The Independent: Your Doodles Are Bugged!

[TrackZero]

Title: Your Doodles Are Bugged!
Platform: 360
Developer: Spyn Doctor
MSRP: 80 MSP

Your Doodles Are Bugged! is the latest Xbox Live Indie title from German developer Spyn Doctor (who previously brought Kuchibi and Golden Tangram to the platform). The story revolves around an explosion occuring at Doodleus the Master Doodlers lab, resulting in his pet bugs becoming hexxed and being pulled into his doodles. Given a magic pen, it's your job to lead his bugs back out of the paintings.

With regards to the gameplay, YDAB definitely pays some homage to Lemmings. As your ultimate goal is to lead a large number of near mindless creatures across a varied landscape. However, in this case there are no classes to assign. The only tool you have to accomplish this task is your magic pen, which can be used to block off paths, create bridges, box the bugs up or any other number of techniques you can discover. That said, the pen only contains a limited amount of ink, requiring you to use it sparingly and also to suck back up ink off the level that is no longer in use. You can also hold down the right trigger to move your pen faster, as well as utlize the left and right buttons to zoom in and out of the map. In the final stages, this is almost a requirement as both speed and precision will play a far more important role in your success. Holding down the Y button to speed up time is also an option if you've got the path laid out for the bugs and just want to move things along quickly.

The landscape of each level consists of a new series of nicely designed doodles to cross between as you lead the bugs towards the exit (usually a yellow beaker). Some levels also contain portals to teleport the bugs through, rivers of water on which you cannot draw and various other elements to switch up the gameplay. Each map also has specific requirements for the number of bugs you must lead to the exit, sometimes requiring the exact amount you begin with; while others only require a percentage of bugs to make it to the end.

The visual style of YDAB is definitely one of its high points. Each level is unique not only in the design, but how that design will play into your strategies. That great looking picture of a whale? Well, you'll need to note how you'll move the bugs past it or whether you'll use it as a stop-over spot to corral them off while you recover some of the previous ink you used. Since the art is tied so directly to the gameplay, the level of details present in each level (even when zoomed in) are appreciated. The upbeat style also goes a long way to keeping you calm when you encounter any frustrating moments. Conversely, the music and sound design are the definite low points. The music consists of a single track, and while it fits well with the setting and mood does tend to get repetitive after awhile. The sound effects can also cause some annoyance when the game is played for a long stretch, with the bugs sounds coming off as a little too cutesy. That said, it's not a real detraction from the game, just something I wish could have been improved.

Gameplay clocks in at around three to four hours. That time will be variable based upon how quickly you manage to adapt to using various drawings to control the bugs. The game definitely does lend itself to replayability however, with a large number of varied paths to work your way through each stage.
Overall, Your Doodles Are Bugged! is a fun and interesting title. It is by no means what I'd consider fast paced and those people with patience will probably get more out of the experience.

So if you're looking for a title that's both fun and suitable for the kids, here you have it. At the always nice price tag of one dollar, there's no reason not to check out Your Doodles Are Bugged! Of course, you can also feel free to reply in this thread for the chance to win the copy we have to give away (winner randomly picked on Friday)!

The Independent is a indie gaming feature by Andrew "TrackZero" Hodder. Check CoG every week for updates.

[Jackel]

The game definitely seems to have a unique style, in particular the visual theme. But regardless the game is one I might have to look into when my daughter gets a bit older.

[Spigot]

Very interesting. If only I could hook up a tablet to the game

[eugaet]

Great review. As a Lemmings fan (I played Lemmings when it was released), this looks pretty interesting. I'll have to try out the demo.

[Spyn Doctor]

Hi!

I'm the developer who created Your Doodles Are Bugged! and wanted to thank you for the great review!

Also I wanted to give some background info about the background music: First, there's actually two background songs, not only one.

And the reason there aren't more songs is Microsoft's 50MB rule: To be allowed to sell a game at the 80MSP (1$) price point, the game must be smaller than 50 MB. For a larger game, the cheapest allowed price is 240MSP.
Only my game was already at 48.7MB in its current state. So if I had added more songs, I would have been forced to either sell the game at 3x the price, or leave out some of the levels. Neither option would have been in the best interest of the gamers I think, so I opted to instead leave it at only two background songs...

Thanks again for the review!

Doc

P.S. and of course I don't want to be considered when you determine the winner of the free code.

[TrackZero]

Originally Posted by Spyn Doctor

Hi!

I'm the developer who created Your Doodles Are Bugged! and wanted to thank you for the great review!

Thank you for making this fun title.

Originally Posted by Spyn Doctor

Also I wanted to give some background info about the background music: First, there's actually two background songs, not only one.

Ah, my mistake then!

Originally Posted by Spyn Doctor

And the reason there aren't more songs is Microsoft's 50MB rule: To be allowed to sell a game at the 80MSP (1$) price point, the game must be smaller than 50 MB. For a larger game, the cheapest allowed price is 240MSP.
Only my game was already at 48.7MB in its current state. So if I had added more songs, I would have been forced to either sell the game at 3x the price, or leave out some of the levels. Neither option would have been in the best interest of the gamers I think, so I opted to instead leave it at only two background songs...

Totally understandable. You're right as well, I'd rather see a lower price point and keep it as is (like I noted, the music wasn't too much of an issue, just something I did notice).

[TrackZero]

Congrats to eugaet for winning a copy of the game!