I commissioned some bunnies 4

In ‘I commissioned some bunnies 4’, players delve into a serene hidden object adventure where they must locate concealed bunnies and carrots spread across 15 distinct hand-drawn artworks. With a top-down perspective, point-and-click interface, and meditative pacing, this casual puzzle game offers a relaxing, colorful experience as part of the whimsical ‘I commissioned some’ series, emphasizing careful observation and calm enjoyment.

I commissioned some bunnies 4: A Meditative Masterpiece in Miniature

In an era defined by cinematic spectacles and billion-dollar open worlds, a tiny, hand-drawn hidden object game about finding rabbits in pastoral fantasy panoramas represents a profound and deliberate counterpoint. I commissioned some bunnies 4, the fourth entry in the prolific “I commissioned some…” series from developer Follow The Fun, is not a game that seeks to revolutionize genres or dominate headlines. Instead, it is a game that perfects a singular, soothing ritual, standing as a quiet monument to the enduring power of minimalist design, artistic collaboration, and the burgeoning “cozy game” movement. With a minimalist premise executed with exquisite care, it reveals how profound satisfaction can be found not in epic struggle, but in the gentle, focused act of looking.

1. Introduction: The Zen of the Hunt

The thesis of this review is straightforward yet critical: I commissioned some bunnies 4 is a masterclass in deliberate, player-centric design that transcends its “hidden object” label to become a genuine tool for digital mindfulness. It represents the apex of a specific developmental philosophy—one that prioritizes relaxation, replayability, and aesthetic cohesion over complexity or monetization. In a market saturated with aggressive engagement loops and stress-inducing challenges, this game’s warning label, “Relaxing,” is not a disclaimer but its central promise. It is a testament to the idea that a video game’s primary function can be, and perhaps should be, to provide a serene, contemplative space in an increasingly chaotic digital landscape.

2. Development History & Context: The Assembly Line of Comfort

The sheer scale of the “I commissioned some…” series is its most immediately striking aspect. Managed by the enigmatic solo or small-team entity “Follow The Fun,” the franchise encompasses dozens of titles across various animals and concepts, with games like I commissioned some bees 4, I commissioned some cats 4, and I commissioned some butterflies 4 releasing in rapid succession. As noted by PC Gamer in their feature on the series’ creator, this output represents a deliberate strategy to “crack the code of cozy hidden objects games,” producing over 42 charming puzzlers in just two years by 2024.

Technological & Design Context:
* Engine & Constraints: Built in GameMaker, a staple for 2D indie development, the game’s technical constraints are minimal. Its “system requirements” (1 GB RAM, 100 MB space) are almost archaic by modern standards, reflecting a design ethos that values accessibility and broad compatibility over graphical fidelity. This allows the game to run on virtually any PC, including older hardware and Steam Decks, aligning perfectly with its inclusive, low-barrier philosophy.
* The 2024 Gaming Landscape: Released on May 10, 2024, the game entered a market where “cozy games” had evolved from a niche category to a major commercial and cultural force. Titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley had proven the massive appetite for stress-free, player-paced experiences. Bunnies 4 did not follow this trend; it helped define it for the hidden object subgenre, offering a pure, unadulterated version of the “cozy” promise with no farming, no social pressure, and no time limits.
* The Commissioning Model: The title itself reveals the core development model. As stated in the official Steam description: “The brief was simple. I commissioned artists to create a fantasy world, and hide as many bunnies and carrots as they can inside it.” This is not a studio employing in-house artists for a single, massive project. It is a curatorial system. Follow The Fun acts as a publisher/curator, commissioning diverse external artists (hence the varied visual styles within the series) to create the 15 unique artworks for this installment. This model allows for incredible volume and stylistic variety while keeping individual project scope and risk contained.

3. Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Story of the Search

There is, in the traditional sense, no plot. No characters speak. No text boxes convey lore. Yet, the game constructs a powerful implicit narrative through its context and mechanics.

