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About Bulb Boy 2: Jar of Despair
Bulb Boy 2: Jar of Despair is a narrative-driven adventure game from Bulbware, released October 23, 2025, for PC and Mac. It follows Bulb Boy after he vanquished the evil corrupting his family’s Bulbhouse, only to inherit a far grimmer threat: a cursed jar that spills shadows into the world. The sequel leans into eerie, surreal visuals and a slow-burn story about fractured memories and existential dread. You play as Bulb Boy, navigating decaying environments while solving puzzles tied to his past. The game prioritizes mood over action, with a focus on exploration and environmental storytelling. At its heart, it’s a puzzle-platformer with a melancholic tone, offering around 10-15 hours of gameplay. Ideal for players who enjoy introspective indie tales with cryptic narratives.
Gameplay
You control Bulb Boy, a glowing figure with limited movement but a unique light-based tool to interact with the world. The core loop involves solving physics puzzles by manipulating shadows, reflecting light, and restoring broken objects. Each level is a decaying, symbolic space, think abandoned kitchens, warped forests, and crumbling attics. Puzzles often require precise timing or creative use of Bulb Boy’s glow, like illuminating hidden paths or dispelling dark entities. The camera moves slowly, encouraging deliberate exploration. Combat is absent; instead, you avoid or outwit spectral obstacles. The experience is methodical, with a focus on atmosphere and discovery. Sessions often end with a mix of satisfaction and unease, thanks to the game’s haunting sound design and vague, poetic story beats.
What Players Think
The PlayPile community rates it 4.7/5, with 76% of players completing the main story. Average playtime is 12 hours, though 28% spend over 18. Reviews highlight the “creepy, dreamlike aesthetic” and “puzzles that feel like metaphors.” Some criticize the obtuse hint system, with 22% of players needing walkthroughs. The game’s “challenging” tag appears in 41% of mood tags, while “atmospheric” and “haunting” show up in 67%. Achievement completion stands at 89%, with 135 unlocks tied to puzzle-solving and exploration. Critics praise the “emotional weight,” but note the short runtime for the $29.99 price. A Steam review sums it up: “Not a game for everyone, but perfect if you want to feel small in a broken world.”
PlayPile's Take
Bulb Boy 2 is a bold, niche experience best suited for fans of slow-burn, surreal adventures like Limbo or Inside. At $29.99, it’s reasonably priced for its artistry, though the 12-hour main story and tough puzzles may test patience. The 135 achievements offer decent replay value, especially for completionists. Skip it if you prefer fast-paced gameplay or clear narratives. But if you’re into cryptic stories and atmospheric puzzles, this is worth the price. The community’s high rating suggests it’s a polarizing gem, love it or find it frustrating, but never forgettable.
Game Modes
Single player
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