Genres: Action game, Strategy video game, Strategy
Developer: DevilishGames
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One · See more
Publisher: DevilishGames
Initial release date: July 26, 2024
Engine: Unity
I admit that I went into Insectum: Epic Battles of Bugs with a lack of enthusiasm. Perhaps it was the slightly strange game title that put me off, or the notion of using ‘cards’ to shift the tide of battle. The low asking price likely didn’t help.
But I sat down with Insectum for a few of evenings of play and was pleased with what I learned. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t a GOTY contender. However, as an okay gaming experience that will be quickly forgotten after this review is published, it is adequate.
However, Insectum had the potential to be far more than just an okay game. It could have done more with its premise and expanded on its strong basic mechanics to keep players interested. However, it never deviates from its fundamental mechanics, quite literally. In fact, it probably lingers in those lanes for a little too long, and we’d have been content to go away with two-thirds of the stages in place, eliminating any sense of boredom in the process.
An epic struggle between bugs?
In Insectum: Epic warfare of Bugs, you can lead a massive bug army in lane-based warfare. What’s the plan? To defeat any adversaries, destroying their nests in the process while keeping your own safe and sound.
Three of your nests are positioned on the left side of the screen. Your bug troops emerge from these nests and march to the right, determined to prove themselves to their commander – you. Their journey takes them across three straight highways with no deviations. Units cannot switch lanes and are limited to the lane of the nest from which they spawn.
Three different face buttons represent nest types, and a tiny selection of available units is shown on the screen. You can only select five at a time, each with a very brief timeframe and replaced by squadron comrades when they head out to battle. This will continue until your limited army reserves are gone.
The objective is to use tactical intelligence and strategic plays to influence the order of your forces. And we’ve been playing games long enough to know that the best prepared plans involve sending out a fully armoured, high-health, close combat unit first, followed by a ranged fighter for backup. Add a flyer for air support, and you’ve got the foundation of an army of bugs.
The trouble is, when you send out your forces, your opponent is doing the same, whether it’s an AI-controlled squad or a local human. A struggle of wits and power quickly ensues, with the loser losing their quota of units, or two of their three nests, first.
We enjoy the upgrading of units.
Unit types vary, with sizes ranging from small to large. For example, the early troops will consist of little fire ants, cochineals, and mosquitos. As you continue through the levels, stronger varieties such as the European rhinoceros beetle, grasshoppers, and dragonflies will become available. The mantis and Fattail scorpion are the battlefield’s lords, utter tanks of insects capable of turning a war around in an instant.
The bugs in Insectum have their latin, scientific names prominently displayed, which is a wonderful touch, if initially bewildering. You may have never heard of a Blattodea, only knowing it as a cockroach or the Nezara viridula (green shield insect), therefore this is a game that aims to teach as it goes.
Those insects also seem decent. Far from being a visual spectacle, and oftentimes feeling like a game from a decade ago, the unit visuals are clear and precise, more than enough to guarantee you know what is going on and where you may need to act at any point.
Each unit may be upgraded to some extent, with collected and earned Elixir serving as the upgrade currency, allowing you to use it to boost a unit’s health or attack numbers. This can be obtained on the battlefield for eating, or most often as a small prize for leveling up. However, because that Elixir is so numerous and readily thrown away, your Insectum army will be overrun after only a few levels. Moving through the 60 stages will be a snap if you stick to the same old strategies. We finished the Story mode in Insectum with only a few minor loses, and the majority of levels were accomplished on the first try, without fuss or worry, in a single minute or two. Remember the ennui we mentioned earlier…
However, the development team at Devilish Games endeavored to add some variation to Insectum. Various biomes introduce a few little arena-based difficulties to conquer. However, because these appear to be random and there is nothing you can do about them, we found them to be at best a minor irritation. Carnivorous plants, swooping birds, and ice storms rarely create game-changing scenarios.
Environmental consequences.
Then there’s the Venom, which is sporadically sprinkled around the playing surface. This is a game changer, and if you collect it faster than your opponent, filling a power meter, you will find that an overpowered rush of your units can quickly defeat foes. Again, randomly placed, it does occasionally reduce a stage run to a race to gather Venom, particularly in the early stages of the latter levels. A same statement might be made for some nest-reviving orbs, but to a lesser extent.
Insectum’s Story (if we can call it that) will take you a couple of hours to complete, and you’ll rack up a lot of Gamerscore and achievements along the way. From there, all you have to do is join some local multiplayer battles. Of course, you’ll need a friend for this, but we discovered that playing multiplayer may be enjoyable. However, Insectum’s offerings are limited to one and done.
If Insectum had offered a slightly shorter campaign or a few more insects to control, it could have been a more intriguing and entertaining experience. However, this one swiftly runs out of ideas, leaving you to wander through a tale mode with no tale.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 80%
Controls: 78%
Aesthetics: 85%
Content: 77%
Accessibility: 80%
Value: 79%
Overall: 79%
GOOD
Summary: “Insectum: The Epic Battles of Bugs” transports players to a lively universe where they control a variety of bugs in strategic combat. With simple gameplay principles and a variety of distinct insect powers, players may engage in exciting combat that keeps them on their toes. The game’s aesthetic appeal is heightened by its vivid colors and rich character designs, which create an immersive environment. However, while the content is pleasant, it could use additional complexity and variation to increase replayability. Overall, “Insectum” is a fun and fascinating adventure for players looking for a different combination of strategy and action in an insect-themed scenario.