by Brandon CrawWith a reported runtime of ninety minutes to two hours, Bub is a short but meaningful narrative adventure game. The developers at Paperfrog, Case Jernigan and Todd Anderson, used their own experiences as struggling artists as inspiration for this evocative indie gem. Case, a writer and animator, and Todd, a software artist and poet, work together to craft a stunning environment paired with a poignant message about preserving one’s self before you lose all agency.
You play as Bub, a young, struggling artist suffering from multiple sclerosis who tries to turn his memories into art before he succumbs to his disease. Bub spends his time reliving his past, accompanied by changes in the art style to reflect his mood. From paper puppets to ink drawings to abstract paint, the hand crafted visuals were unlike anything I’ve seen before in a game. The developers spent many hours creating thousands of cut paper pieces, collages and painted frames to create a uniquely layered and stop-motion world. These analog art styles breathe life into Bub, and create a world worth playing in.
The gameplay consists of jumping from memory to memory, with each memory having its own interactive style. At one point in the demo, we flashback to Bub in high school as he is walking his friend, a young man with multiple casts and on crutches, through the hallway and past obstacles. Oblivious kids hinder your path as you lead your friend to a lone water fountain to drink some water with your assistance. Although the hallway was packed with students, no one paid any attention to Bub nor his friend despite his injury. The invisibility of our main character portrayed in this moment was palpable. Another flashback (or maybe flashforward), and now you’re biking on a dark highway at night, dodging the cars and other obstacles in your path. These short mini-games do a great job setting the stage for Bub’s experience as a teenager/young adult, and give insight into who Bub is as we meet him at the start of this game.
The surrealist art style, gameplay, and narrative combine to convey this feeling of desperation and loneliness that still lingers with me. This game is absolutely one to put on your radar for the visual identity alone. Bub will be released in Q4 2027 for PC.
Bub
