Are you ready to dive into Limbo and explore the memories of the dead?

Well, there's no turning back from this Lovecraftian mystery now!

From titles like the cowboy roguelite Dust & Neon to the comedic jousting game Unicorns on Unicycles, Rogue Games Inc focus their efforts in publishing unique gaming experiences that offer a level of creativity. It comes to no surprise that The Last Case of Benedict Fox matches this publisher incredibly well, as this new title provides an intriguing atmosphere throughout.

Based in the heart and soul of Poland's culture capital, Plot Twist is a development team formed of veterans that worked on major AAA titles such as The Witcher, Hitman and Dead Island series. 

Whilst the idea of The Last Case of Benedict Fox first came around in 2015, with the idea evolving over time from a comic book to a board game, the game's production only came to fruition around five years later in the final form of a video game. 

The title released earlier this year on April 27th, 2023, and is available to pick up both on Steam and the Xbox store. Additionally, if you're subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, you're able to enjoy the game there too! 

METROIDVANIA MADNESS!

There is a long history that encompasses the Metroidvania sub-genre, with the term increasing in popularity through the releases of Metroid and Castlevania (1986) on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and ultimately blending the two names to form a well-loved genre. These titles gained increased popularity for their non-linear platformer action adventures.

A resurgence occurred for the genre, alongside roguelike titles within the indie game scene around the 2010s, with a particular thanks to titles such as Ori and the Blind Forest, Hollow Knight and Dead Cells. 

With more and more developers taking inspiration from these fantastic games, and the players not getting enough of this style of gameplay, you'll be able to find a plethora of brand new Metroidvania games being released with a vast range of different themes.

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

The Last Case of Benedict Fox explores a murder mystery story in the form of a 2.5D cinematic action platformer. You'll take on the role of (you guessed it!) Detective Benedict Fox; traversing between two worlds, from the mysterious mansion in the overworld to the eerie underbelly, also known as Limbo. At his side is a mysterious demonic companion, who actually binds himself to Benedict, and assists him in providing powers for Benedict to use.

The game takes the player on an elaborate journey filled with complex puzzles, supernatural combat and visually stunning environments, however there doesn't seem to be much of a setup to the story, with a bombardment of the world's unfamiliar vernacular and confounding mysteriousness, this makes first diving into the title a little overwhelming and confusing.

With strong tones and clear inspiration from the father of cosmic horror (H.P. Lovecraft's classic fantasy horror stories), lovers of the Lovecraftian theme are sure to appreciate the incredibly immersive art direction and strange atmospheres found within the game.

In an attempt to be transparent, this review is based on my first impressions and overall experience of casually playing The Last Case of Benedict Fox for around two hours with keyboard and mouse. Within this time, I was able to explore a handful of areas and complete the first boss fight (with an almost embarrassing amount of deaths already under my belt).

EXPLORING THE DEPTHS

I found it very easy to get lost in the environments of the game; catching myself wandering around and exploring every nook and cranny in an attempt to not miss a new beautiful scene. From the changes in colour palette between each new area you venture, to the cinematic shadows and lighting, alongside the intricate textures found within the world, the game goes all out when it comes to visual immersion. 

It almost goes without saying that the main focal point of The Last Case Of Benedict Fox for me is the stylistic approach the art direction has taken, as this seems to be the only real aspect the game does overwhelmingly well. 

On a different note, however still in the same vein, the sheer lack of direction the game provides can be a little frustrating at times, particularly if you find yourself at a standstill in progression. You're merely left to revisit areas you've already explored in the hopes of finding something you may have missed in the dimly lit settings, in order to make some headway in the story. 

Of course, some backtracking is to be expected in an unforgiving Metroidvania title, but this is typically accompanied by some type of directional leniency to briefly guide you.

Further discouragement comes with the enemies that seem to be hidden behind the scenery, almost ambushing you when you think you're safe from attack. This seems like a slight oversight in the placement of some enemies, especially with the considerable lack of health Benedict has in these beginning areas. 

Some form of hint system or navigational assistance could prove to be a useful implementation here, and I believe that this would benefit players who may not be fully versed in the Metroidvania genre too.

