Bum Simulator
- May 12, 2023
- Ragged Games
- 7h median play time
Get on SteamBum Simulator is a dark comedy life simulation game that puts you in the shoes of a homeless person. Navigate through a voxel-based city, scavenging for food, resources, and shelter while avoiding obstacles and authorities. Engage in various missions, events, and interactions to rise in the bum ranks or choose to seek redemption and rebuild your life.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- Masterful writing mixed with deep and well thought out characters, creating a unique and engaging experience.
- The soundtrack is an absolute eargasm, composed with energy and creativity that enhances the gameplay.
- The game offers a fun and silly experience, allowing players to engage in humorous activities like pissing on people and crafting unique items.
- The game can feel grindy at times, with some achievements being tedious to complete.
- There are a few buggy achievements and minor glitches that can detract from the overall experience.
- The story feels incomplete, leaving players wanting more content and updates from the developers.
- story352 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is a quirky and absurd narrative that blends humor with social commentary, particularly on homelessness and capitalism. Players encounter a variety of colorful characters and engaging side quests, though some find the main plot to be short and lacking depth. Overall, while the story is entertaining and filled with pop culture references, it can feel disjointed and incomplete, leaving players wanting more content and clarity.
“The story is lighthearted and fun, and the mechanics just really lend to the idea that, yes, you are a bum, and you are gonna have fun.”
“The story was funny and filled with lots of 80's/90's pop culture references.”
“Everything from keeping a gang of rival hobos at bay and rebuilding your own gang to helping out a disgruntled hot dog stand owner get back at mean customers in a very crude but funny way, you’ll be unraveling a story that will have you asking yourself 'what am I playing?' but at the same time you’ll be laughing like crazy.”
“My biggest gripe with the title is that the plot to the main story is absurd and lazy.”
“The humor falls flat more often than not, the voice acting is passionless, the fighting was mostly effortless and at times annoying, the crafting elements were tedious and painful, the plot was just plain awful, and the ending was even worse.”
“The story is completely absurd, but it's still a lot of fun to play all the way through it.”
- humor259 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of irreverent, absurd, and sometimes cringeworthy elements, often drawing comparisons to titles like "Postal" and "GTA." Many players appreciate its offbeat and satirical take on homelessness, filled with quirky characters and laugh-out-loud moments, while others find the humor inconsistent or overly juvenile. Overall, it offers a lighthearted experience that can be entertaining, especially for those who enjoy dark or absurd comedy.
“It's all wrapped up in a delightful package of irreverent humor and outrageous situations that will have you giggling and scratching your head simultaneously.”
“The developers have managed to find humor in the most unexpected places, and the result is a game that keeps you grinning from ear to ear throughout the entire experience.”
“If you're looking for a game that not only challenges your gaming skills but also has you laughing uncontrollably, look no further.”
“It's loaded with far too much cringey, try-hard humor, the kind you might see geeks and other socially undeveloped man-children try to pass off to each other during their game nights and conventions.”
“Not hard enough to be a survival sim, not funny enough to be a meme game.”
“Not funny or interesting.”
- gameplay163 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of basic mechanics that include scavenging, crafting, and base building, often described as enjoyable yet repetitive. While some players appreciate the humor and absurdity, others find the mechanics clunky and the overall experience lacking depth, leading to a sense of tedium after initial hours of play. Despite its charm and potential for fun, many reviews suggest that the game could benefit from more polished mechanics and a deeper gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is a riot, with a mix of scavenging, crafting, and good ol’ street shenanigans.”
“The gameplay mechanics are surprisingly deep, offering a mix of exploration, scavenging, and downright absurdity.”
“Overall it's a really fun game that's perfect if you just want to play something with chill gameplay with low stakes.”
“Unfortunately, both the fighting and crafting mechanics are just dreadful.”
“The graphics are subpar, the gameplay is riddled with bugs and glitches, and the overall experience feels unfinished.”
“Overall the game is extremely annoying, very grindy, and it has a lot of very annoying mechanics, especially the inventory system.”
- graphics63 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they are not top-tier, they fit the game's tone and style. Some describe the visuals as decent or cartoonish, while others criticize them as cheap-looking or glitchy, with issues like texture problems and low frame rates on higher-end PCs. Overall, the graphics may not impress those seeking high-end visuals, but they are often deemed acceptable for an indie title, with gameplay and humor compensating for any shortcomings.
“Engaging storyline and cool graphics.”
“The graphics of Bum Simulator are incredibly detailed and realistic, creating a truly immersive gaming experience in the story.”
“Absolutely stunning graphics and mechanics, attention-grabbing plot, and just a great game in general.”
“Amazingly janky controls, bad bounding boxes, completely unbalanced resource economy, lazy graphics with lots of tearing.”
“The graphics are subpar, the gameplay is riddled with bugs and glitches, and the overall experience feels unfinished.”
“Terrible game, with brain-dead AI, awful graphics (it's built in UE4 engine yet the game manages to look like it's from 2003), plenty of texture problems with 1 meter drawing distance, very bad story mode with even worse repetitive side quests, way too easy combat and survival mode (you are basically immortal from the beginning), and stupidly plain basic base-building mode.”
- music40 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its creativity and energy, with standout tracks that enhance the overall experience. Many players highlight the engaging and quirky soundtrack, particularly the main menu song, which is described as exceptional. However, some reviews note that the music can become repetitive over extended play sessions, suggesting a desire for more variety.