The Meta-Narrative:
The player is not an adventurer in the world depicted; they are an archaeologist of whimsy. The paintings are finished artifacts, complete worlds created by anonymous artists under a specific, delightful constraint: the commission for bunnies and carrots. The player’s role is to act as a final editor, a meticulous inspector ensuring the artist fulfilled their brief. This creates a unique, fourth-wall relationship. The act of finding the last hidden object in a painting feels less like a victory over a level and more like the satisfying completion of a contract, a gentle “job well done” to both the artist and the self.

Thematic Resonance:
* Mindfulness & Focus: The gameplay is a pure exercise in attention. With a free-floating camera and the ability to zoom seamlessly, the player must slow down, examine textures, follow lines, and let their eyes wander without agenda. This is the digital equivalent of a treasure hunt in a detailed illustration, promoting a state of “flow” that is the antithesis of the high-stimulus, reward-schedule-driven design common in mobile gaming.
* Abundance & Whimsy: The numbers are telling: 15 artworks, 1500+ hidden objects, 750+ bunnies, and 750+ carrots. The bunnies and carrots are not rare treasures; they are plentiful. The theme is one of bountiful, joyful excess. The fantasy worlds are not dark or threatening; they are populated with a charming, overwhelming surplus of cute creatures, reinforcing a theme of harmless, generous whimsy.
* Universal Language: The game’s title exists in 16 different language spellings (Greek, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian, Thai, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and more). This isn’t just localization; it’s a statement of intent. The core experience—finding cute animals in a picture—is culturallyagnostic, requiring no translation. Its themes of simple joy and observation are universal, allowing it to find an audience from Helsinki to Hanoi without cultural mediation.

4. Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: The Elegance of the Loop

The gameplay loop is as simple as the premise: pan, zoom, click. Yet, within this simplicity, Follow The Fun has engineered a remarkably robust and player-respecting system.

Core Loop & Interaction:
* Perspective & Control: The top-down perspective with a free camera is ideal. It grants complete agency, allowing the player to explore the artwork as a physical object. Controls support both mouse and keyboard (WASD/Arrows), accommodating different playstyles and accessibility needs.
* Feedback: Objects vanish with a satisfying, soft pop and a chime upon clicking. The progress bar for each level (tracking found bunnies/carrots) and the persistent completion percentage in the level select provide constant, clear feedback without pressure.

Systems & Innovation:
1. Unrestricted Hints: This is the game’s most significant “quality of life” feature. Hints are unlimited, instantaneous, and consequence-free. Using one does not affect scoring, achievements, or “purity.” This removes all frustration and anxiety, cementing the “relaxing” mandate. It’s a direct rebuttal to the punitive hint systems of traditional hidden object games.
2. Replayability via “Restore”: The innovation that elevates Bunnies 4 from a one-time diversion to a reusable tool. The “Restore” function randomly returns a small number of already-found bunnies and carrots to the painting. This procedurally regenerates challenge. Finding the last 5 objects in a 100-object scene is a radically different, tense, and rewarding puzzle than finding the first 50. This system provides near-infinite replay value from a fixed set of assets.
3. Multiple Save Slots & Full Reset: The three save slots allow different players (or the same player at different times) to progress independently on the same machine. The option to reset progress entirely turns the game into a perpetual, shareable puzzle. A parent can reset for a child; a couple can race from a clean slate.
4. Achievements & Timer: The 16 Steam achievements are largely based on milestones (find X objects, complete Y paintings) and playful challenges (find all objects under a time limit). Crucially, they are not undermined by the hint system. The included timer is for self-challenge only, again respecting the player’s chosen pace.

Flaws (or Absence Thereof):
The only potential flaw is inherent to the genre: repetition. The act of scanning and clicking can become mechanical. However, the game actively battles this through:
* Varied Artworks: 15 distinct scenes with different artists, color palettes, and compositions.
* Themed Audio: Each painting has its own optional music/ambiance track, altering the mood from woodland whimsy to mysterious cave or bustling village.
* The “Restore” Challenge: As mentioned, this changes the cognitive task entirely.

5. World-Building, Art & Sound: A Gallery of Collaborative Fantasies

Since there is no traditional world, world-building is equivalent to art curation.

