ben-there-dan-that posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Zombie Cow's Marshall: All journos should have to make a game

by Justin McElroy { Oct 12th 2009 at 5:00PM }

Zombie Cow's Dan Marshall has always walked in two worlds, writing editorials and reviews for PCZone as he programmed his first game, Gibbage. As he (and partner Ben Ward) went on to create adventure games like Ben There, Dan That, he found the experience extremely helpful. So helpful, he told Gamasutra, that he thinks every journalist should have the same experience.

"As a developer I think you're slightly more understanding of the process involved, but as a gamer you know whether or not you're having a good time," Marshall said. "I think all games journos should be forced to make a game somehow, see how they get on. It gives you a more rounded perspective."

Luckily, we've got Marshall's request covered.

Dan and Ben return for 'Revenge of the Balloon-Headed Mexican'

by Justin McElroy { Sep 1st 2009 at 9:30AM }

In the parlance of its stars, we've got some absolutely brillo news for you today. Zombie Cow Studios has just announced the first of the episodic Dan and Ben games (a follow-up to the delightful adventures Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentlemen, Please): Revenge of the Balloon-Headed Mexican.

ZCS's Dan Marshall says that these new episodes (which will be around the length of an actual television program) will allow Dan and Ben to split up and will be less "overtly parodic" than previous undertakings.

Also, according to Marshall's Twitter feed, the company's found a worse puzzle than the one from TGP involving Hitler's bloody stool. So ... there's that.

Steam offers Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentlemen, Please! bundle

by David Hinkle { Aug 26th 2009 at 4:00AM }

Frequent listeners to the Joystiq Podcast know that we have nothing but love for Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentlemen, Please!. Heck, we dig the games so much, we even managed to group some words together on them for our website here. Long story short: They're great games, and if you haven't checked them out yet, consider this post the shot in the arm you desperately need.

Now, if you're a Steam user, know the two games are available in one bundle for the low price of $4.99 (the same as the official site). Can we expect Ben and Dan's episodic adventures to continue on Steam, as well? Probably.

Zombie Cow to make episodic Dan and Ben games

by Justin McElroy { Aug 18th 2009 at 9:00AM }

Well, this is the perfect way to start a Tuesday morning. Zombie Cow Studios, the guys behind the brilliant Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentlemen, Please have told Rock, Paper, Shotgun that they're working on new, episodic adventures for Dan and Ben, prompted in part by the game's ridiculously good critical reception.

Chunks of the new series will be short -- hovering around an hour -- and self-contained, so newcomers can hop on at any point. Well, "newcomers" is Zombie Cow's Dan Marshall's language. We prefer to call people who haven't played Ben There, Dan That "bad people."

Review: Time Gentlemen, Please!

by Justin McElroy { Jul 16th 2009 at 11:30AM }

I have a tough confession to make, so try not to judge me. Most adventure games that are supposed to be funny ... they don't really make me laugh. I mean, I get that they're amusing, which, combined with the joy of solving the occasional clever puzzle, is enough to keep me playing. There's humor in them, but I always just sort of "get it," instead of it getting me.

Time Gentlemen, Please! gets me. In fact, it slays me. The new PC adventure game from Zombie Cow Studios has not only some really brain-wrenching puzzles but humor that feels as sharp and inventive as I'm sure LucasArts classics felt back in the day.

Continued →

Zombie Cow adventure sequel 'Time Gentlemen, Please!' now available

by Justin McElroy { Jun 24th 2009 at 12:15PM }

We're not sure if you know this about us, but we're in the mood to do a little sharing this morning: We love Zombie Cow's hilarious PC graphic adventure, Ben There, Dan That, to a degree we're not entirely comfortable with. You can imagine then our delight as we pass along that a sequel, Time Gentlemen, Please!, is now available.

At £2.99/ around $5, TG,P! is slightly less free than its predecessor, but if you played the first one, you know it's but a pittance for the lolz we're sure are contained within. If you're a fan of adventure games at all, especially those in the LucasArts style, just get it. Even if you've stopped believing us after we recommended Imagine: CPAs, we're sure some commenters will back us up on this one.

The Joystiq Free Game Club: Ben There, Dan That

by Justin McElroy { Feb 5th 2009 at 3:15PM }

We know that we normally wait until Monday to bring you fresh Free Game Club offerings, but, to be honest, we couldn't go another day without bringing this gem to your attention. If you have any place in your heart for adventure games (especially those of the LucasArts variety), then you must, must play Ben There, Dan That, a hilarious love letter to adventure games of yore.

As best friends Ben and Dan, you'll be abducted by aliens, fall out of a cow's rectum and become a pan-dimensional murderer, all in an effort to return to their depressingly ramshackle apartment. The graphics are decidedly low-fi and the walking animations are comically terrible, but the presentation belies some preciously goofy puzzles and genuinely hilarious writing.

We weren't at all familiar with developer Zombie Cow before we sat down with the game, and now we can't wait to see what they do next. What do you think?