Developed and published by Fayju, Amazing Frog? is an open-world multiplayer sandbox game that offers a beautiful and big world filled with plenty of activities. Playing as a frog, you can jump and fart around the map as you drive vehicles, fly airplanes and drones, or just glide aimlessly using a bunch of balloons. Still, in early access, the developer has been working on the title for over 10 years and it certainly shows because the game is full of fun stuff for you to try out. This is our review of Amazing Frog? in which we ride a pig into a shark’s mouth and run away from zombie frogs in the sewers.
Depending on your preferences, you can get three different versions of the game. You can go for the Legacy build and the V2 in one game and then you have a second game called V3 added to your account as well if you purchase this separately. Both the Legacy and V2 combined are around 4GB while the V3 takes around 22GB of install space. You can choose whether you want to install both versions or just one when you want to install the game. The Legacy build is the very first version of the game with most of the later updates incorporated in the game as well. The mechanics are old and classic and represents the very early stages of the game. There are some animations and special effects that actually look good in the Legacy version of Amazing Frog? and I found them missing in the V2 version but V2 certainly takes the cake with its modern gameplay mechanics which takes the lead over all of the three versions of the game.
Amazing Frog? is set in a fictional setting of Swindon, England and you have the whole map open to you right from the start of the game. While Swindon’s main area itself is enclosed inside huge walls, you can open the main gate and access the outside map as well which is really big in size. There are roads leading to various sites around the main city and you can use other vehicles such as drones and airplanes as well for transportation. Since Amazing Frog? is an open-world sandbox game, there are no clear mission objectives for you to follow or strict time limits to keep in mind. If you want to just drive around, shoot arrows in frogs’ faces, or ride a pig into a shark’s mouth, you can easily do so without worrying about anything else. You get to choose one of the four frogs before jumping into the sandbox mode which are just different visual skins and nothing much else.
Amazing Frog? does not spoon-feed you anything when it comes to tutorials however it has instructions integrated into the game in the form of various charts and boards. If you want a complete overview of the map and various features added to the game, you can head over to the main city hall and see which features have arrived in the game and which features are currently in the pipeline. You can also get an overview of the entire map and see where various locations are present to go and check them out. The whole game is littered with road vehicles ranging from mopeds, cars, trucks, buses, and even taxis. You can jump inside them and take them out for a spin and travel all across the map. You will also find a lot of other props and small things to play around with such as cannons, huge fans, and jump pads for reaching special areas which are otherwise not easy to access.
You can also get different weapons in the game but since the game’s rating is low, there is no bloodshed in the game and if you shoot someone in the head with your weapon, they will just get up and start walking again. No one can actually die in the game and that is a good thing because it keeps the rating low and a lot more players can enjoy the game this way. At this point, the game is missing a clear direction or objectives as well which will give you certain tasks to complete in the game. There are some tasks that you can complete in the game but if you compare Amazing Frog? with other similar sandbox titles, it is lacking behind in this department.
However, you should keep in mind that Amazing Frog? is currently in Early Access and until its full release, the developer still has a lot of plans for the title and this project comes from just two developers. Since its launch, the game has received the sewers which are infested with zombie frogs that can surround you and eat you, a racetrack, new vehicles, new areas, and tons of new interactable items as well. The developers are aiming to keep this trend going with plenty more to come in the future for the title. In addition, according to the last press release, the full release of the V3 version of the game might even be called Amazing Frog? 2 and the V2 will eventually become the definitive first title.
There are a few instances when you feel that the game is a little empty and should have more activity in it. While you see various NPCs moving around the main city, outskirts and other locations have minimum activity and you feel all alone in them. Apart from the zombie-infested sewers which are huge in numbers, the game definitely should have more activity in areas such as the vast plains outside the main city or special locations like the beach and the laboratory. Amazing Frog? maybe your sandbox but having some activity around will definitely make the game look better and it will give you more opportunities to have fun in the game. The vast map has plenty of different scenes as well as you will explore a big ocean, smaller water bodies, forests, mountains, and urban spaces throughout the area.
Out of the three versions which are currently part of the game, the V3 looks and feels the most modern but it requires more optimization at this point. There are a few glitches, and the frames drop even on a powerful GPU. When you compare V2 and V3 directly, there is a clear difference in both the visuals and how crisp the controls feel however it requires more time in optimization. V2 offers more fun and the most content as well. You have a large variety of vehicles to drive in the game, the map is big but there is not much to do between various sites.
At these points, the world feels empty. The activities are diverse and instead of adding separate worlds and levels, the added content such as the zombies area and the space area is simply various buildings and locations that you can reach from the main map. Loading times are minimal in the V2 and V3 but they are plenty on the Legacy build. For the time being, just stick to V2 and you should have the best version out of the bunch. However, for the full release, the developer will be aiming at the V3 to make it the full release version.
Final Verdict:
Amazing Frog? is a fun open-world sandbox game and it offers hours after hours of just nonsense fun that you can experience on your own terms without any sort of constraints. The game certainly has plenty of content and hidden things for you to go out there and explore on your own without any sort of hand-holding and guidance. While I will say wait to jump in the V3 update at this point, V2 is your definitive Amazing Frog? experience currently during the early access phase. With a vast open world to explore, plenty of activities to take part in, a multitude of vehicles to drive on different surfaces, and just pointless fun, Amazing Frog? is shaping up to be a solid sandbox game. If you are craving an open-world game that has decent mechanics, a big open world, and plenty of funky things to do, you can jump in the early access of Amazing Frog? without any doubt.
Final Score: 8.0/10
