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Escape from Bug Island

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Escape from Bug Island
European box art
DeveloperSpike
Publishers
PlatformWii
Release
  • JP: December 2, 2006
  • NA: July 24, 2007
  • EU: October 26, 2007
  • AU: November 1, 2007
GenresAdventure, survival horror
ModeSingle-player

Escape from Bug Island, titled Necro-Nesia (ネクロネシア, Nekuroneshia) in Japan, is a 2006 survival horror video game developed by Spike and released for the Wii.[1][2] It was later published in North America by Eidos Interactive on July 24, 2007.[1][3][4]

The narrative follows Ray, who must search for his friends on an island while fighting giant insects.

The game received generally negative reviews, with criticism focusing on its controls, combat system and graphics.

Gameplay

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The game uses third-person perspective, similarly to Resident Evil 4.[5]

The protagonist, Ray, can be controlled with the Nunchuk's analog stick. He can only move forwards, and has to be rotated first in order to change direction.[5] Ray is also able to use a flashlight and interact with objects spread across the game.[6][7] There are frequent battles with giant insects, such as mantises and crickets. However, other kinds of creatures such as lizard-women and flying fish are also present.[7]

The levels are mostly linear, and a minimap tells the player where their next destination is located. Along the way, the player is tasked with finding items (such as keys), opening doors and fighting bugs. If Ray gets hurt, he can restore health by using items such as mushrooms and fruit.[7]

During a fight, there are generally two options to take: melee and long range. During a melee attack, such as swinging a wooden stick, the protagonist becomes incapable of moving.[7][8] Meanwhile, after making the game enter a first-person view, the player can make Ray throw objects, such as rocks and grenades. Both methods involve swinging the Wii Remote.[7]

Escape from Bug Island also includes certain minigames, such as shaking the controls to get rid of bugs. Moreover, at some moments Ray will cross a narrow log and the player has to maintain their balance by twisting the remote to keep an arrow in the center of a balance meter.[5]

In the second half of the game, Ray is taken back to the beginning and the player has to revisit the earlier levels.[5] There are newly accessible areas to be explored, such as previously blocked caves, where the player can find hidden bonuses.[5][9] At some point during gameplay, items such as a new flashlight and weapons like a firearm can be obtained.[9]

Plot

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The story starts when Ray, Mike and Michelle arrive at the mysterious Bug Island, a place with large insects, for a camping trip.[3][1] The protagonist, Ray, plans to confess his love for the bug expert Michelle. However, before he gets a chance to, his friend Mike intervenes and flirts with her instead. As a result, Michelle runs off and Mike follows her, leaving Ray alone.[1]

Since his friends won't return, Ray starts exploring the island by himself and searching for them.[10]

Eventually, he goes inside a cabin and meets Lynn and Harry. Ray grabs a useful insecticide, but Harry gets killed by a giant gorilla. A boss fight takes place.[9]

Later, the main character meets Mike hanging from the side of a bridge. A boss fight against a giant spider commences. By the end, while the spider dies, it's impossible to save Mike.[9]

At some point, Ray hears Michelle scream. In the temple area, he meets the same giant gorilla who killed Harry. Following the battle, a statue falls on the gorilla's head and kills it.[9]

After entering the Cave of Time, Ray returns to the beginning and knows how to prevent some of the characters' demises.[5] Some of the boss fights include a giant gorilla, a worm monster, a giant spider, and the monster the island is named after, Beelzebub.

The final battle is against a former human named Robert who is mutated into an insect-human hybrid. After his defeat, Ray is able to jump onto a boat and pursue a helicopter, ending the game.[9] The player's choice determines if he leaves by himself or not.

Development

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A report from April 2007 stated that Eidos Interactive planned to adjust the game's controls, interface and difficulty for the American release.[11] In a similar fashion, Nintendo Power reported that same month that unfavorable reviews of Necro-Nesia prompted Eidos to refine several aspects of the game during localization, including control tweaks and end-of-level wrap-ups.[12]

The game was released in the United States on July 24, 2007, under the title Escape from Bug Island.[4][5]

Reception

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The game received "generally unfavorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[13]

At E3 2006, critical impressions of Escape from Bug Island (then Necro-Nesia) were mostly negative, pointing out how the clunky controls can ruin combat sequences.[19][20] IGN called the demo “void of anything that may resemble fun”. They did acknowledge, however, that better animation, improved controls and a significant rework on the combat system could make the title "worth looking at".[19] Meanwhile, GameSpot noted that if the developers found more inventive ways to integrate the controller’s motion-sensing features into the gameplay, it could be an important step in making the game interesting.[20]

The full release of Escape from Bug Island received criticism from 1Up.com's Greg Ford, who called it "easily the Wii's worst showing yet".[8] Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40.[15] Ryan Davis, from GameSpot, highlighted the poor graphics, repetitive soundtrack and bad controls. He also mentioned the player can avoid enemy encounters completely by running past them.[7] Jeuxvideo.com was underwhelmed by the game's atmosphere, calling it "sometimes not oppressive enough". They criticized the dated animations, awkward controls and weak soundtrack.[16]

Sales

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The game sold 1,934 units during the Wii’s first two days on sale in Japan, from December 2 to December 3, 2006.[21][22]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Casamassina, Matt (August 13, 2007). "Escape from Bug Island Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ "ネクロネシア". www.nintendo.co.jp. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
  3. 1 2 3 8BitBrian (February 12, 2008). "Destructoid review: Escape From Bug Island". Destructoid. Gamurs. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. 1 2 "Shippin' Out: Guitar Hero Encore, Civ IV: Beyond the Sword". GameSpot. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Thomsen, Mike (August 9, 2007). "Escape From Bug Island". Nintendo World Report. NINWR, LLC. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Escape from Bug Island - hands-on". GamesRadar+. 2007-04-25. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Davis, Ryan (August 17, 2007). "Escape from Bug Island Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Ford, Greg (July 25, 2007). "Escape From Bug Island". 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Escape from Bug Island - Soluzione - Wii - 52417". Multiplayer.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-10-27.
  10. 1 2 Platt, Dylan (August 21, 2007). "Escape from Bug Island - WII - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  11. ↑ “Escape from Bug Island”. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 214. Ziff Davis. April 2007. p. 59.
  12. ↑ Myers, Andy (April 2007). "Creatures of the Night". Nintendo Power. Vol. 214. Nintendo of America. p. 30.
  13. 1 2 "Escape from Bug Island". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ EGM staff (July 2007). "Escape from Bug Island". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 217. Ziff Davis. p. 83.
  15. 1 2 IGN staff (November 21, 2006). "Famitsu Rates Wii". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  16. 1 2 loX (December 5, 2007). "Test: Escape from Bug Island". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Necro-Nesia review". NGamer. Future plc. March 2007. p. 52.
  18. ↑ "Escape from Bug Island". Nintendo Power. Vol. 217. Nintendo of America. July 2007. p. 94.
  19. 1 2 Iverson, Dan (May 10, 2006). "E3 2006: Necro-Nesia Hands-on". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  20. 1 2 Shoemaker, Brad (May 10, 2006). "E3 06: Necro-Nesia Hands-On". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  21. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (December 4, 2006). "Wii Sports Number One in Japan". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  22. ↑ Nintendo (2007). Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2007: Supplementary Information about Earnings Release. p. 8.
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