Mow down countless crops and corrupt critters while crafting game-breaking builds! Pesticide Not Required is an action roguelite bullet heaven game with farming sim elements that offers a myriad of stats and special character traits to create wildly diverse run possibilities.
Players can plant crop seeds, tend to their farms, and harvest the yields to gain experience and currency. Similarly, they can fish to earn experience, and mine ore deposits to earn money. These additional gameplay elements provide more to do beyond just defeating enemy hordes, adding meaningful variety and depth to the core bullet hell experience.
Instead of random drops or level-ups, players purchase seed packets that they can plant and grow into new weapons over time. This allows for a sense of progression, as players can strategically invest in upgrading certain weapons to suit their playstyle. The dual upgrade paths for each weapon also give players more control over how their arsenal develops, encouraging experimentation.
The game features over 20 unique frog characters, each with their own starting stats, traits, and preferred weapon types. This variety encourages players to try out different frog builds and discover synergies between the character's strengths and the available upgrades. The diverse cast keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging across multiple playthroughs.
With each run lasting around 15-20 minutes, the game is designed for quick, repeated playthroughs. The satisfying loop of planting crops, battling enemies, and upgrading one's character or home creates a highly addictive experience that many players find difficult to put down. The short session length also makes the game well-suited for pickup-and-play gaming.
The various systems, such as farming, fishing, mining, and combat, are skillfully woven together. Players can often multitask, tending to their crops while also fending off enemies or collecting resources. This creates a sense of efficiency and flow, as players optimize their time and actions to maximize their progress.