Benjamin Maltbie


24 games reviewed
83.8 average score
80 median score
50.0% of games recommended
Are you Benjamin Maltbie? If so, email [email protected] to claim this critic page.

In the end, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint never finds its groove.

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - Hitman 3
Feb 3, 2021

Hitman 3, the final game in IO Interactive’s “World of Assassination” trilogy doesn’t deviate from its two immediate predecessors in any major ways. Its gameplay isn’t liable to surprise anybody who has experienced what the semi-rebooted approach to the Hitman franchise has to offer. Instead, its adjustments to the overall formula are more subtle in nature, but the effects are substantial. That said, anybody who decides to jump into the trilogy via its third entry will discover a game that is, arguably, the best title in a series that has differentiated itself from both shooters and stealth games since the 2016 episodic release of Hitman.

Read full review

3.5 / 5.0 - Just Cause 4
Dec 5, 2018

Other than laughter and the occasional satisfaction of seeing a crazy plan come together, Just Cause 4 doesn’t illicit much of an emotional response. It’s ugly, monotone, and almost feels incomplete. Even some of the character animations look lazy, as though the characters themselves are saving their energy for something. The game isn’t without its charm, certainly, but that charm doesn’t amount to much when it is marred by a plethora of other issues. Just Cause 4 approaches its potential, but doesn’t quite seize it. Considering how well the game performs at its peak, that is a real shame.

Read full review

Nov 10, 2017

If Ghost Games can find a way to properly refine and execute their ideas, they're on track to something great. Need for Speed: Payback, however, finishes in the middle of the pack, and that's a damn shame.

Read full review

The world is vivid, and the density of details is on scale with the sort of thing you might find hidden in flavor text or within a franchise’s extended universe, rather than its core content. Despite this, it’s approachable, and the incentive to gather and implement information emphasizes the importance of details which can sometimes be considered tools rather than trivia.

Read full review

Jan 5, 2021

Super Meat Boy Forever is miles apart from Super Meat Boy in terms of gameplay. That said, the charm that captivated gamers ten years ago is still present. It might even be more potent this time around.

Read full review

I have a suspicion that it isn’t a game that will click with everybody. This includes people who would love it but might be turned away by the first few punishing hours. For that reason, it could be an easy game to miss. The franchise also struggles for visibility in the West, which doesn’t help matters at all. If you’ve enjoyed Mystery Dungeon games before, this is a game worth looking into.

Read full review

Nov 12, 2020

There’s a sense that Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is a game that wants to repay longtime fans for their commitment. The music and cutscenes draw from a deep well of nostalgia without relying on it. That said, fans looking for a game that advances the story might be disappointed.

Read full review

Oct 31, 2020

Because of the game’s appearance, it might be a hard sell to some people. I know I will have a tough timing convincing friends to play it, even though it is up their proverbial alley in terms of mechanics and genre. The fact that the game misspells “exchange” in its opening and there was seemingly no effort put into lip syncing might also lead people to worry that it is the sort of low-effort cash-in one might expect from a series with Bikini Samurais. It’s worth pushing past, though, because these aspects of the game sink into the background, save when the occasionally leering camera forces them back into the foreground.

Read full review

Nov 10, 2020

It is undeniable that the series is growing, and it’s admirable that the developers are willing to try new things. Overall, the experience works in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. It’s not a perfect fit, yet, but there’s promise in the series future if they continue to head in a direction that has more RPG elements, and options for a direct approach. It also feels like a proof of concept that they can continue to attempt virtually any setting with a decent chance of success.

Read full review

Oct 6, 2020

It’s Star Wars, though, and cool ships and enormous spectacle are part of the fun. It’s alright that the story isn’t going to win any awards because it still does its job and doesn’t actively detract from the important parts of the game. Star Wars: Squadrons is the most accessible and potentially best way to experience one of the coolest parts of Star Wars.

Read full review

Overall, the people at Toys for Bob have done a wonderful job with the property, and that’s not really surprising. Their past games like Skylanders have tapped into the same lighthearted fun that Crash is known for. They demonstrated an ability to make likable characters in those titles and now they’ve taken a franchise full of likable characters and made them even more likable.

Read full review

Sep 8, 2020

The game is amazing for a weekend, but for several months? For the moment, it seems unlikely. Hopefully that will change.

Read full review

4 / 5.0 - FIFA 19
Sep 19, 2018

This is definitely a good soccer game. It's just not as good as it could be. It should be immediately apparent, due to a lack of modes, if this game isn't for you. For that reason, I might suggest renting the game before jumping in feet first.

Read full review

4.4 / 5.0 - EA Sports UFC 4
Aug 18, 2020

Once you grasp the basics, EA Sports UFC 4 is a deep game that lets you engage with it on your own terms.

Read full review

Apr 2, 2019

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a worthy entry into FromSoftware’s repertoire

Read full review

4.5 / 5.0 - NHL 19
Sep 13, 2018

EA's NHL 19 is a sports simulation, a fantasy league, a social hub, and a comforting arcade game all at once, and that is quite a thing to accomplish.

Read full review

4.5 / 5.0 - Wreckfest
Aug 28, 2019

Wreckfest combines the exact right elements to create something amazing. It's big, ridiculous, loud, and chaotic.

Read full review

4.5 / 5.0 - Mega Man 11
Oct 3, 2018

Mega Man 11 is the convergence point for Mega Man and Mega Man X.

Read full review

4.7 / 5.0 - Death Stranding
Nov 11, 2019

Death Stranding will not be for everybody. It seems meticulously engineered for a pretty specific kind of nerd. My wife, for example, loves this game, and when she loves a game, she dumps hundreds of hours into it. Me? I merely like this game

Read full review