From the moment you start Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime, you’ll know that you’re in for a gaming experience like no other. The Dutch developers, Bonte Avond, have crafted not only a full and engaging strategy game based within this world but have also carved out a poignant story that’s full of warmth, heart and many, many one-liners and puns.
That last sentence is important, as that’s the type of humour spread throughout the game; you’ll roll your eyes, you’ll shake your head, but you will laugh, and you’ll have a smile on your face the entire time you’re playing. This will not come as any surprise to people who played their previous game, Once Upon a Jester, which not only shares the same visual style but also the same style of writing.
That’s no shade on either game, as both are beautifully crafted scripts that are mostly performed by the developers themselves. In Bonnie Bear, they have really gone to town on the many characters voiced, with some that had me in stitches, such was the absurdity of it all. The Dutch-English used for the voice acting really elevates this, especially with the main cast of characters, which made them shine throughout the narrative of the game.
Speaking of which, at the start of the game we join up with Bonnie on her Bearday (birthday) as her friends have coaxed her out of her treehouse to celebrate with cake and presents. During this celebration, Bonnie finds a present on the beach and upon opening it finds a mysterious seashell. No one knows how it got there or what it actually does. One thing leads to another, and eventually Bonnie’s best friend Ann is sucked into the shell, which kicks off an adventure to free Ann by collecting the other three shells and opening a portal to this unknown world.
Of course there’s an evil no-doer who’s also after the shells, who comes in the shape of the local priest, only known as ‘Uncle’. He has a plan to wipe the popular game, Frogtime, and frogs in general from existence by destroying the world that exists in the shell, but doing so will also trap Ann forever.
Frogtime is the main hook in the game, as many tasks or missions can only be resolved through challenging others to a round of everyone’s favourite frog game. Thankfully, Bonte Avond have crafted a well-thought-out strategic game where you’ll have to play different types of frogs with different abilities to get to the other side of the playing field and score enough points to beat your opponent. Depending on the abilities your current frog team has really impacted how you play by bringing in different ways and tactics for getting to the other side.
The amount of different frogs (and toads) took me by surprise. For what I thought would be a little side game, a mechanic to support the narrative, actually was so much more involved. From frogs that can multi-jump to others that will stick their tongue out and push another frog one tile forward to slower toads that will puff out air to push your opponents’ frogs away, there has been some admirable effort and thought put in to make this more than just a side project.
During the game you’ll have chances to bolster your frog team by purchasing eggs from shops. A variety of eggs await you, with each one hatching different kinds of frogs. If you’re really lucky, you might even find a rare or legendary one. Some eggs are locked until you reach certain levels, which is measured by Bonnie’s self-worth. The more she wins, the more she believes in herself.
Which brings me back round to how much warmth protrudes from the screen and is one of the game’s most endearing features. It’s heavily implied throughout that Bonnie has been suffering from some kind of mental trauma. She locked herself away from everyone for over a year, and it’s only now that her insecurities are starting to break down enough for her to venture back out into the real world. Her friends are waiting for her, ready to give her the support she needs, and this is where the warmth and love come from that I keep mentioning.
I felt this throughout, even from the supporting characters to Uncle himself, and it made me cherish my time with the game. I felt like one of the team; I wanted to be friends with them all and to hang out with them as much as I could. It felt welcoming and inclusive in a way that I haven’t necessarily felt before, and it elevated the game so much. There are a few things that make this happen, but mostly it comes from the high-quality writing and that incredibly fun voice acting.
What Bonte Avond has done is nail the feel of a close-knit group of friends. The conversations flow naturally, and there’s not only compassion and support for each other in their words but also friendly banter. Supporting characters will go on their own journeys of self-discovery along the way, and it’s all glorious to see. It helps that many characters are wildly different in their designs. I love how Bonnie struts around in her frog onesie while her friends are wildly created. From Hoot, who’s totally made from wood, to Ann, who has a pineapple for a head, you never really know what you’re going to find next, which makes all their characterisation even more impressive.
Bonte Avond are also keen musicians, which, if you have played Once Upon a Jester, you will know full well. You’ll often also catch them streaming on Twitch, improvising songs on a range of topics or on members of the audience. So it comes as no surprise that Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime has a plethora of songs throughout. Some you’ll see coming, some will come out of nowhere, but all are incredibly enjoyable, silly and downright catchy. Be prepared to have Rik Spek’s theme tune stuck in your head for many hours after hearing it, but it will still be added to your playlist with the rest of the album.
There were some niggles through my time with the game, but they were very minor. If you lose a game of Frogtime, the characters will go back to their previous spots, and you’ll have to reinstigate the battle and wait for them to get back into position. Other times, when you fail at a game of frogtime, you’ll have to sit through the same dialogue over and over to have a chance to try again, which was a little frustrating when all you wanted to do was get on with the game. The Frogtime tutorial could also have included a little more information, as I learned of features much further into the game on my own, and the tutorial placement in the game was a little random.
It’s also worth noting the game is designed to run at 60 fps, so any Steam Deck owners out there need to take note; otherwise, the game will run slower in lower frame rates. I know this from my experience (and the developer telling me too!).
