Sushi Ben

Ultimately, the game’s charming visage is enough to overcome some mechanical shortcomings and provide a game that's equal parts relaxing, charming, and goofy.

A lot of people might overlook Sushi Ben due to it being a short, indie visual novel, but those people are overlooking the comedy, the heart, and the wholesomeness that this game brings to the table. This game is not just about helping a sushi bar not be taken over by land sharks; it’s about helping a community that has been taken advantage of find its spark again. Sushi is the common factor that can bring people together and grow a sense of belonging. Sushi Ben has earned a 4 out of 5 stars; sadly, the bugs do bring down the score.

Sushi Ben is a charming story-driven adventure game that is quirky, whimsical, and incredibly vibrant. From an intriguing slice-of-life-esque story told in vibrant, 3D manga panels, simple gameplay that everyone can enjoy, to a cast of colorful, unforgettable characters, it’s a fun journey to experience. However, its weakness lies in its plethora of bugs and glitches, the most common of all being ones that soft-lock players out of the game, which can be quite frustrating to replay.

Sushi Ben is a pleasant little bite-sized experience that can entertain, and if you’re in the mood for a feel-good game, it’s definitely worth a try. Just be wary of the repetitiveness and the weaker content outside the main story.

Sushi Ben is a game that thrives on its story, humour and style. The characters are larger than life, the writing is hilarious, and the manga-inspired visuals give it an unforgettable look. Add in full voice acting, and the world feels full of energy. Now, the gameplay isn’t perfect, and at times, you can feel its VR roots holding it back. A few mechanics are touchy and don’t quite shine as brightly as they might in VR. Even so, the variety of activities, the ability to replay quests, and the sheer charm of the town keep things moving forward.

Sushi Ben is an experience of exploring a colorful world with truly compelling characters, but that ends up as a much weaker game than it should be. The sum is worth less than the quality of its parts and, though it's still possible to have fun with the weirdness of the experience, this project deserved more polish to truly stand out.

I really want to like Sushi Ben, and I perhaps might if I ever pick up a VR headset later down the line. Everything about it is created with VR in mind, and I just don’t think it offers a fun experience without it. I’ll definitely revisit this if I end up moving into VR, though for now it’s hard to recommend Sushi Ben if you only plan to play non-VR on PC.

Playing Sushi Ben kept a smile on my face for every second of playtime so if you want a lighthearted story-based VR game, here you go.