Developer: Big Brane Studios, Inc.
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PC VR , PS VR, PS VR2, Quest 2, Quest 3
Genre: Adventure
Publisher: Big Brane Studios, Inc.
Sushi Ben is an interactive anime adventure. This game is developed and published by Big Brane Studios, Inc. Sushi Ben is written and created by those who developed Hatoful Boyfriend. This review was done on Windows (Non-VR), but the game is also available for VR consoles and a VR version on Steam.
Sushi Ben is a single-player game where you are a newcomer at Kotobuki town, a small, tranquil seaside town. The peacefulness is disrupted by the arrival of land sharks who aim to buy properties that are close together and transform them into a resort. You, a stranger who is in search of a calmer life, are drawn into the conflicts of the town and become an ally of the sushi bar, helping them and trying to relieve the outside pressure from the land sharks. Sushi Ben is a cosy and whimsical game about the locals, quirky characters and the small town charm. The game features several features for players to indulge in as they enjoy the thrilling adventure ahead.
The controls for Sushi Ben are easy, and most mini games involve holding buttons down, which are interactive. For instance, the fishing mechanic is different from other games and makes the reeling aspect seem much more real. As Sushi Ben was previously released for VR consoles, the first-person point of view is perfect in creating one-on-one interactions with the townsfolk, plus interactions whilst being able to see your hands makes the game seem as if you are playing with VR, even on PC. Now it seems that because the game was prioritised for VR, there were some issues with some controls, where they would be delayed or feel flat in terms of interactivity.
The art style of Sushi Ben is one of the most compelling elements of the game. Its unique and aesthetic 3D environment with the manga styling allows for a pop-up and more dramatic look. The bold lines and exaggerations are amazing and visually pleasing. The colour palette is bright and cheerful with soft shadows that match the game’s lively characters. The different lighting in the game is well controlled. When sunlit, the environment feels cheerful and, in contrast with the heavy and moody effects, fitting the tone of the game, which is going for a pleasant mood. The characters are very expressive with cartoony motions, and their facial expressions, gestures, and body language mimic the anime style, really embracing Japanese culture. My favourite part about the visuals would be the 3D manga-like panels or exaggerated expressions that would almost pop out of the screen to add such emphasis to scenes and emotions. While characters are expressing dialogue, their pastures and expressions change along with their emotions, creating a visual rhythm to the storytelling.
Sushi Ben comes with English or Japanese audio, and I found that the two were extremely different. At first, when I started playing Sushi Ben, I had the English audio on, which I found was very good, as the voice acting matched the portrayal of the characters really well, but after a while, I had switched to Japanese and was shocked by how different the voice acting was. For instance, the tone for Hyaku in English and Japanese was so different, but for some reason, I enjoyed the Japanese voice acting so much more because it was more exaggerated. The dialogue in this game created that anime and manga feel, and the Japanese authenticity seemed essential to the experience as a player. The game has atmospheric music that complements the mood, with gentle ambient sounds that help bring the seaside town to life. The soundtrack is extremely subtle and helps set the pace. It was also interesting to see a great line-up of voice actors from other recognisable works, and their effort really was put into a compelling game.
When it comes to the gameplay of Sushi Ben, you follow the main story, which gets you to meet with different townsfolk to collect ingredients for the sushi restaurant. As you carry out these quests, you are given a tool that you can use as additional side-quests or mini-games. For instance, you are given a fishing rod, a ghost-capturing urn, and a bug’s nest that you can use to enjoy the game and step away from the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the story as it was filled with such funny characters and quests, I mean, who would have thought you would be capturing ghosts at an abandoned warehouse for some sake. As you play through the game, you can also collect collectables, so exploring the town of Kotobuki is very nice. I do love the addition of side-quests like capturing certain fish types or collecting a number of bugs, which helps break up the gameplay. Overall, it took me roughly 8 hours to complete the game without entirely focusing on the side-quests.
The main issue I had with Sushi Ben was the performance, in terms of bugs that were present. Now, of course, I had played the game a bit prior to its release, and with further updates, the developers seem to be fleshing out various bugs, but there were some that just hindered the entire gameplay itself. For instance, the one part in the game where you receive a bug’s nest and need to catch 50 bugs was completely bugged. I had cleared out a total of 45 bugs (out of 50), but no more were present in the paddies (therefore, I had to quit and come to the game on a later day, only to find out it was bugged). Additionally, sometimes when you interact with Hyaku’s inventory, the tools would not appear even if you have access to them. Additionally, during some animation scenes, the characters would also have weird stances or walks, which felt a bit out of place.
Overall, I extremely enjoyed the visual presentation of Sushi Ben, along with the narrative charm and the mood in the game overall. This slice-of-life anime is sweet and funny, with an adventure that keeps you going. I do wish that there was more addition to the town itself, at some points it feels empty and doing the same tasks does feel repetitive, so adding other mechanics may be of interest.
If you want to play a game where you take on an exciting adventure to drive away self-centred land sharks and help out the local sushi restaurant, then this game is just for you. In Kotobuki town, you can fish, catch bugs, capture ghosts, do some archery, and interact with townspeople as you learn more and more about the narrative that unfolds. Sushi Ben is a unique game that leaves players, manga lovers, satisfied. It’s an extremely charming game that wants us to move to the seaside and leave everything behind, so be sure to check out Sushi Ben!
Overall: 8/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
