The Bunny Graveyard

Back on August I saw this game on the Steam frontpage and went on a blind playthrough. It was a pleasant surprise.
The best way I can describe it is "point and click/puzzle/adventure mascot horror". Despite its gameplay simplicity this is a really well made and soulful game. Also it handles the "mascot horror" factor pretty well, where while it's a horror game with jumpscares and creepy stuff it doesn't take itself too serious due to its cute nature.
I may have found my new favourite niche series. Now let's wait and see what will they cook with the sequel.

A great pixel horror game that does an excellent job setting atmosphere without becoming cringey.

Cutesy horror is one of my favourite aesthetics (mascot horror excluded, can't stand that), so I'm surprised I slept so long on The Bunny Graveyard (TBG). I bought it ages ago and it fell into the abyssal backlog we all have. But I recently got a Steam Deck and thought I'd try out something retro. I can confirm it works great on there!

Cutesy horror is also something that teeters on the razor edge of cringe. Too often, these bouncy art styles give way to awkward characterisation, dialogue, and story. They pretend to be a children's show, which gives them an excuse to write sloppily.

Not so with TBG!

The pixel art/animation is gorgeous and unsettling in places. The characters are full of life, even with the short game time (especially the frog dad. He stuck in my head for some reason). The game does a great job of breaking up potentially monotonous gameplay with minor puzzles. Think sneaking, listening, etc. And the writing didn't lean into the cutesy, and instead went all in on the horror. This results in a cutesy horror game that steers well clear of the cringe bar.

I'll note a few things to improve. The music was okay - nothing stood out and I wished it did more with each scene. And whilst the writing was good, the game finished halfway through the story, and there were a lot of unsolved mysteries piled up at the end. I'd bet money the opening computer thing will be forgotten about, because it was such an anomaly compared to the rest of the story. In a way, that'll be a good thing, as a 'this is all a simulation' twist would be silly.

Overall, great game. Recommend, and looking forward to the sequel.

This game is absolutely stellar! It is undoubtedly clear that much passion has been put into creating the game! The graphics, lore, sound effects, and everything else is just amazing! I highly recommend this game to anyone that loves a good, suspenseful story.

Game was very short and leaves off on a cliff hanger, however, it was a very enjoyable 2 hours of gameplay with a few decent scares. Good pixel graphics, decent voice acting, and a bunch of fun mini games. I give it a 8/10. I would only buy it on sale.

This is a fun little top-down indie horror. It's got a good amount of little mini-game esque mechanics to keep things feeling fresh and a mysterious story that you unravel. Looking forward to the second chapter!

Let's get this out of the way: Yes, the game is short. It was quality, but it felt like it ended just when things were getting interesting. But even considering that, the complaints about game length feel kinda silly when you're paying 7 dollars for the game. In addition, the content is fun enough that I can see myself re-downloading this just for a quick playthrough. And with a chapter select, it's pretty easy to nab all the collectibles you missed. Add onto that the stupid fun of the capsule machines, and I'd say it's more than worth it at a 7 dollar price. The story is good fun, but I'd say that in addition to the previous remark about ending too soon, it's really something that will require you to play the sequel to fully understand. (Once it releases, of course.)
8.5/10 More Boxers please

Great game. Loved the story and art style, but I'd rather be mauled to death by a mutated Handy Pal than to ever go through that maze again (I'm REALLY bad at orientation). Still, can't wait for the sequel.