Disturbing Video Game Music 228: The Giant's Lair - Bug Fable

Though admittedly overhyped by bitter Paper Mario fans, Bug Fables is still a charming and fun RPG that pays tribute to the first two Paper Mario games with its gameplay, graphics, and overall feel. You take charge of Team Snakemouth, a trio of bug explorers (Vi the bee, Kabbu the beetle, and Leif the moth) who are sent by an ant queen to find the legendary Everlasting Sapling, a magic tree whose leaves are said to being godlike powers to those who eat them. With an evil wasp king seeking the sapling too, Team Snakemouth gets caught up in a bunch of adventures that will reveal a lot of forgotten history of the land of Bugaria.
Not unlike with many other indie RPGs, while the gameplay is good the main star of the game is the world and characters. Bug Fables does a good job setting a whimsical yet intricate world reminiscent of Secret of NIMH and Redwall, and just like those stories (as well as Paper Mario for that matter) the game has a darkside to it. One of the most memorable areas of the game is the Giant's Lair, where the little bugs go explore an abandoned human house. As with any story from an animal's perspective, nearly everything human comes across as alien and ominous. You thankfully don't encounter any humans here, but it is small comfort given the strange mutated beasts that now roam this dilapidated house. The music for the area is nicely minimalistic and simple, using just some woodwinds, a piano, and fittingly unnerving sounds to put you on edge and dread whatever is hiding in the darkness in the lair.

[@kylestubbs8867]

The massive eyes and hands in this section belong to “Dead Lander Omega”, a mysterious being who thankfully seems more curious than outright malicious. Even so, very little is known about it. Could it be an alien creature, or mutated animal? Maybe just the way bugs would perceive a human child with a flashlight exploring an abandoned house? Or perhaps something… better left undescribed?

[@Cerby9]

Awesome to see this one was chosen! I. Was. So. Skeptical. When I heard this was a good replacement for Paper Mario 1 and 2. ( both in my top 50 fav games, with 2 being in my top 5 ) And while playing thru Chapter 1 I really wasn't feeling it. But man, once you get to Chapter 3 the game REALLY starts hitting you hard both with its quality and diversity. I fell in love with it immediately after and found myself enthralled enough to 100% the game and make a unbeatable wasp deck in the card game. Need to go do that extra fight that was added in someday... You basically said everything in your description that I ever could about The Giant's Lair. Except for one thing, the huge thing with one eye in the background. What if that is what remains of the "Giant?" Perhaps the Giants devolved as time wore on and went back to being feral? It's all very interesting, especially since the game never talks about it leaving you to guess. But whether it's the Monstrosities you fight that give you no exp when you beat them, the dark and gloomy abode that marks the final area, or the corpses of wasps that you pass in pursuit of the Wasp King. One thing is very clear, YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE!!!

[@ohnostoltzman2496]

Creep-o-Meter: 6/10. Maybe a bit higher when you listen to it at night.