42° and Mist
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When The Last Case of Benedict Fox was showcased at Steam Next Fest, it appeared as if it could be a great new Metroidvania with a unique visual aesthetic. The demo played well enough and it had elements from modern video games to make the experience feel different. Then the full game came out and it feels just difficult for the sake of being difficult, and not in a fun Dark Souls, Elden Ring, or Cuphead-type way, which will probably leave players more frustrated than entertained.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox is a 2D side-scrolling platformer (commonly called “Metroidvania” because the format was popularized by games like Metroid and Castlevania) where the player assumes control of Benedict Fox as he seeks to solve the mystery of who murdered his father in a warped, Lovecraftian world.
First and foremost, the game's biggest positive is the visual aesthetic. It commits to the Lovecraftian horror feel and the narrative commits to this as well so it all ties together. The music and sound mix are unique and help maintain the mood. That said, the aesthetic is the only positive of the game considering the gameplay has substantial issues on every front. The progression system is also competently made and the way it impacts the physical appearance of Benedict Fox is kind of unique in this genre.
It is admirable that the game is attempting to mix some elements of say a Souls-like and implement it into this genre, however there are key issues in the gameplay that keep it from working properly. A game that lives in the space of being so hard it is fun requires tight controls and a responsive game so the player can feel themselves improving as they figure out how to play the game. The Last Case of Benedict Fox does not have this and instead lives in a space where the controls are too loose for the game to play the way it needs to. There are sequences that are made more difficult purely because the controls do not operate with the efficiency that they need to within the confines of the game.
At the same time, the puzzles are incredibly difficult, to an almost sadistic degree. Not only are the puzzles difficult, but the game withholds hints to the point where it just makes them frustrating rather than engaging and entertaining where when one figures out the puzzle’s solution, they do not feel like they accomplished something, it’s more of a frustration that they had to go through that at all.
The problems with the game definitely outweigh the positives, but that said, if someone just wants to get lost in the world for a few hours, it is available on Game Pass for both Xbox and PC so they can download it and try it for free (if they have Game Pass). That said, there are also way more games on these services that are more worthwhile for one’s time to play.
Final rating: 5/10
