Put your bug-catching skills to the test! Catch bugs and clues in this cozy, 8-bit styled, bug-catching sim where you, the player, have just bought the local bug museum, abandoned after a mysterious robbery. This great museum, once the livelihood of the town of Buggburg, has been left empty after The Great Bug Heist. Now it’s up to you to catch and sell bugs, fulfill requests and talk to the townsfolk, and uncover the mystery behind The Great Bug Heist. Can you help Buggberg gain back their livelihood?
A Husband-and-Wife Studio with a Story
Created by Craig and Chera Meredith, the indie team at So Peculiar, Bug & Seek is the studio’s debut title. The Merediths founded So Peculiar in 2017 out of East Tennessee — Craig handles the writing, pixel art, and business side, while Chera spent seven years teaching herself game design and coding before going full-time as an indie developer.
Their Kickstarter campaign was a success, and the game launched on Steam in December 2023, followed by a Nintendo Switch release in June 2024 and mobile platforms shortly after. With over 250 real bugs to discover, relaxing open-ended gameplay, and a charming mystery to unravel, it’s drawn comparisons to the bug-catching side of Animal Crossing.
More Than Just Catching Bugs
Bug & Seek isn’t just about filling a museum. Players explore the town of Buggburg, talk to quirky townsfolk, fulfill special requests, and piece together what happened during The Great Bug Heist. The game rewards curiosity and patience — very much in line with Craig’s love of storytelling, which he traces back to reading Jurassic Park in fourth grade.
So Peculiar is also working on their next title, Closer Than You Know, continuing their mission to create games that bring joy and reflect their faith.
Featured in our Christmas Issue
When you arrive in the sleepy little town of Buggburg, the old Insectarium feels more like a forgotten relic than a place of wonder. Dusty display cases, empty habitats, and a mystery that’s been quietly humming in the background for a full year. Someone stole every last bug in what the locals now call the Great Bug Heist, and no one has gotten to the bottom of it since.
Crawl into Bug & Seek, where you step into the shoes of the Insectarium’s new owner, determined to restore its charm one tiny creature at a time. With a net in hand and curiosity as your guide, you wander meadows, deserts, forests, beaches, caves, and every habitat in between, discovering over 200 real insects brought to life through charming pixel art and playful personality. Each bug has something to say, from little jokes to quirky taglines, and fun facts that deepen your appreciation for the miniature world underfoot.
As you build out new wings of the Insectarium and fill its halls with your growing collection, the town itself opens up. You’ll meet eccentric farmers, poets, mayors, and bug-obsessed townsfolk who offer odd jobs, tools, stories, and secrets, some of which inch you closer to unraveling who broke in that night, and why.
There’s no pressure here, no timers, no battles, no fail states. Just gentle exploration, simple mechanics, cozy humor, and the quiet satisfaction of turning an abandoned bug zoo into a thriving community treasure again. And as you sift through clues between catching fireflies and uncovering rare beetles, you might just crack the case of the Great Bug Heist along the way!
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