Visual Direction & Artistic Merit:
The “hand-drawn” aesthetic is not a stylistic limitation but a core selling point. Each of the 15 artworks feels like a unique piece of illustration art, not generic game asset filler. The styles range from comic-book boldness to soft watercolor-like fields. The fantasy themes—floating islands, mushroom villages, deep-sea kingdoms—are realized not through 3D modeling but through the imaginative density of the 2D plane. The top-down view works perfectly here, turning each painting into a detailed map or tapestry to be explored. The consistent presence of bunnies and carrots, woven into the architecture, flora, and fauna of each world, creates a delightful through-line that makes the disparate artworks feel part of a cohesive, if absurd, universe.

Sound Design & Atmosphere:
The sound design is minimalist but effective. The interface sounds (clicks, chimes, UI ticks) are soft and non-intrusive. More importantly, the optional music per artwork is a stroke of genius. A gentle, melodic track for a sun-drenched meadow, a slightly more mysterious tune for a twilight forest—these audio layers directly inform the player’s emotional state and sense of place. It transforms the task from a visual search into an immersive audiovisual experience. The overall soundscape is instrumental, ambient, and non-lyrical, ensuring it never distracts from the primary task of looking.

6. Reception & Legacy: The Quiet Success of Niche Mastery

Contemporary Reception (2024):
Critically, the game exists in a peculiar space. On Metacritic, it currently has no critic reviews, a common fate for ultra-niche indie titles. However, on Steam, it holds a perfect 100% “Overly Positive” rating from 6 user reviews at the time of writing. This tiny sample size indicates very low sales volume but absolute satisfaction among those who purchased. As tracked by Raijin.gg and Steambase, it has sold approximately 377 units with a gross revenue of ~$858, and an average playtime of 1 hour. These are not blockbuster numbers, but for a $3.99 “cosy snack” game, they represent a perfectly sustainable model.

Commercial Strategy & Bundles:
The game’s commercial life is inextricably linked to the “I commissioned some…” series bundles. It is featured in:
* Series 4 – Hidden Object Games (9 titles, 9% off)
* Hidden Bunnies (11 titles, 12% off)
* All Hidden Object Games (71 titles, 8% off)
This bundling strategy is key to its legacy and revenue. It converts curious players into collectors and turns the series itself into a commodity. A user interested in Bunnies 4 is presented with an entire library of similar, low-cost, high-volume experiences. The Steam page explicitly encourages this: “Check out the entire I Commissioned Some collection on Steam.”

Legacy & Influence:
Bunnies 4’s influence is not in changing AAA design but in perfecting a micro-genre template. It demonstrates that a hidden object game can be:
1. Artist-first: Valuing the commissioned art as the primary product.
2. Player-respecting: Offering infinite help, no penalties, and full agency.
3. Replayable by design: Through the “restore” mechanic.
4. Commercially flexible: Built for bundles and series-driven consumption.
The PC Gamer article citing the series as having “cracked the code” highlights its role as a proof-of-concept for a scalable, sustainable model for cozy indie development. It suggests a path where a developer can thrive by producing a high volume of small, polished, aesthetically distinct experiences for a dedicated audience, rather than chasing the next big hit.

7. Conclusion: A Perfect Artifact of Its Time

I commissioned some bunnies 4 is not a game for everyone. It will not feature in “Top 100 Games of All Time” lists. Its lack of narrative, simplistic mechanics, and modest scope place it firmly in a specific, humble category. Yet, within that category, it is virtually flawless. It succeeds at what it sets out to do with a purity and consideration that is rare in any medium, let alone the often-transactional world of game stores.

Its place in video game history is not as a landmark of technological innovation or narrative complexity, but as a cornerstone of the modern “cozy” and “hyper-casual” indie landscape. It embodies a philosophy: that fun can be quiet, that satisfaction can come from completion without competition, and that a game can be a gallery, a meditation aid, and a gentle puzzle all at once. For players seeking a respite, a digital sensory experience, or a hundred hours of rabbit-hunting across dozens of fantastical illustrations, I commissioned some bunnies 4 and its vast family tree offer a uniquely generous and well-crafted sanctuary. It is, in the end, exactly what it claims to be: a relaxing game about finding bunnies. And in that simplicity, it finds its profound and lasting power.