particularly memorable.”
“Graphically very poor, low budget, bare bones visuals.”
“I typically dislike 2.5 graphics as they seem too plain and sterile; here they don't quite get to that point, it's just that they are uninteresting and generic.”
- story18 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story of the game revolves around Bubsy's quest to retrieve his stolen "golden fleece" from the woolies, his recurring alien adversaries. Reviewers find the narrative straightforward and lacking depth, expressing a desire for more engaging content and updates to enhance the overall experience.
“The plot of the game's story is that a special yarn ball of Bubsy's, the 'golden fleece,' gets stolen by the Woolies (alien characters in the Bubsy franchise that are also his enemies).”
“Bubsy's mission is to fight the Woolies, yet again like he did in previous games, and get back his golden fleece.”
“Bubsy needs a deeper story line.”
“As of writing this review, I'm two and a half hours in and have yet to see any actual gameplay or story content.”
“For starters, the story is pretty straightforward and nothing to marvel at.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find the self-referential jokes amusing and enjoy the comedic moments during gameplay, others criticize the repetitive and often unfunny quips from the character Bubsy, deeming them poor attempts at humor. Overall, the humor can elicit laughter in multiplayer settings, but it tends to wear thin over time.
“It looks good, sounds good, it's kind of funny with its self-inflected jokes, and most importantly, it plays good.”
“I played this with my friend during a stream, and we were laughing, having fun, and just outright amazed by how much we liked the game.”
“Some of Bubsy's lines can be funny, but after a while, they just get annoying and repetitive.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is characterized by a lack of significant bugs or glitches, with issues being described as few and far between. However, this focus on stability may have come at the cost of gameplay depth, leaving players with a mediocre experience.
“The game itself is mediocre and buggy.”
“I feel Black Forest Games and Accolade were going for quality over quantity with these stages, which, while leading to a shortage of bugs and glitches, also meant there wasn't much 'game' in their game.”
“No bad glitches, but the second boss has a neat idea; final world music is initially okay, and you can shut Bubsy up.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Despite having a relatively short length with only 11 levels and 3 boss battles, the game boasts significant replayability due to its engaging level design and the option for players to pursue 100% completion.
“While the game may be a little on the short side with 11 levels and 3 boss battles, it offers tons of replayability resulting from its level design.”
“Decent replayability if you're aiming for the 100% completion.”
“Decent replayability if you're aiming for 100% completion.”
“Decent replayability if you're aiming for 100% completion.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, particularly for users with Intel machines or dedicated graphics cards, leading to significant performance issues. Many players are calling for further improvements to enhance playability.
“From what I've seen on the net, anyone with an Intel machine or dedicated graphics card won't be able to play this game due to horrendous optimization.”
“I'd like to see some more improvements and optimization.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is largely criticized for lacking immersion, with players feeling disconnected from most levels. The only exception noted is the space rock world, which is appreciated for its otherworldly quality.
“There's no atmosphere in any of the levels that pulls me in, with the closest being that space rock world, probably because of how otherworldly it was.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's monetization model for its absence of DLC and microtransactions, emphasizing that players can enjoy the full experience without additional costs. This straightforward approach has led many to feel that their investment is well rewarded, with some exclaiming that it feels like a long-awaited blessing in the gaming landscape.
“The game doesn't have DLC or microtransactions, which is a breath of fresh air. Pick it up, buy it, play it, and say 'the heavens have answered our prayers!'”
“The absence of DLC and microtransactions makes this game a true gem. It's refreshing to enjoy a game without the pressure to spend more.”
“I love that there are no microtransactions or DLC. It feels great to play a game that respects my time and money.”
“The game doesn't have DLC, microtransactions, or anything like that. Other than that, pick it up, buy it, play it, and say 'the heavens have answered our prayers!'”
Critic Reviews
Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back Review
Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back revives a dormant platforming adventurer… and he’s welcome to leave again any time now.
45%Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back Review - Bubsy is Still Bad
When Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back is at its best, the words I would use to describe it include "soulless", "mediocre", and "annoying". Somehow the game is rarely at its best, leading to a total disaster.
20%Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back Review
In a game that can be finished in under an hour, Bubsy doesn’t so much as strike back, but rather say a few harsh words before getting pummeled into the ground.
40%