Paquerette Down the Bunburrows
- August 2, 2023
- Bunstack
- 15h median play time
Get on Steam"Pâquerette Down the Bunburrows" is a pathfinding-based puzzle game where you must capture cute bunnies that flee through tunnels. With 5 distinct bunburrows and various tools like traps and pickaxes, use the bunnies' predictable behaviors to outsmart them. Engage with the story by interacting with other characters, like the sometimes mean Ophéline.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features clever puzzle design that starts simple but escalates in complexity, providing a satisfying challenge.
- The cute aesthetic and humorous dialogue enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable and engaging.
- There is a wealth of content and secrets to discover, encouraging exploration and experimentation with the game's mechanics.
- The late game introduces frustrating red herrings and troll puzzles that can lead to significant player frustration.
- Some mechanics are poorly explained, making it difficult for players to understand how to progress, especially in the later stages.
- The requirement to achieve 100% completion can feel tedious and unnecessary, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- gameplay254 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this puzzle game is characterized by its simple mechanics that gradually evolve into complex challenges, encouraging players to explore and discover new interactions. While the game effectively teaches its mechanics through engaging puzzles, some players have noted that certain late-game mechanics can be difficult to discover or poorly explained, potentially leading to frustration. Overall, the game offers a satisfying blend of exploration, experimentation, and clever design, making it a rewarding experience for puzzle enthusiasts.
“The whole game is amazing at teaching you mechanics, even without tutorials for every single interaction, and the overarching meta-puzzles are amazing as well.”
“Cute puzzle game that starts simple and gets mind-boggling real fast, where the game teaches you about mechanics by letting you explore them.”
“The gameplay mechanics start simple, and a few other mechanics get introduced throughout the game, including a couple 'secret' mechanics which are a lot of fun.”
“The only criticism I can give it is that it's possible to completely miss a single late-game mechanic which will make accessing exactly one room impossible.”
“I was unable to discover certain mechanics which the game doesn't teach, and those are only required for a single capture.”
“Inconsistent and poorly explained puzzle mechanics combined with grating music.”
- music72 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and quality, enhancing the overall experience with a dynamic system that adjusts the volume based on gameplay. However, some players note that the limited number of tracks can become repetitive and grating during extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The music is absolutely stellar as well.”
“The soundtrack is perfect for this kind of game, uplifting and atmospheric without being overbearing.”
“The game also has a neat dynamic music system that plays the full, louder music when you are exploring or moving around, and then the music quiets down a bit when you spend enough time in a puzzle, presumably to help you focus.”
“While I know that the development team for this game is small, I still would have liked to have seen maybe two possible tracks per bunburrow and having the music that loops in the bunburrows be a bit longer as well so as to not become as grating as it eventually does in a long play session.”
“The music can become grating over longer play sessions.”
“Inconsistent and poorly explained puzzle mechanics combined with grating music.”
- humor48 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, featuring funny dialogue and silly character interactions that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the balance of humor with challenging puzzles, noting that the lighthearted tone and cute art style create an engaging atmosphere. The game's writing, including humorous achievement names and witty character exchanges, adds depth and enjoyment, making it a standout in the puzzle genre.
“Awesome game with good puzzles and great humor!”
“The dialogue from Pâquerette and Ophéline is silly and funny, and the achievement names are mostly jokes and references.”
“It's cute, it's funny, it's got bunnies, and it's got puzzles.”
- graphics44 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic, cute Game Boy Color aesthetic, featuring charming 8-bit pixel art that some describe as "aggressively ugly" yet endearing. Players appreciate the vibrant and whimsical visuals, which complement the game's complex puzzles and enhance the overall experience. The combination of adorable graphics and a catchy soundtrack creates a delightful atmosphere that appeals to fans of both puzzle games and retro aesthetics.
“The graphics for this game bring back a lot of nostalgia and are perfect for this type of game and are really pleasing to the eye.”
“All this presented in beautiful Commodore-style blocky graphics and a top-tier chiptune soundtrack by Herbie Puppy.”
“I forgot to mention how much I enjoy the 2D pixel visuals, which remind me of the Game Boy games I used to play as a kid, and the soundtracks are very tasteful!”
“Pretty aggressively ugly 8-bit pixel graphics, but the puzzlin' is worth the eye-bleeding palette.”
“It is a shame that at a surface glance, the 'cutesy' aesthetic and initial levels deceptively misrepresent the layers of depth (pun unintended) to the game, as you traverse down into the bunburrows.”
“Despite the cute aesthetic, this one takes a lot of brain power.”
- story12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by charming characters and an engaging quest, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and visual design. While the focus is primarily on puzzles rather than narrative, the storytelling elements add intrigue and depth to the experience, making it enjoyable despite the minimal emphasis on a traditional storyline.
“It's storytelling, it's intrigue, it's learning and communicating through puzzles, it's art.”
“Also the characters and the story (and obviously the buns) are charming, the soundtrack and visual design are on point and encourage you to spend hours in front of your screen to capture those buns.”
“☐ no story”
“But since this is a puzzle game with a focus on puzzles and not story, I don't think this is a deal-breaker.”
“Do not let its cute appearance make you think that this game will hold your hand - it will set you on an ever-deepening quest to catch every bun you can, and I, for one, do not regret a second of it.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a complex and immersive puzzle design that enhances the overall experience. The uplifting soundtrack complements the gameplay, creating a satisfying environment that keeps players engaged, even during challenging moments. Overall, the atmosphere leaves players feeling fulfilled and captivated.
“Amazing atmosphere leaves nothing to be desired.”
“Personally, I enjoy puzzle games but I'm not very good at them, and a great soundtrack can really help keep you in the game when you're stuck, because even trying the same things over and over again can feel satisfying in a good atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack is perfect for this kind of game, uplifting and atmospheric without being overbearing.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players note that while grinding for 100% completion can be tedious, particularly when collecting the last few items, the majority of the game remains enjoyable and engaging. The meta and non-linear elements help mitigate the grind, making the experience feel less burdensome despite the extensive collection tasks.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“As long as you aren't going for that last 1% for 100% completion, the last couple of baby bunnies are just tedious to get.”
“Collecting babies somehow does not feel tedious even though there are so many opportunities to stack buns.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its secrets, collectibles, and a unique mechanic that encourages experimentation, making each stage feel fresh and engaging. Players are motivated to revisit levels to fully explore these elements, enhancing the overall experience.
“One of the best parts of the game is how a certain mechanic, which I will not spoil because the 'woah!!' moment is too good, makes every single stage insanely replayable. By the endgame, you are constantly releasing all the rabbits you've caught to make use of this mechanic as much as possible.”
“Absolute must play if you are into 'Baba Is You' - there are secrets and collectibles in this game that really enhance the replayability. This is one of the few puzzle games that I think should be ported to mobile so that we can sit on a puzzle and whip out the phone the moment there is an idea!”
