Blasterbug: Last Bug Standing!, Dotemu's free bomb 'em up

Dotemu released Blasterbug: Last Bug Standing! on the evening of August 24, with no prior announcement, on the eve of gamescom's Opening Night Live. Its Steam hub features only one launch message, opening with a "Surprise!". For a French publisher known for its remasters of classics, all of them paid, the departure is stark: this game is developed in-house and it's free.

The studio credits it to the Windjammers 2 team and presents it as a "collective bomb 'em up" — the comparison to Bomberman is ours. On the menu: 15 playable critters with distinct powers, 15 arenas and 5 modes. Windows only, in French.

Up to eight, but in the same room

A decisive point before installing: there is no online mode whatsoever. The Steam page only lists "PvP split screen" and "Local Co-op and split screen", and Dotemu writes "1-8 player local multiplayer". All eight players need to be in the same room. The only workaround: Remote Play Together, which is supported and streams the session to remote friends.

No catch in the business model: the game is entirely free and its page announces no in-app purchases. Only one paid content, released the same day, the Absolum Pack at €1.99, adds the rebel Galandra and the Jaroba arena. Too early to talk about reception: the first 20 Steam reviews are all positive, too small a sample.