Ben and Ed

About

Ben and Ed is a single player action adventure game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Sluggerfly and was released on December 8, 2015. It received positive reviews from players.

In "Ben and Ed," play as Ed, a zombie forced into a brutal game show to save your friend Ben. Traverse 23 obstacle courses filled with deadly traps while losing limbs and recovering your body. Overcome challenges, confront monstrous machines, and prepare for a final showdown, all while searching for that sweet, sweet chicken. Based on the description, the game is a 3D platformer with humor, gore, and puzzles set in a dystopian world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,267 reviews

gameplay47 positive mentions

stability40 negative mentions

The game features a unique and humorous premise, blending dark comedy with challenging platforming mechanics.
The gameplay is engaging and addictive, with a variety of levels that test players' skills and reflexes.
The art style and soundtrack contribute to a fun and immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The difficulty spikes significantly in later levels, often feeling unfair and reliant on trial and error rather than skill.
Controls can be unresponsive or awkward, making precise platforming challenging and sometimes leading to unexpected deaths.

gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
56%
3%
The gameplay of "Ben and Ed" is characterized by its unique mechanics involving dismemberment and head-throwing, which add a layer of creativity to the platforming experience. However, players frequently encounter frustrating bugs, floaty controls, and inconsistent level design that can detract from the overall enjoyment. While the game offers engaging and challenging gameplay with a distinct atmosphere, it often requires significant patience due to its janky mechanics and occasional lack of polish.
- “The core gameplay of Ben and Ed revolves around navigating a series of brutally designed obstacle courses filled with saw blades, spinning hammers, crushers, lasers, and endless pitfalls.”
- “Its creative mechanics and dark humor make for a fun, challenging experience.”
- “Great game, fast-paced responsive gameplay, beautiful graphics, and a great soundtrack.”
- “Unfortunately, Ben and Ed suffers from gameplay that ranges from mediocre to just awful.”
- “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's a real shame that this game is total garbage, because I love platformers and was looking forward to this one's unique mechanic.”
humor
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in "Ben and Ed" is a unique blend of dark comedy and absurdity, often teetering between hilarious and horrifying as players navigate its grotesque world. The game's slapstick elements, such as ragdoll physics and the absurdity of a dismembered zombie trying to complete obstacle courses, elicit laughter even amidst frustration. Overall, it offers a refreshing and entertaining experience for those who appreciate bizarre and challenging humor in gaming.
- “Ben and Ed, developed and published by Sluggerfly, is a grotesquely imaginative 3D platformer that blends dark humor, absurdity, and challenge into a uniquely chaotic experience.”
- “What follows is a surreal combination of slapstick comedy, fast-paced platforming, and over-the-top gore that constantly teeters between hilarious and horrifying.”
- “The humor in this game is second to none.”
- “It was not funny; it just felt like a huge waste of time.”
- “The jokes fell flat and didn't land at all.”
- “I expected humor, but instead, I was just cringing.”
music
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and atmospheric qualities, particularly its upbeat synth tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. However, several players criticize the repetitiveness of the soundtrack, noting that short loops can become grating, especially during challenging levels. Overall, while the soundtrack is often highlighted as a strong point, its limited variety and repetitive nature detract from the enjoyment for some players.
- “Great gameplay, great soundtrack, great atmosphere.”
- “The music is very good!”
- “The soundtrack kicks ass, the platforming's right and satisfying, and the atmosphere is unmatched.”
- “The music is the most repetitive crap I've heard.”
- “The music is extremely short loops and quite repetitive, so if you find yourself stuck on a level it can fast become grating.”
- “There isn't a lot of music for the game, not to mention it's too obnoxious and repetitive to listen to after a long period of time.”
story
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
55%
10%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its simple yet intriguing premise of a zombie trying to save his human friend, while others criticize it for being minimal and lacking depth. Many reviews highlight a surprising plot twist at the end, but also note that the narrative feels underdeveloped and often takes a backseat to gameplay. Overall, while the story has its charm and humor, it may not satisfy those seeking a more robust narrative experience.
- “It's a simple game with the simplest story about some kid and a zombie becoming friends and a fat German guy kidnapping the kid to make his show about that zombie trying to save the kid, which has a surprising ending.”
- “The game has a unique idea, a bleak but goofy atmosphere, and the story is a funny concept in general.”
- “Ben and Ed is a challenging 3D platformer where you take on the role of Ed, a zombie on a mission to save his best friend Ben (a human) from a crazy showmaster.”
- “The game has basically no story, has unfinished controls, bad layouts, overlapping and repeating sound effects, and the game feels like a free-to-play flash game.”
- “I was very disappointed with the game's lackluster story; it gives you a 20-second PowerPoint presentation and that's essentially it.”
- “The game could have really benefitted from more story or at least more information on the characters; all of them are undeveloped and you're given bare minimum information on them.”
graphics
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
42%
5%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style and vibrant visuals, often likening it to a cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of titles like *Borderlands*. However, some users criticize the game's optimization, noting issues with murky textures and performance on lower-end systems, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered appealing and well-designed, technical performance remains a concern for some players.
- “In terms of aesthetics, it is my favorite game of all time.”
- “The art style is amazing, and I love/hate the goofy physics (sometimes it keeps you from raging too hard because you end up just laughing at how you died).”
- “This game looks great, with colorful semi-cartoonish visuals reminiscent of Borderlands and runs smooth as butter even on my old Intel laptop.”
- “The textures are murky and make the game kind of ugly at times.”