BRAIN TEASERS TO GET YOU TINGLING

Both in the mansion and Limbo, you'll come across a vast range of locked doors and passageways, blocked off by a number of peculiar otherworldly symbols that you'll have to decipher. These are not the only puzzles you'll need to complete in order to progress either; look forward to bumping into riddles involving music and collectibles too.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox seems almost reluctant to provide hints to the player, which is something commonly found in other puzzle adventures. Often times, I found the conundrums to be a little too vague, so I would proceed with caution if you're looking for a title with puzzles that are a little less complex than this one. 

As a side note, I have a very special place in my heart for Point and Click adventures, which the game seems to borrow some inspiration from when it comes to this core gameplay mechanic. This is certainly an interesting implementation, as it's not entirely conventional for the Metroidvania genre, but it works well and offers a fresh experience overall.

COMBAT QUANDARIES

The combat in The Last Case Of Benedict Fox leaves much to be desired, as the overall clunkiness seems to completely break down the redeeming qualities the game has to offer. The enemies hit hard, and when I say this, I really mean that they can wipe you out in a small handful of hits, so you need to be strategic and understand each enemy's attack cycle and timings. Failing to execute a seemingly simple block or jump due to the control input having a slight delay, is the very definition of unforgiving, so you're having to anticipate every hit a second earlier than it actually occurs.

The boss battle I encountered with The Librarian (the huge fish-like creature with tentacles) felt somewhat underwhelming. I was a bit lost on whether or not I was actually damaging the creature, as there doesn't seem to be any indication, aside from moving onto a different stage within the fight. I would have loved to have been able to keep track of this, either through the use of a health bar or some kind of visual effect of the enemy flinching or seeping blood.

The mechanic of charging up your flare gun with three-hit combos using your blade fell a bit short for me also; it's hard to maintain any form of rhythm within the combat in order to effectively use this mechanic. The overall pacing of the combat seemed like a slower, more strategic playstyle, which I typically don't mind. However when you're facing a number of enemies at once, it's very easy to become overwhelmed when you're trying to land your combos and play slowly.

ENTHRALLING ELDRITCH

I found the user interface to be fairly simple, yet effective. It was easy to navigate and understand each area presented in the menu system, and the stylistic application of the art style worked well with this also. The HUD follows suit, with very minimal components to comprehend; the overall design is pretty straightforward for the player to grasp. 

In the game's option settings, you're able to change a wide range of gameplay features, including difficulty changes to the combat, puzzles and exploration. This makes the game more accessible to players who are hardcore Metroidvania fans or new to the genre completely. 

The ambient sound effects within the game helps to create an eerie, eldritch tone throughout the world. The environmental foley includes cavern rumbling, creature-like enemy growls, and echoes of intelligible noise from the distance. This pairs well with the strenuous grunts of Benedict himself, as he jumps, climbs and attacks his way through the harsh environments. 

Furthermore, the music utilised within The Last Case Of Benedict Fox pays tribute to the game's setting in the twentieth century. With the charming jazz that's just absolutely brimming with nostalgia, alongside the melancholic atmosphere, contrasts wonderfully in creating a very distinct experience which persists throughout the game.

"THE WORLD IS INDEED COSMIC"

Overall, The Last Case Of Benedict Fox has some fantastic features in terms of its immersion and overall atmosphere created through its art direction, sound effects and story. Although the story can seem a little disjointed and complicated at times, I believe there is a great sense of lore and appreciation of H.P. Lovecraft scattered throughout the gameplay, which outweighs the sometimes unnecessary complexities.

In my perspective, the aspects of the game that seemed to be lacklustre, would have to be the clunky, poorly paced combat and overcomplication of particular areas in order to increase the game's core difficulty. Furthermore, I found the entire absence of guidance, disguised as contributing to the story's mystery, to be rather disheartening.

I enjoyed my time playing this title, for the most part, however there's certainly aspects which leave me feeling a little disappointed and unsatisfied. With this being said, I'd be interested to see what Plot Twist have planned for their future titles, as I think they are certainly capable of making a visually stunning world and creating an immersive narrative experience.