0 
0 There’s something delightful about games that lure you in with pixelated innocence before launching you face-first into the existential horrors of frog-based trauma. Frog Legs, developed and published by the wonderfully twisted mind of Elliott Dahle (yes, the same person behind The Man in the Park), does exactly that. What starts like a cute 8-bit Frogger-esque jaunt quickly devolves into a surreal, dimension-hopping horror comedy with no business being this entertaining.
Frog Legs – From Hops to Shots in 40 Minutes Flat
It’s refreshing to see indie titles like Frog Legs blend dimensions, tones and gameplay styles while telling a funny and disturbing little story. We need more bold, bonkers games like this in the world. Do you have a favourite indie horror that deserves the spotlight? Drop it in the comments below; we’d love to hear your picks!
Gameplay
Frog Legs starts with a familiar arcade sheen: you and your fellow frogs are hopping merrily across lanes of traffic. That is, until peer pressure gets the better of poor Bill, and things take a very dark turn. What follows is a jarring, and hilarious, leap from 2D to 3D as the characters try to cope with the fallout of their amphibian antics. It’s as if trauma has literal dimensions now, and Frog Legs fully commits to that idea.
The gameplay then fractures into an enjoyable blend of first-person horror puzzles, boomer shooter action (complete with a Big Froggin’ Gun), and bizarre moments of existential reflection. Your “weapons” are questionably sourced, no spoilers, but they might be cheeky in every sense of the word. There’s no visible inventory system or task tracker, which can lead to moments of “Wait, what was I doing again?” But given the short run-time and general chaos, this lack of structure oddly suits the atmosphere.
Graphics & Audio
Visually, Frog Legs bounces between charming 8-bit nostalgia and low-poly 3D horror in the blink of an eye. The transition from flat arcade to fully rendered rooms is utterly intentional. It’s a genius move that mirrors the narrative shift from playful to panic. That said, the motion blur in 3D segments is dialled up to eleven, it made my camera feel like it was made of jelly and not the tasty kind. It can be switched off (and should be if you value your eyeballs).
Sound design is where this game sings, or rather, croaks. There’s no voice acting, but the digital bleeps do have a faintly froggy charm. The ambient audio is wonderfully unsettling, from the subtle creak of drawers and doors to the suspicious clink of nearby margarita glasses. Carl’s increasingly paranoid state starts to feel… strangely relatable.
Longevity
At roughly 40 minutes to 1 hour, Frog Legs isn’t going to fill your weekend, but it doesn’t need to at £2.49 on Steam. It’s the kind of experience you blast through in one sitting, laugh your way through the absurdity, and then recommend to your friends with a weird look in your eye.
There’s not much replay value outside of collecting the golden flies, but honestly, this game isn’t about completionism. It’s about the ride.
Final Thoughts
Frog Legs is a brilliant, bizarre little horror-comedy romp proving you don’t need a big budget or a long run to make something memorable. With sharp humour, eerie transitions, and a narrative that hops through dimensions with gleeful abandon, this is indie horror at its most ribbeting.
Sure, the motion blur might make you feel like you’re viewing the world through a cup of blended margaritas, and the lack of task tracking might leave you briefly bewildered, but those are minor frogs in an otherwise stellar pond.
Elliott Dahle, take a bow. Frog Legs gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoyed this review, why out Ruddy’s review of Grandma, No!
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
