Frogmonster
- April 2, 2024
- Ben Jungwirth
Get on Steam"Frogmonster is a single-player, open world fantasy Metroidvania FPS adventure with impressive mechanics and graphics. Protect Melora from Runi, battling over 20 unique bosses and catching bugs with your tongue for bonuses. Explore the colorful world, find upgrades and abilities, and use weapons and spells to defeat enemies and restore balance."
Reviews
- Frogmonster features incredibly unique and creative boss fights that are both challenging and enjoyable.
- The game has a charming voxel art style and a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The bug-catching mechanic adds depth to gameplay, allowing for various builds and strategies.
- The music and sound design can be repetitive and lackluster, detracting from the overall immersion.
- Some players find the initial difficulty curve steep, which may frustrate those not accustomed to challenging gameplay.
- Navigation can be confusing due to the lack of detailed maps and similar-looking areas, making exploration feel tedious at times.
- music69 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and short loops that can become grating over time. While some appreciate the ambient quality and how it complements the game's atmosphere, others feel it lacks diversity and impact, particularly during boss battles where exploration music often continues instead of unique tracks. Overall, while the sound design and music contribute to the game's charm, there is a consensus that improvements are needed for a more memorable and engaging soundtrack.
“The only thing that's truly lacking is the music.”
“The game's music attempts to set a fitting ambiance for each area, though it can become repetitive due to short, looping tracks.”
“The only negative aspect that I can think of is the music, which usually consists of very short loops and can at times be a little grating.”
- gameplay57 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Frogmonster is characterized by its polished mechanics, inventive boss designs, and a unique blend of FPS and platforming elements, reminiscent of classic shooters like Doom. Players appreciate the variety of challenges presented by over 20 distinct bosses, each with unique mechanics, alongside engaging enemy designs and a charming bug-catching feature that ties into gameplay progression. While the game excels in creativity and fluidity, some players note issues with repetitive music and a frustrating bug-catching mechanic that can detract from the overall experience.
“Every mechanic feels polished and fun.”
“The gameplay itself, whether it is in the basic enemy encounter design or the very memorable boss fights, will always keep you on your toes, as you are dashing and hopping along through its memorable combat arenas.”
“The many boss fights are a big highlight of the game, as they're extremely inventive and full of crazy, fun ideas, always bringing something new to the table and pushing the game mechanics in interesting ways.”
“For me though, I just couldn't get connected to the gameplay and feel of the controls.”
“While it impresses with imaginative boss designs and innovative gameplay mechanics, such as enemy weak points, it falters with repetitive music, navigational difficulties, and a flawed bug-catching mechanic.”
“It feels like once the game starts going, it kind of ends before utilizing all the mechanics fully world-wise.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming voxel art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. While some players noted minor navigation issues and suggested improvements to visual cues, the unique aesthetic and detailed environments contribute to a visually engaging and enjoyable experience. Overall, the art direction is considered a strong point, complementing the game's humor and challenging mechanics.
“The characters and world are charming and the art style is great.”
“Delightfully challenging metroidvania FPS with a well-executed focus on a variety of unique boss battles - I love the atmosphere of the voxel graphics and the simple soundtrack; I think it works super well.”
“Plus, this is probably voxel art done the best way possible - beautiful in the way fantastic pixel art is beautiful, and while there are a few areas where the voxels can make the visuals a little too busy, there's no shortage of places to get lost in.”
“I didn't like the visuals of this game at first.”
“Visually, Frogmonster utilizes voxel graphics which, while charming in concept, contribute to frustrating navigation.”
“The voxel graphics were sometimes a bit disorienting and the weapon wheel could do with some visual aid (since I kept forgetting which weapon was which).”
- story18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its compelling worldbuilding, unique characters, and engaging storytelling, which enhances the overall experience. While some players found the narrative minimal or forgettable, many appreciated its charm and humor, particularly in the context of quirky bosses and witty dialogue. Overall, the story effectively complements the gameplay, drawing players into the adventure despite minor bugs encountered during play.
“This game feels great to play, is beautiful to look at, and has incredible sound design, amazing music, great environments, and really compelling worldbuilding, characters, and storytelling.”
“What an astounding feat, a very fun and very challenging game with a pretty great story as well!”
“I came for the cool visual style and the grungy swamp aesthetic, but I was surprised by how much the story drew me in too.”
“This sounds close to a 'chosen one' type of story, doesn't it?”
“Story is forgettable.”
“However, the game's quirky characters and witty dialogue inject a dose of levity into the adventure, ensuring a balanced play-through of action, adventure, and storytelling.”
- atmosphere17 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its immersive qualities, unique voxel graphics, and effective soundtracks that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of fun combat, exploration, and the presence of quirky creatures, all contributing to a memorable and engaging environment. Overall, the game is described as an atmospheric gem that successfully combines visual and auditory elements to create a captivating world.
“Finally, the music and atmosphere is superb.”
“This is an atmospheric gem with fun and frantic combat as well as light exploration and weapon customization.”
“Atmospherically and visually the game is a 10/10.”
“Animations and atmosphere are okay.”
“This actually added to the atmosphere and made the game more unsettling (in a good way).”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and quirkiness, with players enjoying the goofy sound effects, amusing NPC interactions, and the hilarious design of bosses and creatures. The lighthearted tone complements the challenging gameplay, creating a fun atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend cutesy elements with genuine humor, making it a standout in its genre.
“Overall, this game is hilarious, it's fun, it has super cool ideas, probably one of my favorite games I've played in the last year.”
“The NPCs are fun to interact with, the game has a nice humor, and don't get fooled by the graphic style; it can be very challenging.”
“The vibe of being a funny little guy wandering through a dangerous world made for people much bigger than you is immaculate.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, including stuttering when entering new areas and frame drops during boss fights and underwater segments. Players have noted that the graphics are underwhelming given the performance problems, with some even receiving prompts to adjust settings like shadows to improve performance. Overall, there is a strong desire for better optimization, particularly for the Steam Deck.
“I wish Steam Deck performance was better.”
“I hope it gets better performance for Deck.”
“I wish the Steam Deck's performance was better.”
“I hope it gets better performance for the Deck.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game engaging, particularly through the character's trophy collection that symbolizes progress and achievement, fostering a sense of empowerment. The charming and wholesome characters, along with unique bosses, contribute to an overall uplifting and enjoyable experience.
“One small detail is that when you beat a boss, one character keeps trophies of those bosses in his hut, and seeing the trove of trophies grow throughout the game made me feel like a true champion!”
“Frogmonster, a fun little voxel shooter with a lot of charm, wholesome characters, and unique bosses.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to erratic bug behavior and the tediousness of enemy encounters, which detracts from enjoyment. While puzzles offer minimal rewards and can feel repetitive, they are quicker and more rewarding than grinding, leading players to prefer them over battling enemies.
“Erratic bug behavior and the tediousness of chasing them detract from the overall enjoyment, potentially frustrating players seeking a smoother gameplay experience.”
“The puzzles are only standard push puzzles with basic currency rewards, which makes me want to skip them. However, they are easy, fast, and not too many, so it's faster and better to do them than to grind enemies, especially since there are shops with nice items to buy.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted for its vibrant and unique designs, which contribute significantly to the game's overall personality and immersive world-building.
“The world and character designs are beautiful and have so much personality.”
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and impactful.”
