Game Review: Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 DX: Dumpster Fire Rebirth

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

There aren't very many games that leave me at a loss for words when it comes time to describe them, but that's exactly the challenge I'm facing right now. Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 DX: Dumpster Fire Rebirth is an action platformer that arguably features more jokes and silliness over good gameplay, but it does it in a way that intrigued me enough to play it to completion. It's out now on the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC, and we're going to be taking a look at the Switch version today. Do the jokes land or do they fall flat? Can this bear save Canada? Is this a good game? What do dumpsters have to do with all? Hopefully we'll answer all those questions and more in this review. Let's dive into it!

I know nothing about the Dumpster Bear franchise, or if it that's the best term to describe it, but this is apparently the third game in a surprisingly long-running series. Our titular hero apparently just returned from a time travelling mission to put an end to the corporate interests that are making Canada a living hell of dumpster fires. I guess his mission wasn't exactly successful, as not only have those corporate interests began to make a mess of things yet again, but some familiar faces are starting to pop up again. It's once again up to Dumpster Bear to put a stop to all the nefarious happenings, and maybe even meet up with his past self once again. Throughout his journey he'll face a lot of old foes, and even the Prime Minister of Canada himself. Dumpster Bear didn't choose the dumpster life, but he's definitely going to make the most of it! It wasn't until I was sitting here writing those couple of sentences that I realized that I have very little idea as to what the plot of Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 actually is. While I can say that it's mostly unimportant, I don't want to make it sound like it's boring or badly written either. What I mean is that if you're taking notes to remember the plot of a game called Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5, then you're probably playing it wrong. It's best to just go along for the ride, and not think about it too much. Also, the story is all over the place and wacky, so why not just make stuff up along the way along with the game? Chances are you'll still fall short of the sheer insanity that goes on in the game itself. Though I may sound like I'm being dismissive, I actually enjoyed the story a lot, and think that it's the single best aspect of the game. It may not be prize-winning literature, but it will almost definitely see you through to the end of the game.

At its heart, Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 is an action platformer, with a surprising amount of emphasis on the platformer part of that equation. There are seven worlds to explore, and each of them have 5-7 levels between them, including some boss battles and even a few bonus stages. Dumpster bear can run and jump, sometimes in a way that feels extremely uncontrollable, and he can attack. What attacks are at Dumpster Bear's disposal has to do with the current power-up he has equipped, but he has a dash attack by default. Touching enemies means you'll be taking damage, so it's best to always be on the offensive. Speaking of taking damage, Dumpster Bear can only take two hits before he dies. There are infinite lives, but the only way to increase your health bar is to buy an extra hit after a death using in-game currency. Unfortunately this upgrade isn't permanent, so it ends up feeling rather useless. Considering he's a bear that lives in a dumpster, Dumpster Bear is very nimble. Not only can he jump, but he can also double jump, and even perform wall jumps and wall hangs to some degree. The latter two are a bit more finicky to get working to your advantage, but that can probably be said about most of the controls in this game. You can gain other skills, like the ability to throw bombs, slide curling stones, or simply become invincible, via power-ups, but these are mostly locked to individual levels. There are lots of collectables to collect, with coins probably being the most important. These coins are used to unlock the bonus stages mentioned earlier, and they remind me of the ones found in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Even though there is a lot of level variety, the goal each one is to simply reach its end. The end of each level has a target for you to land on, though I never seemed to be able to properly stick the landing.

There isn't a whole lot more to discuss when it comes to gameplay except maybe for maybe fighting bosses. Bosses are usually very challenging as they have multiple lives you have to go through in before they're dead. You still only have two hits until you die, and some boss battles become a marathon of simply trying your best to stay alive. Though I found a few of these encounters to be borderline unplayable, with victory often coming by way of random chance, they were humorous enough that I rarely minded the annoyance. The bosses are mostly other animals, and they all seem to have a past with Dumpster Bear that I know nothing about because I haven't played the previous games. Besides boss levels there's the Bonus Stages, and these can be extremely hard thanks to the increase of speed, the addition of one-hit kills, and a 3D perspective that somehow controls worse than the main game. I did dig the aforementioned Sonic 3 vibes, but that wasn't enough to make me ever want to play them. I was only able to beat one of these during my time with the game, and I don't think I'll ever bother with the rest. I guess that pretty much wraps up the gameplay discussion, but I don't think gamers will be expecting much from a game called Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5.

