Bug Fables Fills the Paper Mario Void

I finished a few fantastic games to start off the year, and the first one I’d like to talk about is Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling.

After first learning about Bug Fables in 2018, I backed its Indiegogo campaign and waited for the game to release. Last year I finally started it and finished it this weekend.

So, did Bug Fables meet my hopes and expectations? Yes. Yes it did.

Bug Fables is very obviously inspired by the first two Paper Mario games. The art style, music, combat, and even the way you pick a stat to increase when you level up all made me smile just because of how much it evoked my fond memories of Paper Mario.

At the same time, it’s not just a Paper Mario clone with different characters. You play as Kabbu, Vi, and Leif, a trio of bug adventurers searching for artifacts in the land of Bugaria. All three are playable in battles, each with their own strengths and abilities. Little features like being able to swap turn order or pass your turn to a different character provide a lot of ways you can approach each battle, and there are also medals you can equip for a variety of effects.

The three of them are fully realized and developed characters, too. It’s not all just funny dialogue and banter; I really grew to like them – and the story even hit me with some unexpectedly heavy moments.

While the story starts out slow, with the trio searching for artifacts to help the Ant Queen find the fabled Everlasting Sapling, I found it to be pretty interesting as time went on. Bug Fables also has a fleshed out world to explore, plus tons of side quests, optional dialogue, and even a card mini-game.

I can’t praise Bug Fables enough. It’s full of charm and fun things to discover, and my only real criticism is that some of the field skills used to help with navigation and puzzles can be a little awkward at times.

It has so much more going for it than just Paper Mario nostalgia, but it also fills the void classic Paper Mario left behind. In fact, Bug Fables made me feel better about Origami King. Okay, Nintendo has decided for whatever reason that RPGs are too hardcore, so Paper Mario will probably never be an RPG again. That’s fine. I have Bug Fables now. A Bug Fables sequel is pretty much confirmed, and I’m more than happy to let this series give me what I’d hoped Paper Mario would become.

Bug Fables is fantastic, and it’s out now for both PC and consoles. If you love Paper Mario, you’ll probably love Bug Fables… and if you just want a fun, charming turn-based RPG, you’ll probably love Bug Fables too. Did you play Bug Fables? Share your thoughts on it in the comments!

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