Bionic Bay
| Bionic Bay | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Mureena Oy Psychoflow Studio |
| Publisher(s) | Kepler Interactive |
| Director(s) | Juhana Myllys |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | April 17, 2025 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Bionic Bay is a platform video game co-developed by Mureena and Psychoflow Studio, and published by Kepler Interactive. In the game, the player assumes control of an unnamed scientist who must escape an ancient biomechanic world filled with dangerous traps and hazards. The game was released on April 17, 2025 for Windows PC and PlayStation 5.
Gameplay
[edit]Bionic Bay is a physics-based 2D platform game.[1] In the game, the player assumes control of a scientist who is transported to a biomechanical world following a laboratory accident. To survive and escape this world, he must overcome various platforming challenges and bypass dangerous environmental hazards.[2] The player character is equipped with several skills, such as the ability to briefly slow down time, hurl objects across the environment, flip gravity, and swap place with objects in the game's world. The game also features an online mode in which players can race against each other to reach the top of a global leaderboard.[3]
Development
[edit]Juhana Myllys, who previously worked on games such as Badland and Badland 2, served as the game's creative director. The development of the game commenced following a chance meeting between Myllys and Psychoflow Studio, which showcased clips of a teleportation gameplay mechanic on Reddit. While teleportation served as the game's central gameplay mechanic, the scope of the project expanded to include more powers, and players are tasked to combine these abilities in order to solve environmental puzzles.[4] Visually, the game was inspired by a number of projects, including games like Portal, N+, Another World, Mirror’s Edge, Oddworld, as well as works by Buster Keaton, The Matrix, and brutalist architecture.[5]
The game was announced by publisher Kepler Interactive in December 2024.[6] Initially set to be released on March 13, 2025 for Windows and PlayStation 5, it was delayed to April 17, 2025.[7] The team also partnered with PlayStation for a character skin based on former executive Shuhei Yoshida, who will also have his special online level in the game.[8]
Reception
[edit]| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 87/100[9] (PS5) 86/100[9] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Game Informer | 8.25/10[10] |
Bionic Bay received "generally favorable" reviews upon release, according to Metacritic.[9]
Andrew Webster, writing for The Verge, compared the gameplay to Super Meat Boy, in which players will encounter "seemingly insurmountable tasks". While he remarked that the game was difficult, it encouraged players to experiment with different gameplay mechanics as the game's save the player's progress frequently.[11] Anthony Franklin II from Vice strongly recommended the game, and described it as "an atmospheric, occasionally creepy physics-based experience that is beautiful in its darkness and a great test of platforming skill".[3] Matt Miller from Game Informer described the game as a "surprising and novel release managing the rare feat of consistent and rewarding gameplay from beginning to end". He liked the general platforming gameplay, and praised the game's level design, which he compared favorably to Inside and Portal.[10] Despite describing the art style as "breathtaking", he felt that the environments became progressively oppressive. While Franklin noted that the game had a minimalist storytelling style, Miller was disappointed that the story was almost "non-existent", wasting the potential of its setting.[10][3]
References
[edit]- ^ Reuben, Nic (August 6, 2024). "Cinematic platformer Bionic Bay is incredibly impressive even beyond its 250,000 pixel trees". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Hurley, Leon (March 21, 2025). "Check out Bionic Bay's frantic physics fueled racing in this new Future Games Show trailer". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on April 10, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Franklin II, Anthony (April 16, 2025). "'Bionic Bay' Is a Dark Puzzle Platformer With More Depth Than a First Look Would Reveal (Review)". Vice. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Myllys, Juhana (April 14, 2025). "The making of hand-crafted pixel-art platformer Bionic Bay, out April 17 on PS5". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on April 23, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Watts, Rachel (January 27, 2025). ""Atmosphere is more important than aesthetics": Bionic Bay is a biomech platformer that'll grip you from the get-go". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on February 9, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Fanelli, Jason (December 11, 2024). "Day Of The Devs: The Game Awards Edition - Every Game Revealed At The Event". GameSpot. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Romano, Sal (February 26, 2025). "Bionic Bay delayed to April 17". Gematsu. Archived from the original on February 27, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Kennedy, Victoria (April 16, 2025). "PlayStation legend Shuhei Yoshida set to be playable in upcoming indie game". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Bionic Bay reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Miller, Matt (April 25, 2025). "Bionic Bay Review: Physics Trap". Game Informer. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Webster, Andrew (April 26, 2025). "Bionic Bay mixes floppy physics with hard sci-fi". The Verge. Retrieved May 7, 2025.