Bugsnax Devs Tease A ‘Much Darker’ Ending For The Game
If you're "hungry" for more, it turns out the adorable little adventure game known as Bugsnax nearly had a much darker ending that would've taken the seemingly family-friendly puzzler in a whole different direction. On the surface, Bugsnax was pitched as a cute indie title that was hyped as part of the PlayStation Plus subscription. However, with a macabre story about gobbling parasitic Bugsnax and being turned into one yourself, our trip to Snaktooth Island soon unravelled into a horror story of its own.
We've already explained how to unlock both the "good" and "bad" ending of Bugsnax, but according to those at the top, that's only the tip of the iceberg about how dark things could've been. As we bopped along to the game's addictive theme song, there was an original plan for Bugsnax to end with its own grisly homage to Dawn of the Dead, The Walking Dead, and World War Z. That's right, get ready for some brain-munching mayhem courtesy of Bugsnax zombies.
- Related: Bugsnax: How to Get Both Endings
What was the Bugsnax darker ending?
During a deep dive into Bugsnax with developers and publishers Young Horses, Kotaku unearthed the shocking reality of what could've been. We already had our work cut out trying to reach the good ending by saving every Grumpus, but according to Senior Creative Director Kevin Zuhn, he'd originally imagined an ending where the Grumpuses would turn on their saviour. When asked if he'd always imagined Bugsnax being so dark, Zuhn explained, "Absolutely! We knew from the outset that bugsnax were dangerous parasites, and in their earliest designs they were not very cute".
Discussing the alternate ending, Zuhn revealed, "At some point there was an even worse ending where the Grumpuses become snak-craving zombies that eat each other and then you. So if anything, the game got lighter and sillier over time!".
Although Zuhn didn't go on to explain why he gave the Grumpeses a nicer demeanour, the idea of an ending where the journalist is ripped apart by snack-starved Grumpuses sounds great. We'd have loved to have seen Filbo, Lizbert, and Eggabell tear the journalist apart and devour their insides as the camera panned down on a first-person perspective of your insides being strewn. Just imagine that with the signature song of "It's Bugsnax!" playing in the background. Oh well, maybe in the sequel.
Will we see the Bugsnax darker ending?
The ending of Bugsnax definitely teased the potential of a sequel thanks to a rogue Bugsnax stowing away on the ship and Clumby being tasked by a mysterious voice to keep an eye on the journalist. Although Young Horses is yet to officially announce a sequel, fans know the story doesn't end here. When asked is we'd get to confront the Grumpunati in a possible Bugsnax 2 or DLC, Zuhn confessed, "We’re still figuring out what exactly we want to do post-release, but we’re definitely not done working on Bugsnax yet. I know I’d hate to leave that plot thread hanging forever!".
Personally, we'd like to see Bugsnax go full Five Nights at Freddy's and lean into its horror potential to deliver an R-rated sequel. Survival horror games are everywhere right now, and while Resident Evil Village set to take the creepy crown in 2021, Bugsnax 2 complete with zombie Grumpuses would be some stiff competition. Even though Zuhn and the team are clearly "snacking" on more ideas for how to continue the Bugsnax name, they aren't ready to open up the buffet just yet.
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Images via Young Horses | AMC