If I had to choose one word to describe Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5's gameplay, it would be "jank". The controls feel very loose, a lot of the deaths feel cheap, and the fun is occasionally forgotten once the frustration settles in. One of the big problems with the game has to be the fact that there is only one checkpoint in each level. This means that dying can send you back very far, and death comes quicker than you think thanks to the messy collision detection and wonky controls. Thankfully things like that bad collision detection sometimes work in your favor, but it rarely seemed to play out like that. Next up would have to be the random difficulty spikes that come out of nowhere. There would be worlds where I was struggling with a level or two, only to pretty much run through every other level on my first try. Oh, and I've already mentioned this a few times so far, but there's also the borderline broken controls to contend with. Though I most often died due to the tough platforming sections, I was pleased to note that players are given full control of Dumpster Bear's mid-air movement. If it wasn't for the sheer ridiculousness of what was going on, I probably would've given up on the game, but thankfully the game delivers in the humor department. I actually want to refrain from talking about the story more, or showing off some of the crazier cutscene moments, as the story never goes where you think it will, and I don't want to spoil anything for those who might be interested in picking it up. The plot seems written by someone using a random number generator to choose what the next plot twist will be, but there was enough talk that centered on "corporate interests" that kept me entertained. Though it was the game's comedic elements that kept me around, I'll admit that humor can be a bit hit or miss, and definitely subjective. While I'm sure that there are a lot of people who will be like me and keep playing just to see what craziness is coming next, there will also be just as many who put the game down after its opening cutscene.

I went back and forth debating whether I thought the graphics and music were good in Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5, but I ultimately settled on the fact that they were far better than I was expecting. Obviously the models have that "I found these in a pre-made asset store" look to them, but there is something to be said about putting it all together in a way that isn't just a mess. Well, I guess it still is a mess, it's an intentional one at the very least. It's really a matter of proper expectations, and I think everything looks great for the type of game that the title promises. I'm willing to bet most players won't think they're getting an Elden Ring-style experience here, and the graphics reflect that. I have far less mixed things to say about the music, but I also couldn't help but wonder if the music was all original, or picked up from a sound library. There's nothing wrong with the latter being the case, but I feel a bit uneasy praising the soundtrack too much if that's the case. Either way, the music was a fast favorite, and I was surprised to find that there were a variety of tracks throughout the game. They could've simply used a track or two for each level type, but there is a decent variety on display here. Even if these tracks were pre-made assets, I commend the developers for putting in music that fits each world and level. Closing out the sound discussion, I was a little let down by the fact that a lot of actions seemed to be missing sound effects, but I guess a bit of jank is to be expected.

If you can get beyond the bad controls and uneven difficulty, then you'll find that Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 has a lot to offer. The full game will take you hours to complete, and those bonus levels are no joke. Completing the game unlocks Epic Dumpster Bear: Dumpster Fire Redux, which I believe is a remake of the first game in the series. I'll admit that I went into this thinking that it would provide maybe an hour or two of fun at most, but I ended up spending an entire day on it before I knew it. While mileage will vary across different players, I think there's more than enough to enjoy here for those looking for a game that doesn't take itself at all seriously. Then there's also the fact that it comes in at a very impressive price point of just $4.99. This might not be a AAA experience, but it's priced so affordably that I don't even care. Considering you get two games for that five dollar price, I can't help but suggest grabbing it for the lols alone.

Giving a game like Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 DX: Dumpster Fire Rebirth a strong recommendation might seem a bit odd, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. It's unpolished, it's poorly balanced, and there are times you'll question why you're still playing it, but there's a certain charm that just worked for me. Its low price makes it an easy sale too, and I think it's worth picking up if you're even the least bit interested. Grab this on whatever platform you can, and save Canada!

Check Out Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 DX: Dumpster Fire Rebirth on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/epic-dumpster-bear-1-5-dx-dumpster-fire-rebirth-switch/

---

Story: A
Gameplay: C
Graphics: B-
Music/Sound: B
Value: A

Overall: B

Pros:
+ A fun, silly action platformer that features everyone's favorite Dumpster Bear.
+ Offers up a lot of content, and even an entire unlockable game.
+ The music and graphics may not be the most original, but they do a good job adding to the overall janky vibes.
+ The "plot" is just wacky enough to keep players invested to the very end.
+ At just $4.99, this is worth picking up for the lols alone.

Cons:
- Probably not for anyone looking to play a well-made action platformer.
- When I say "jank", I mean it. There are a few moments of the game where it feels only a step above broken.
- Difficulty spikes are all over the place, and things can get more than a little frustrating at times.
- Since much of the fun relies on the game's humor, there are definitely going to be some who simply don't find its antics funny.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

---

Is this REALLY the Canadian Prime Minister?

#EpicDumpsterBear1Point5