Ben and Ed - Platform Game Combines Horror with Hilarity

A Story About Ed the Zombie and His Bestie

Come One, Come All!

Everybody loves a good game show! The classics combine action, heartbreak, and triumph into something genuinely great. Ben and Ed, the 2015 3D platform title from Sluggerfly Studios, provides a unique twist on grand old game shows.

Platform Game Combines Horror with Hilarity

Play as Ed the Zombie. His best friend, Ben, is kidnapped by an evil game show host. The only way to rescue Ben is to face off against the evil Hans Showmaker and undertake the gross (and at times hilarious) "Rundead" competition!

Straight Forward Plat-former

The Ben and Ed game does not have a lot of fancy bells or whistles. It proudly displays that it's a classic platform game from the get-go. The menu screen offers a glimpse of all the levels ahead. Beating the levels in numerical order is how you'll progress through this gruesome, wacky tale as Ed the Zombie.

Avoid tons of blades, hammers, and other deadly hazards while racing towards the finish line. Eventually, though, you'll slip up. Luckily, Ed is a zombie! As such, he has plenty of disposable parts. Losing a leg or arm doesn't mean that your chances are over.

Crawl, hop, or do whatever it takes to reach that next checkpoint.

3D Levels Leave Players Craving Substance

As we've mentioned, Ben and Ed struggle with being too simple. It translates into the level design, as well. Many of them feature straight or curvy paths to follow. The occasional verticality in the levels is nice, but it doesn't make up for mostly black, stationary backgrounds. Falling off almost always means death in the black pit of despair.

This leaves Ben and Ed feeling empty, like a creepy game show that the network hasn't picked up. Imagine an empty studio giving off ridiculous vibes; this may be part of the comedy of Ben and Ed. Either way, it doesn't translate great and makes things feel repetitive somewhere around Level 15.

The over-the-top sound effects bring some wackiness and campiness back into Ben and Ed. Everything about the graphics and audio is average, so 2.5/5. They're not the worst and not the best.

Easy to Pick Up, Easier to Master

Are you starting to see a pattern here? Ben and Ed isn't going to blow your mind with its game-play, either. Pick a level from the main screen and start running. Ed has to dodge things like spinning blades, swinging hammers, and plumes of bubbling hot lava! Additionally, there are collectibles in each level that unlock special outfits for Ed.

Yeah, it sounds terrifying at first. About halfway through, you'll probably be speed-running through to finish the story. That's where this game excels.

A Tale as Old as Zombies

The tale of Ben the Boy and Ed the Zombie is something charming. Certainly, the twist at the end of this short platform game deserves your time. Yes, the graphics, game-play, and level design are all simple. Sometimes, though, it's nice to know what you're getting in a game.

TL/DR

Ben and Ed is the plat-former story of what happens when a zombie's best friend is kidnapped by an evil game show host, and forced to compete-- yes, seriously!