Game: Bee Simulator: The Hive
Genre: Adventure, Education, Simulation
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows), PlayStation and Xbox)
Developer|Publisher: Varsav Game Studios | Untold Tales
Age Rating: EU 7 | US Everyone
Price: US $24.99 | UK 22.49 | EU € 24.99
Release Date: November 28th, 2025
Review code provided with many thanks to Wire Tap Media.
Bee Simulator: The Hive – A Sim With Buzz
Bee Simulator: The Hive is the return of a small but surprisingly warm-hearted game, bundled now as a complete edition that includes the original Bee Simulator and the full Hive expansion. It’s one of those simulator titles that catches you off guard, in a genre where quality can swing dramatically from one game to the next, this one leans firmly toward the sweet and satisfying end. Simulator games can feel a bit like a box of chocolates with no map: you taste something wonderful, or you bite into that odd mint piece you didn’t want. Thankfully, Bee Simulator: The Hive lands much closer to the lovely chewy centre.
It’s worth noting that I never played the original version, so for me this was a first-time experience with both the base game and the expansion. Some impressions will inevitably overlap with long-standing praise or criticism of the original release, but this package offers everything together in one place, so that feels fitting.
Life as a Honeybee
The game places you quite literally in the tiny legs of a honeybee born into a bustling hive. From the moment you emerge, you are promptly given your role: collect pollen, support the colony, and serve your queen. The opening story frames your hive as being at risk due to human interference, with your home unfortunately, positioned in a park clearly inspired by Central Park. The early narrative revolves around protecting your hive’s future as humans prepare to remove the tree your colony lives in.
While the story provides purpose, much of the enjoyment comes from the lighter moments. Bee Simulator is built around small, eccentric tasks and playful mini-challenges. Gathering pollen is simple but oddly relaxing: you fly through glowing rings near flowers and can activate “Bee Vision” to spot rarer blooms that grant richer pollen. Once your tiny bee storage is full, you return to the hive before heading out again.
Beyond gathering pollen, you can dive into short races, perform memory-based waggle dances to communicate with other bees, and even engage in little battle sequences. These scuffles are more quick-time events than combat, and they keep things extremely safe for the family-friendly audience the game is clearly aiming for. Fight a wasp or big bug, hit the correct button to dodge and counter, and move on. Nothing here disrupts the game’s gentle atmosphere.
An educational layer also sits right beneath the surface. Bee Simulator quietly teaches the basics bee roles, workers, scouts, drones, and queens, and continually highlights how important bees are to our ecosystem. A codex of information is provided to deepen the learning. For younger players and bee enthusiasts, this blend of information and gentle gameplay works nicely. Additionally, you can unlock several breeds of bees to play as, some real and some more fictitious. You can even give your bee a fine hat and add a coloured trail as you fly about.
The Hive Expansion
The addition of The Hive gives this complete edition more weight. Instead of simply being another bee in the colony, you’re able to build, shape, and manage your own hive. You gather resources, expand your structure, and add decorative or functional buildings. It doesn’t transform the game into a deep management simulation, but it does offer a pleasant sense of progression and something meaningful to work toward after the main adventure. At the end of the day its more Bee antics to keep you playing.
Visuals and Performance
The game leans toward realism in its art direction, but on the Nintendo Switch, that means things can look a little rough around the edges. The flowers and environments are pleasant enough, but human characters in particular have that slightly bland, mannequin-like look you often see in simulation titles. Still, the overall world is colourful and readable, and children especially will likely find it appealing. You can explore the park, the Zoo and meet all sorts of animals. There are plenty of moments for a little one to point and ask questions.
The voice acting deserves a mention. The game has full spoken dialogue, and while the actors clearly had fun, the delivery is more amusing than convincing. Bee voices don’t sound quite like you’d imagine, but the charm is there, and younger players won’t think twice about it.
Controls are okay, but can be finicky. Flying is handled with the analogue stick, while the bumper buttons move your altitude. It’s comfortable to use in the chilled-out moments of gameplay, but can feel awkward when racing.
Playing Together
One of the biggest surprises is the inclusion of split-screen co-op. You can play together on dedicated maps in both cooperative and competitive modes, which is ideal for families. Even without picking up a controller, children may simply enjoy watching the adventures unfold; my own little one was completely engrossed despite the semi-realistic visuals, which I’d expected might put him off.
This isn’t a game that pressures you. It’s gentle, easy-going, and comforting. You can follow the main quest whenever you like or simply fly around the park, meet animals, and complete side activities at your own pace. Being a bee is surprisingly calming.
Conclusion: Bee Yourself
Bee Simulator: The Hive is absolutely the definitive version of the game. The only hesitation is for those who already played the original Bee Simulator; whether it’s worth double-dipping depends entirely on how much you loved it the first time. But for newcomers, this is undoubtedly the version to get.
It’s a relaxed, family-friendly experience with educational touches, a sweet atmosphere, and just enough variety to keep things light and pleasant. It’s not deeply challenging, but an additional hard mode is optional. It’s simply a cosy game about being a bee, exploring a park, and caring for a hive.
I enjoyed my time with it far more than expected, and for families, younger players, or anyone looking for something warm and low-stress, it’s easy to recommend.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot
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