2/5 ★ – evasglory's review of Ben and Ed.
While I was playing Ben and Ed, I was thinking to myself "This is such a cool concept for a platformer! These levels have been lame so far, but I can't wait to see the clever and interesting ways they play around with this mechanic!" And then the credits appeared and the game was over.
I really did want to like Ben and Ed, because the core mechanic of your limbs being detachable is genuinely brilliant. However, this game is plagued with poor and frustrating level design, floaty controls, frequent and occasionally progress hindering bugs, and just a general lack of creativity aside from that one core mechanic. It would have been nice to see ways you could use cutting off limbs to your advantage, like maybe having levels revolved around going through it without arms or legs or what have you. Instead, Ben and Ed feels just like your standard action platformer except for the fact that you can play without some of your limbs and you may have to throw your head sometimes. The only semblance of creativity would be in the sections where you have to throw your head into small spaces and get through a tiny platforming section rolling around as just your head. It's sort of fun, but it's the only thing they do with your detachable limbs and they repeat it multiple times throughout the game.
***SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING AHEAD***
The ending is also extremely underwhelming. The level itself might actually be the easiest level in the game aside from the tutorials and it doesn't make sense for the narrative. What in God's name did Hans think was going to happen when he let Ed reunite with Ben? If he thought he was going to win, why didn't he try to rig Ed's course or something? It's just a really stupid idea on Hans's part and lazy writing on the writers'. I also wasn't sure what I was supposed to be feeling at the end when Ed started eating Ben. Was I supposed to feel sad or regretful that Ed was eating his friend? Was it supposed to be poetic and I should have been happy? I really just ended up confused more than anything.
Buy this game if you want to be disappointed. Otherwise, I wouldn't suggest it.