The Last Case of Benedict Fox Preview - Everything We Know So Far- In this The Last Case of Benedict Fox Preview, we are going to dive right into the Lovecraftian Metroidvania’s plot, gameplay features, combat mechanics, and much more! If you want to know more about it, then look no further because we will be consolidating everything we know so far about this hauntingly beautiful game. The Last Case of Benedict Fox is set for release in Spring of 2023 via PC, Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Series X|S.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox Preview - Everything We Know So Far
The Last Case of Benedict Fox Preview - Story and Setting
Gamescom 2022 has been a great event to showcase a long list of intriguing games with unique features to offer. One of them is the winner of the Most Wanted Microsoft Xbox Game Award, and it is none other than The Last Case of Benedict Fox. In thisAction-Adventure, we meet the player character who feels compelled to travel to a mansion filled with dark secrets of the past. Upon entering the premises, he becomes immediately bound to a demon companion whose motivations are questionable yet advantageous in certain respects.
You then head to the Library where a piece of paper with ancient language catches your attention. Studying it closer reveals that the note talks about a Forgotten Ritual, and to understand it further, you will have to retrieve the corresponding pages as well.
Going back to your companion, he will not only provide you with demonic skills in addition to your weapons but will also grant you the ability to travel to Limbo to peer into the minds of the dead. Doing so lets you venture into your father’s subconscious to assume the role of a detective - Benedict Fox himself. His death has led you to investigate the secrets that he kept from you all of these years. In one of the trailers, you literally read the last case of Benedict Fox involving a certain “James Marvin Lloyd” with the description written as, “Possible relationship to subject (Father)”.
See, this LovecraftianMetroidvaniawill set you off in multiple dimensions blossoming with secret organizations. What makes the game all the more twisted are the bloody murders you will discover as well as the rituals connected to them. Your goal is to solve a grisly murder involving a couple together with the mysterious disappearance of their child.
One striking discovery as shown in the Developer Walkthrough with Creative Director Bart Lesiakowski, is an item known as the Mother’s embrace, which appears to be a necklace. It has an anecdote tied to it in terms of how a certain ‘he’, possibly James, survived ‘her’ abuse and was therefore proud of being able to plow through life nonetheless. This could refer to the victims’ tumultuous relationship when they were still alive.
Being a detective is not going to be easy because you will have to plunge yourself into the memories of those who have perished to get to the bottom of it all. This will allow you to pick apart their dark pasts as you dive into another realm, which is known as Limbo. Take note that the Dimension is where real-life events occur, and in this case, it is the abandoned mansion where the murder has taken place. Being able to piece together the clues you gather from either world will help you uncover the secrets within.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox Preview - Gameplay Features
In The Last Case of Benedict Fox, the gameplay loop is straightforward in that you will have to go back and forth between the Dimension and Limbo. Doing so will help you synthesize clues together while restocking your supplies to fight against the terrifying creatures that plague the psyches of the dead.
In the demon realm, you will be facing multiple factions, each with their respective goals and agendas. To survive, numerous skills and a few weapons will be available at your disposal. Making use of the environment to utilize the space around you is highly encouraged in such encounters. There will also be puzzles to solve and budding nightmares to escape from so you need to be prepared.
Skills and Tattoos
Collecting enough currency while you are exploring the depths of Limbo will allow you to “Get Inked” to unlock new skills from the Tattooist. Getting tattoos means gaining access to certain abilities such as Grab and Slam. Some of them are even prerequisites for stronger skills so when Slam is unlocked, you can acquire Power Slam later on. The basic skill is similar toHollow Knight’sDesolate Divewhere you could destroy the rickety ground beneath you to reveal new levels.
Exploration
The walkthrough has revealed to us some of the locations in the real world that we will get to investigate such as a neat study room containing the valuables of a certain Tomas De Fernandez. He might be a relative of the family or someone close to them simply because he has a key in his wallet. This key will give you access to the other side of the basement where a Golem is being experimented on. You cannot help but wonder what atrocities may have been committed before in the name of the Forgotten Ritual.
While you are traversing Limbo, you may readily view sections of the routes you have already passed by zooming out of the map. This is a neat feature because the art style changes into a sketchbook-like drawing with black, white, and gray hues depicting previously discovered locations. It is worth noting that every Limbo features different biomes and enemy types so you can expect to see a richer array of designs and challenges as you continue to descend into the psyche of others.
Meanwhile, in the real-world dimension, you will be able to visit Harry Houdini who sells various items to help you survive the perilous and haunting journeys ahead. You can purchase a Smoke Bomb to distract enemies or a Flashlight to navigate your way in dark places. You are also presented with options to upgrade them however you like. One example in the trailer is a Kogal Pin, which when enhanced, lets you improve the snare duration, letting you lockpick your way to gaining access to hidden passages.
The beginning of the walkthrough shows Benedict slicing an enemy into pieces with his knife as he effectively staggers them in the process. He also has a gun to shoot them from a respectable distance. Now, these creatures comprising flesh and bone are just a small subset of the demons you will be meeting because there are larger and other hostile figures as well. I wonder if we will be able to pick up other weapons or if we will be more reliant on demonic abilities due to our companion.
Several powers have been featured thus far like obliterating an enemy at point-blank range and throwing them in mid-air before shooting them. Additionally, it does not seem like you will be donning armor of any sort or blocking incoming attacks. Instead, you will jump upward or backward to protect yourself from taking damage.
My one caveat with some encounters is that the lanky demons do not seem to move as fast as one would expect. This results in fights, which are not as engaging and may therefore feel stale after a few hours. Then again, the release date is several months away so their reaction times can still be improved.
Visuals and Audio
The Last Case of Benedict Fox’s visual and audio design are very much in sync with one another. You are presented with an art style, which is reminiscent of Tim Burton’s movies filled with grotesque, eccentric, and unique landscapes and characters. Even “door knobs” are extremely odd since their fingers are seemingly glued to their teeth, making you question the state of mind of the deceased you are visiting. This Metroidvania is a visual feast unlike any other with vibrant and distinct colors popping in and out of every location. It manages to strike a great balance between what’s beautiful and strange at the same time.
Meanwhile, the audio is also decent in that the attacks you make with the weapons you wield sound effective in dealing notable damage. But the same could not be said for your demonic powers, which have to be improved to feel and sound heavier. Doing so will convincingly show that these are indeed impactful, and will therefore cause pain to your enemies. Additionally, the soundtrack and voice acting are both delightful to listen to as they amplify the experiences of being trapped in the malicious and terrifying minds of others.
Final Thoughts
The Last Case of Benedict Fox is an intriguing descent into madness in which we experience the Lovecraftian horrors that reside in the subconscious of the deceased. Exploring multiple and meticulously designed realities is an amazing quality of this action-adventure Metroidvania, which will keep us coming back for more. Here’s hoping that Plot Twist will provide a beta for the game since Spring 2023 is quite a long wait.
Will The Last Case of Benedict Fox be as nuanced and charming as Hollow Knight? Will it succeed in blending mystery with horror? Will you also meet and form relationships with humans who can travel in different realms? After all… “you are not the only one who can descend into Limbo.”
What are your thoughts on The Last Case of Benedict Fox? What gameplay mechanics would like to know more about? Let us know in the comments below! For more Gamescom 2022 coverage, be sure to check outHarvestella Deep Dive Shown at Nintendo Treehouse: LiveandPentiment the Narrative Adventure RPG Releases November 15th.
