Passing by the Xbox stand, I was strongly advised to take an interest in the game from the Plot Twist studio, The Last Case of Benedict Fox, a metroidvania in 2.5.
We play as Benedict, after whom the title is named, a self-proclaimed detective who has shared his existence with a demon since birth, the unfortunate aftermath of a dark ritual gone wrong. The strange collaboration between the mortal and this being from another plane is threatened. Their only hope of survival lies in the depths of a strange mansion, all of whose inhabitants died in murky circumstances.
The graphics do not leave indifferent. You could discover them on the few screenshots of this article. But they also look great on screen, once in play.
The inspiration is multiple and the studio claims its sources, literary and cinematographic, without shame. Already in the choice of the geographical location, the story takes place in the United States, during the first half of the 20th century. And starting in the city of Boston, birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe. The narration is inspired by his prose, as well as the spirit of the writings of HP Lovecraft. The themes also pay homage to Tim Burton films. Or film noir. A style that creates a thick, stuffy and hostile environment. In which the shadow of the hero has a very tangible insurmountable weight. All of these references are meant to immerse the player in an original story, helping to amp up the fantasy vibe. Where the border between reality and imagination is not always very clear.
The central character, thanks to his demon companion, has supernatural abilities that allow him to immerse himself in human memories. He is a dark character, always on the borderline between depression and madness. Other people's secrets are not always very easy to manage.
A metroidvania. Certainly. But also an investigation game. Benedict uses occult artifacts and paranormal powers, as well as the results of his investigations to solve his ultimate case. Most items and skills are useful both in combat and during exploration.
Having been noticed at gamescom, then at Pax West, the game continues its world tour to arrive in Spanish. A well-crafted atmosphere. Effective handling. A promising story. The demo was a little limited, with a lot of locked doors that prevented you from being able to explore everything, but I can't wait to discover the full version when it is released, scheduled for spring 2023. The studio seems to know where it's going anyway. , a solid structure, which already has in its catalog a first success, Drift Zone, released in 2014 under the previous name of the entity (Awesome Industries).
The game will be released on Nintendo Switch, Steam (PC) and, of course, Xbox!
