Recent reviews by Zubub

Overall I really liked Axoim Verge 2, most of the upgrades were fun a unique compared to other Metroid-vania styles.

early game in Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising still, but already really enjoying it.
the very start i thought combat was a bit off, but I just needed an upgrade after which its far more fluid

overall i think this is a like but more like a 75% or 80%.

The game is large and has some depth but some of the levels appear to be needlessly large for the sake of extending game play while adding little.
i often felt lost and unable to know where i was heading next or why.
the quest section was more mentions of where you saw people opposed to where they wanted you to go or what you were to do for them. While i'm glad it doesn't hold your hand, most hardly even indicated where you may want to go, and i would find it by dumb luck.
I'm this game hosts multiple endings but most seem to be very obscure to find.
Overall liked the game even if the pacing was a bit wonky.

a bullet hell survivor game that seemly came out of nowhere but had much polish as well as a few new tricks from an old pony, runs are shorter but challenging but not bang your face on a wall challenge. been hard to put down.

decent enough for a free game. seems like they lost interest 90% of the way through the game.

overall a decent game, but bogged down by some glaring issues.
def channels Zelda 2 vibes, but the map system in the game in borderline useless, shortcuts often don't work both ways but then some do with no understanding of why.
also seems you need to max WIS or some boss fights will be nearly impossible.

Game seems unfinished, unpolished, and possibly a proof of concept, it was free but i would say just move on. would be nice to see what this could have been if it was properly cared for.

Benedict Fox has captivated me. While it falls under the Metroidvania genre, it deviates from the norm, setting itself apart. Initially, the first hour felt somewhat frustrating as I struggled to grasp its unique mechanics and realized it wasn't following the conventional formula. However, once I embraced its distinctiveness, a wave of delight washed over me and hasn't left.

It's more akin to an old school adventure game peppered with puzzles, all seamlessly integrated into the familiar Metroidvania framework for exploration and combat. This unconventional approach feels like a breath of fresh air and, it works splendidly. What truly impresses me is the developer's daring attempt to chart unexplored territory within the genre, crafting an experience that, as far as I know, stands alone. Benedict Fox has managed to blend novelty with my enjoyment of the game style I love, resulting in a truly captivating gaming experience thus far.

I wish there was a neutral for this game as it doesn't reach to bad, but not sure i'd recommend. platform metroidvania style, the retro color got a bit much, and some of the rooms were fully filler; most were populated just right.
boss fights were too bad and i was able to finish the game >6hrs. For what ever reason this didn't grip me enough to want to 100% it.

This scratched so many itches,
Map design was great, interesting chose to have maps with connection points and not in a direct grid i think this paid off for making each map feel interesting and not dependent on what was adjacent; while at the same item still feeling both connected and flow from one to the next.

While overall boss fights were great, a bit more tuning needed to be done on some of the bosses, Ulv lower it a bit, Blighted Lord up it a bit, Miriel up a slight bit, Hoenir up quite a bit.

I wihs more areas had music there were places that just seemed empty due to the lack of it. but those that did it fit the theme perfectly.

I loved the map auto tracking system, without it giving it fully away, was nice to NOT need pen/paper along side my play session.

Really loved the relic system and ability to customize my play style.

Overall the game did nearly everything right, and the few things it didn't were minor and didn't detract from the overall enjoyment.

10/10 would buy a sequel.