Developed/Published by Bulbware
Released for Xbox One (10/6/2017)
Also on iOS/Mac/PC/PS4/Switch
File Size: 2.44 GB
Developed by Poland-based developer Bulbware (the same guys who would later collaborate with popular YouTuber Pewdiepie for a game called Poopdie for iOS/Android), Bulb Boy is a weird point 'n click adventure style game that was first released for PC and Macintosh back in late October 2015. In July 2016 the game was ported to iOS compatible devices, July 2017 the Switch, October 2017 the Xbox One and finally the PlayStation 4 in March 2018. Bulb Boy is a strange game, taking you through a nightmarish world in the shoes of the titular character, who indeed has a bulb for a head.
The story is simple but provides a nice set-up for the craziness that follows. Bulb Boy wakes up from a terrible nightmare, only to discover that some sort of evil presence has taken over the bulb-house. Bulb Boy's family has mysteriously vanished and there are some strange monsters lurking in the shadows. It's up to Bulb Boy to muster up the courage and save everything he loves.
Bulb Boy is definitely not going to be for everyone, even if you are a fan of point 'n click adventures, as the game features lots of toilet humor. In one of the standout sequences of the game, Bulb Boy has just digested a giant headless chicken and takes a literal monster dump, as after he's done a giant snake-like turd emerges from the toilet. Fans of games like the Binding of Isaac and South Park: The Stick of Truth will likely enjoy the twisted humor of Bulb Boy.
Bulb Boy is presented with a simple graphic-style that consists of various shades of green, except when Bulb Boy meets his demise, which causes the screen to turn red. While the graphics are simple, the environments are loaded with lots of nice little details and you can see quite a bit of effort went into the various animations. There's lots of cool nostalgia-throwbacks, such as a Power Glove lying on the living room floor or Masters of the Universe action figures in the sandbox. The music matches up well with the disturbing scenery and the sound effects help add to the grotesqueness, with lots of nasty sloshing noises used appropriately.
The gameplay in Bulb Boy is more or less your standard fare for a point 'n click style game, involving some exploration and puzzle-solving to see your way through to the end. There are a couple of spots in the game where you'll need to use your reflexes, but it's not too demanding on that front. The puzzles aren't too difficult, as the areas tend to be quite small and the item you'll need to interact with is always close by, though they will inevitably require a bit of trial and error. The trial and error never becomes too frustrating due to generous checkpoints that get you back to where you were quickly.
Bulb Boy allows you to control your character directly and the movements are nice and responsive. Overall the game's control scheme is nice and simple; A button interacts with objects, B button backs out of the exam screen and the inventory is accessed using RB & LB. Once an inventory item is selected, you simply hit the A button to use that on whatever object is highlighted. There's a sequence where you control both the kid and the dog at the same time, one with each stick. This is a cool segment and I definitely wouldn't have minded another scenario or two involving the duo.
I enjoyed my time with Bulb Boy, though it's a rather short experience and, as already stated, it won't be for everybody due to some of the disgusting imagery, lots of it involving sphincters and feces. Throughout my playthrough of Bulb Boy, I unlocked all of the achievements in under 5 hours and didn't run into any crashes/glitches in the process. If you're a fan of the strange and bizarre, you may want to look into Bulb Boy. It retails for the fair asking price of $8.99, so while the game is quite short at least you don't have to break the bank to get it.
Final Verdict: While a short game, Bulb Boy will provide a few hours of fun for those who enjoy some toilet humor and bizarre imagery in their point 'n click adventures.
Related Links:
Buy Bulb Boy - Microsoft Store
Point & Click Games - Xbox Overview
Bulbware - Official Site
Bulb Boy - GameFAQs
Bulb Boy - True Achievements
Bulb Boy - Xbox Achievements
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