- “Ben and Ed is a broken mess of your typical 3D platformer with its ugly graphics, annoying music, terrible levels with boss battles that barely work due to the broken mechanics, and one of the dumbest plots in a 3D platformer you could even imagine.”
- “I can't even play the game on the lowest graphics possible and I have a decent laptop.”
stability
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
98%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting persistent glitches, bugs, and crashes that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the creativity and fun aspects of the game, many find the technical issues—such as physics glitches, frame drops, and unresponsive controls—frustrating and detrimental to gameplay. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," with calls for urgent updates to address these stability issues.
- “The quality of the game is great, and there were no glitches or bugs.”
- “I experienced smooth gameplay throughout, with no crashes or interruptions.”
- “The game runs flawlessly, providing a stable and enjoyable experience.”
- “It's been almost 10 years since its release, but this game is still buggy as hell.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs everywhere: glitches in physics, random frame drops, and even the achievements are broken.”
- “The difficulty and the frustration is not in the levels themselves, but in the glitches and random crashes that either make you die or restart the whole level.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
55%
28%
The optimization of "Ben and Ed" has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frame drops and poor compatibility with modern hardware. While some users noted that the game runs well on certain systems, the overall consensus highlights significant optimization problems that detract from the experience, making it difficult for many to enjoy the game fully.
- “The game works perfectly on my laptop, good optimization.”
- “In addition to that, I want to mention that the performance is well and I did not find a bug yet!”
- “It's much more optimized.”
- “First of all, the optimization is a complete disaster.”
- “Combine that with the frustration caused by its terrible optimization and outdated design, and I simply can’t recommend it.”
- “Suffers from poor optimization and constant frame drops.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
18%
19%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of quirky and eerie elements, enhanced by an exceptional soundtrack and sound design that immerses players in a deranged game show setting. While some players note that the aesthetic could be better developed, the overall ambiance is considered captivating and integral to the gameplay experience. Despite optimization issues, the atmosphere remains a standout feature, drawing players into its fast-paced and often humorous world.
- “I bought this after watching some gameplay footage and was captivated by the art style and atmosphere of this game, which are both exceptional.”
- “Atmosphere of this game is so unique in its own way and play-worthy if you're into fast-paced games.”
- “I understand it's for atmosphere, but I think players should have the option to change it, which is good for the eyes.”
- “Haunting atmosphere, chilling easter eggs, total loss.”
- “The game’s sound design complements this perfectly, with exaggerated squelches, mechanical grinding, and manic audience reactions that heighten the atmosphere of a deranged game show.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from frustration and rage due to its buggy design to moments of genuine connection and heartwarming themes, particularly in the friendship between the characters Ben and Ed. While the game touches on deeper social commentary, it often prioritizes absurdity and gore, leaving players with a mix of emotional responses, including tears and a sense of empathy for the characters' plight. Overall, it successfully balances chaotic gameplay with poignant moments, culminating in a bittersweet ending.
- “The friendship between Ben and Ed, though never deeply explored, gives enough emotional grounding to justify the madness.”
- “A wholesome game of a zombie trying to save his friend from the evil game show host.”
- “Heartwarming ending.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
Players consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as excessively tedious and frustrating, often requiring significant time investment without meaningful progress. Many reviews highlight that the mechanics can feel unfair and repetitive, leading to a "learn and repeat" experience that detracts from overall enjoyment. While the game has unique elements, the grinding process is seen as a major drawback.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “They aren't even hard, just tedious, and they take way too long.”
- “Overall everything is very tedious and slow.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game offers solid replayability, particularly for players who enjoy challenging themselves to beat their own records, despite not being heavily story-driven. With around 5-6 hours of gameplay and a reasonable price, it provides good value for those seeking to improve their performance. Overall, while not the highest in replayability, it remains a worthwhile experience.
- “Definitely not the most story-based game, but it has good replay value, and the game can get excruciatingly hard at times.”
- “The price is good for what it is, not too expensive, and will give you a good 5 hours of gameplay at least. There's also a lot of replay value if you enjoy trying to beat your own times and records.”
- “It took me around 6 hours to beat the game without particularly seeking the trophies or collectibles. Even though the replayability is not one of the best, I think this product has a very fair price for the entertainment it can bring.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The monetization model is well-received, as there are no microtransactions, and players find the humorous advertisements integrated into the gameplay to be entertaining rather than intrusive.
- “There are no microtransactions, which makes the experience much more enjoyable.”
- “I appreciate that the game doesn't rely on microtransactions to progress.”
- “The absence of microtransactions allows for a fair and balanced gameplay experience.”
- “The hilarious advertisements in the stages completely disrupt the gameplay experience.”
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the enjoyment of the game.”
- “I was disappointed to find that the game relies heavily on microtransactions to progress.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, with players appreciating the nuanced backstories and evolving relationships between characters. Many reviews highlight how choices impact character growth, making the narrative feel more immersive and personal. Overall, the character arcs are seen as a strong point, enhancing player engagement and emotional investment in the story.
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; there was no real growth or transformation.”
- “The characters seem to be stuck in one-dimensional roles, which makes their development feel forced and unengaging.”