Bubsy 4D has taken me by surprise. Though I grew up gaming through the '90s and playing a lot of platformers, this bobcat never grabbed me, his maligned jump into 3D doing him no favors. Which is why I'm shocked to discover while playing the Steam Next Fest demo that this legacy sequel revival hasn't only me a Bubsy fan, but that it might be one of the best platformers ever.
It helps that Bubsy 4D comes from Fabraz, an indie developer that's made a name in the genre with the likes of Slime-san and Demon Turf. They're also developing Demon Tides, an open world platformer that's also already captivated me. Fabraz champions 'schmoovement' platforming, where players are encouraged to meet difficult platforming sequences with creative and expressive chains of movement. That's in full force in Bubsy 4D, which has me flinging the chatty mascot all over stages as I track down the missing golden fleece yarn balls. If you fancy giving it a go yourself, our Steam Next Fest guide can help you get started.
