I’m usually a huge fan of anything Atari touches. The recent spate of remasters coming from their offices has been vibrant, fun, and unbelievably addictive. However, the latest game from this much-loved publisher is pretty rubbish. Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection is anything but perfect! Unfortunately, this protagonist wasn’t particularly well-loved, and this sudden release does little to resolve that issue.
This collection of 2D and 3D platform games was developed by Limited Run Games and published by Atari. It is a single-player and cooperative title that spans four or five key franchise games. Moreover, players can experience some retro console gameplay. On paper, this should be amazing. Yet, in reality, every moment is tired, clumsy, and just too frustrating.
Which games appear in the Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection?
The best of this collection has to be Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind. It is a pun-filled classic 2D platformer that tests your reactions, mindset, and patience. The action is unforgiving, and death and failure go hand-in-hand. The other games available are Bubsy II, Fractured Furry Tales, and Bubsy 3D. I was excited to try FFT, but my excitement soon faded to anger. I owned an Atari Jaguar, but never played this game. Consequently, I was looking forward to finally playing and completing it.
Sadly, it was everything I hoped it wouldn’t be. The levels are woeful, the controls are sluggish, and the difficulty settings are off the charts. Accordingly, it was a mess, and there were limited redeeming features for me to enjoy. Disappointingly, this is the same for the other titles. Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection doesn’t hit the right notes as everything feels off, slow, and painful.
Dull action.
Despite the obvious flaws, it is the dull action that drives my feelings of negativity. I cannot remember this franchise being so tedious. The attempts at humour, the basic stage design, and the rudimentary goals are ridiculously simple by each era and console standard.
Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection fails to make up for these issues, and this gaming collection will suffer as a consequence. Yes, the developer cannot rewrite each game, but surely a sequel that modernises the whole franchise would have been a better choice? Sadly, we’ll never know, as I believe this is tainted beyond repair.
Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection doesn’t look good at all.
I’m usually a huge fan of dated and retro games. I love the vibrant colours, interesting but out of touch level design, and simple sprites. Unfortunately, Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection gets everything wrong. The visuals are painful, and the movement isn’t smooth or comfortable to look at. Additionally, the colour choices and level design are repetitive and just a little boring.
The audio is probably one of the shining lights. The music is brilliantly dated and just the right side of annoying. Furthermore, the sound effects have a pleasant nostalgic edge. Though I wouldn’t want to play it for too long, the audio works perfectly in short stints.
Terrible controls.
The cherry on top of the cake was the poor controls. Bubsy feels like an out-of-control tanker trying to turn on the spot. Unlike other platform titles from this era, the action feels horribly clunky. Subsequently, if you are a fan of the genre, you will have to adjust your style to overcome the problems.
I’d love to say that this collection will keep you busy for hours, but it won’t. Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection is so frustrating to play that many gamers will not get through the opening chapters of each title. This was unfortunate as it affects both replay value and longevity.
Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection is a big let-down.
I hate being so negative, but Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection is pretty terrible. 90% of the elements of this game were poor by modern standards. Furthermore, the dated moments don’t work particularly well, and most genre fans will not appreciate the flaws. Accordingly, it is a big let-down and should be avoided. More information can be found here if you wish! Can you tackle every dated game? Pick your title, take a deep breath, and pray for some patience.
