I commissioned some bees 14

In ‘I commissioned some bees 14’, players engage in a meditative puzzle experience centered around locating and collecting bees in a serene, top-down environment. Developed by Follow The Fun, this hidden-object game emphasizes relaxed gameplay with point-and-select mechanics, inviting players to unwind while exploring its vibrant settings. Part of a whimsical series featuring animal-themed challenges, this installment focuses on buzzing insects, blending simplicity with soothing visual and interactive elements.

I Commissioned Some Bees 14: Review

In the simplest terms, this is a game about hunting pixelated insects—yet it somehow emerges as one of gaming’s strangest depictions of both paralysis and obsession.

Introduction

In an era dominated by open-world epics and narrative-driven spectacles, I Commissioned Some Bees 14 asks players to do one thing: stare. Developed by Follow The Fun—a studio synonymous with unpretentious, meditative hidden-object games—this fourteenth entry in the I Commissioned Some… series doubles down on its predecessor’s formula, turning the act of foraging for insects into an unexpectedly introspective ritual. Released on March 2, 2023, to little mainstream fanfare, the game thrives in its contradictions: it is simultaneously disposable and profound, repetitive yet hypnotic. This review argues that its endurance lies in its ability to weaponize mundanity—a quiet rebellion against modern gaming’s maximalist demands.

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Development History & Context

Studio Vision & Assembly-Line Creativity
Follow The Fun operates under an unconventional mandate: mass-producing mechanically identical titles differentiated only by theme (cats, frogs, bunnies, bees) and artwork. Built in GameMaker Studio, I Commissioned Some Bees 14 is less a singular passion project than a calculated product of micro-production efficiency. Each entry in the series serves as a modular canvas for freelance illustrators, commissioned to create dense dioramas where players scour for creatures.

Technological Constraints as Design Philosophy
The studio embraced technical minimalism—no AI upscaling, no ray tracing—instead relying on hand-drawn 2D art optimized for static contemplation. This choice echoes early-2000s hidden-object titles like Mystery Case Files, but with a post-Steam indie twist: low file sizes (perfect for impulse downloads) and mouse-driven controls accessible to non-gamers.

2023’s Gaming Landscape & the “Cozy” Boom
Launched amid Hogwarts Legacy’s open-world spectacle and Starfield’s hype cycle, Bees 14 benefited from a cultural shift. The “cozy game” movement—fueled by Animal Crossing and Unpacking—created demand for stress-free experiences. At $1.19 on Steam (often discounted), it positioned itself as a palate cleanser: anti-aspirational, anti-challenge, yet strangely alluring.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

The Non-Story of Obsessive Completionism
There is no narrative—only instructions. Players are told artists were “commissioned to hide bees,” and the goal is to eradicate them from 20 paintings. This framing invokes gaming’s darker compulsions: the need to cleanse spaces, to achieve 100% completion, to purge chaos. The bees aren’t antagonists; they’re static obstacles to an illusory state of “order.”

Dialogue as Absence
No characters speak. No lore explains the surreal landscapes (floating islands, biomechanical forests, candy-coated villages). The silence amplifies the player’s isolation, transforming the UI—a minimalist counter ticking down from 1,000+ bees—into the only “voice” of progress.

Thematic Undercurrents: Mindfulness as Madness
Beneath its surface calm, Bees 14 interrogates obsession. The unlimited hints and lack of penalties frame it as “zen,” yet the act of combing pixelated foliage for hours —sometimes clicking frantically—mimics real-world anxiety spirals. By refusing catharsis (no fanfare marks finishing a level), it mirrors the Sisyphean grind of modern life: victory is temporary, reset buttons beckon.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loop: The Comfort of Monotony
The loop is brutally simple:
1. Select a painting from 20 artist-commissioned scenes.
2. Pan/zoom using mouse scroll or keyboard arrows (a critical accessibility feature).
3. Click bees to vanish them.
4. Repeat for 1–3 hours until all 2,000+ bees surrender.

Systems Designed for Anti-Friction
– Unlimited hints: Highlight a bee’s vicinity, ensuring no player remains stuck.
– Bee Restoration: Reinsert 10% of cleared bees to replay levels—a masochistic twist for completionists.
– Three save slots: Accommodate family sharing or multiple obsessive playthroughs.

UI/UX: A Study in Tactile Feedback
Clicking bees triggers a subtle pop and counter decrement. The lack of animation (bees simply vanish) denies players celebratory dopamine, instead focusing attention on the timer—an optional self-flagellation tool for speedrunners.

Innovation or Stagnation?
While mechanically identical to its predecessors, Bees 14 innovates in scale: doubling the usual 10 levels to 20. For fans, this is value; critics might call it bloat. The “additional bee-related objects” teased in ads (honeycombs, flowers) are barely distinguishable from background clutter—a cynical expansion of scope.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Eclectic Art Direction: From Psychedelia to Kitsch
Follow The Fun’s true brilliance lies in art curation. Levels range from:
– Bio-luminescent caverns (reminiscent of Child of Light’s watercolor palette).
– Steampunk apiaries with cog-and-gear hives.
– Collage-like dreamscapes where bees hide in Dali-esque visual puns.
Each piece rewards scrutiny, though resolution limitations sometimes render bees indistinguishable from foliage—accidental difficulty spikes in an “easy” game.

Sound Design: Ambiance as Hypnosis
Tracks blend lo-fi beats with field recordings (buzzing, wind chimes, distant waterfalls). The result is ASMR-adjacent, encouraging players to linger rather than rush. Unlike traditional games, music doesn’t escalate with progress; it loops indifferently, reinforcing the tone of detached serenity.

Atmosphere: Digital Wabi-Sabi
The game channels wabi-sabi—a Japanese philosophy embracing imperfection and transience. Flaws (repetition, low interactivity) become virtues, asking players to accept monotony as meditation.

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Reception & Legacy

Launch Reception: Silence and Subcultures
Critics ignored Bees 14, but niche communities embraced it:
– Achievement hunters (100% completion in 1.3 hours).
– Accessibility advocates praised keyboard-only controls for motor-impaired players.
– Steam user reviews (100% positive—albeit from just 16 ratings) cite “brain-clearing” contentment.

Missi the Achievement Huntress’ Endorsement
Influencers like Missi championed its “no penalties, no stress” design, noting: “This developer supports all kinds of gamers”—a nod to its marketably empathetic ethos.

Legacy: The Joke That Outlived Its Punchline
Follow The Fun’s business model—flooding Steam with near-identical titles—mocks industry bloat. Yet Bees 14 inadvertently refined the template. Its legacy lies in exposing hidden-object games’ primal appeal: the joy of erasure, of simplifying chaos into emptiness. Subsequent titles (2024’s I Commissioned Some Mushrooms 7) recycled its innovations.

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Conclusion

Who Is This For?
– Completionists craving frictionless victories.
– Overstimulated gamers seeking digital Xanax.
– Art students dissecting eclectic commissions.

Who Should Avoid It?
– Players needing narrative stakes.
– Those allergic to repetition.

Final Verdict
I Commissioned Some Bees 14 is not “great” by conventional metrics—its design is derivative, its scope artificial. Yet as a cultural artifact, it reflects gaming’s subconscious: our need to control tiny worlds when the larger one overwhelms. It earns 3/5 stars—a flawed curiosity, but one that whispers uncomfortable truths about why we play.**