“Every song is composed with such energy and creativity that not even greats like Mike Portnoy and Danny Carey can compare.”
“The music is a hypnotic mix of grunting into a microphone, accordion, and freestyle jazz which oddly works and lends to the fun atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack is another standout feature, with quirky tunes that complement the on-screen antics.”
“Soundtrack: while the soundtrack is acceptable, it becomes monotonous after 45 minutes.”
“Worst part of all is that the soundtrack loops over and over again, there is one song in this game and after thirty minutes it's mind numbing.”
“The game is boring with annoying music background.”
- grinding35 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious and sometimes overwhelming, particularly in relation to crafting, inventory management, and resource collection. While some players find enjoyment in the grind, especially achievement hunters, many feel that it detracts from the overall experience, leading to moments of boredom and frustration. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun and grind, with opinions varying on whether the grind enhances or hinders gameplay.
“Building was fun and not too grindy.”
“I understand that you need to fill the game with content, but not grinding!!!”
“The initial few hours of gameplay have a lot of fun moments but the game quickly becomes tedious and boring.”
“Overall the game is extremely annoying, very grindy, and it has a lot of very annoying mechanics especially the inventory system.”
“The inventory system makes the looting and grinding part not enjoyable; I consider myself a hoarder, and it's the reason I like this kind of game, but this game made me hate hoarding things.”
- stability20 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches affecting gameplay, such as unresponsive controls, disappearing objects, and issues with base building. While some players find the experience enjoyable despite these flaws, many agree that the game feels unfinished and requires significant polishing to improve its overall stability. Despite running well on platforms like the Steam Deck, the prevalence of glitches detracts from the overall experience.
“Runs great on the Steam Deck, which is fantastic.”
“It runs great, control is smooth, the city is detailed, and the humor is really on point and super refreshing to see it isn't too reserved.”
“Repairing your base after raids takes more resources than literally just demolishing and rebuilding, which then glitches and doesn't let you re-place items in a spot they were previously removed from.”
“The graphics are subpar, the gameplay is riddled with bugs and glitches, and the overall experience feels unfinished.”
“However, this is a buggy mess and it feels a bit empty.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the reviews indicate a mixed perception of replayability, with some players finding the game infinitely replayable, while others feel that it has limited replay value after completing it. Many users express uncertainty about returning to the game once they achieve 100%, suggesting that while it may be enjoyable initially, it lacks long-term replay appeal.
“☑️ infinitely replayable”
“🔲 infinitely replayable”
“5/16 game time / replayability”
“No replayability!”
“The replayability value is limited, but I do not regret buying it.”
“I am not sure if I will return to the game after achieving 100%, so I would say the replayability is not that high.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting poor performance even on high-end PCs, leading to unstable frame rates. While some aspects of the game are enjoyable, many feel that it lacks the necessary graphical and performance improvements expected in modern titles. Overall, there is a consensus that the game is not well-optimized, especially for platforms like the Steam Deck.
“Great performance on story-rich, but did you think we are in 2021?”
“Please at least work more on graphic performance, but I liked base building and side quests. Add some more options about appearance or some constructions.”
“This game is far from optimized for Steam Deck.”
“Performance is serviceable but there is room for improvement.”
“This game is very poorly optimized; I have games that look hundreds of times nicer and run a thousand times smoother than this.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its blend of humor and heartwarming moments, with players expressing deep connections to the story and characters. Many reviewers noted that the narrative evoked strong feelings, including laughter and tears, making it a surprisingly impactful experience. Overall, the game is praised for its compelling storytelling and quirky charm, leaving a lasting emotional impression.
“If you’re looking for a game that’s equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, with pigeons that will steal your heart (and maybe some shiny objects), Bum Simulator is a must-play.”
“The story made me cry multiple times, and Cartman Carl is such a smash.”
“I loved the story and characters of this game, and it was way wackier and more wholesome than I first imagined.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a unique and engaging blend of music, including grunting, accordion, and freestyle jazz, which contributes to its fun and comedic tone. Sound effects and voice acting effectively immerse players in the experience of navigating a gritty world, enhancing the overall ambiance and complementing the humor throughout the gameplay.
“The music is a hypnotic mix of grunting into a microphone, accordion, and freestyle jazz which oddly works and lends to the fun atmosphere.”
“The sound effects, from the squishy footsteps to the offbeat conversations with NPCs, enhance the overall comedic atmosphere.”
“The voice actors really captured the atmosphere of what it's like to be homeless and building your own shanty while fighting gangs off and waiting for your smelter to cook aluminum so you can build a lamp; truly a masterpiece.”
“Let's start off with what usually counts most for me: atmosphere.”
“The jokes are solid and fit the atmosphere of the game very well.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is marked by fun and creative designs that feature exaggerated visuals and unique looks, reminiscent of classic titles like Conker's Bad Fur Day. This intentional absurdity enhances the overall charm and humor, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
“The character designs themselves are pretty fun and creative with lots of visual gags and unique looks.”
“Let me start off by saying that this game is actually pretty fun, and I love the character design and absurd story.”
“The character designs, however, feel like I'm playing Conker's Bad Fur Day again.”
“The intentionally exaggerated character designs and environments contribute to the overall charm and hilarity.”
