Bahnsen Knights

Did not like this one. We were given no background information on who this cult was, what their motivations were, why they needed to be investigated, and how did Boulder enter the cult. And the "cult" was more like a gang. Why did they care about F5 tornadoes? How does the leader being a used car salesman factor into this other than the weird ass barn full of imported Ford Sierras. The man character wallows on and on about his wife, child, and dead friend, and this would be fine if it didn't take up what felt like over half the game. He is suppose to be a professional, but can barely keep his act together, risking everything. I just don't get it. We didn't get to know him or build any sort of connection. I just saw him as rash, unfocused, and irrational. We weren't told a story either. It felt more like a slideshow of different events that happened while Boulder is in this cult. I didn't understand the underlying connection or what I was suppose to be getting out of these scenes. There just ended up being so much dead conversations that didn't matter or add anything to the narrative, and half of the time Boulder wouldn't even contribute to conversation. It was always "........" w…

With the exception of the Via Crucis Solitaire minigame that I hated with every fiber of my being, I enjoyed this game quite a bit. Unfortunately beating the world's worst minigame (it's 95% luck/RNG and not even remotely fun in any way) is required to get 100% achievements, but if you look past that this was a well written immersive visual novel with stylized retro graphics that fit the setting perfectly. If you don't care about achievements I'd strongly recommend it for the story and experience. If you do, I'd still recommend it but with the warning that you'll probably need to spend 1-2 hours battling RNG hell for one of them. The game takes roughly 2-3 hours to play through so it might be a bit overpriced for the amount of content it has. If you wait for a sale it's definitely worth picking up though.

Bahnsen Knights is a tightly focused narrative adventure that transforms a bizarre tale of cults, undercover investigation, violent tornadoes, and supernatural uncertainty into something resembling a playable pulp novel. Developed by LCB Game Studio and published by Chorus Worldwide Games, it is part of the Pixel Pulps series, although the story is sufficiently self-contained for newcomers. Rather than relying on elaborate combat or exploration systems, the game places storytelling, player choices, distinctive pixel artwork, and mounting psychological tension at the center of the experience. Set in 1986 across America's Tornado Alley, the story follows Boulder, an undercover agent attempting to infiltrate the Bahnsen Knights. This unusual organization combines religious fanaticism with an obsession surrounding automobiles and terrifying weather phenomena. Boulder has an especially personal reason for taking the assignment because he is searching for a missing fellow agent and friend. The investigation gradually becomes more dangerous as he encounters suspicious cult members, unsettling beliefs, unexplained events, and a charismatic leader whose transformation from car salesman to …

This one just didn't resonate with me. The pixel art is gorgeous, and the mysterious cult of the Bahnsen Knights was interesting enough. Unfortunately, the story never fully captivated me. A part of that comes down to the protagonist, Boulder. The game gives very little background on him beyond the fact that he has a wife and child. While that is meant to establish stakes, it wasn't enough for me to become emotionally invested in his journey. As a result, I wasn't too concerned with his well-being. The writing and narrative was just okay. Nothing to really write home about, but it wasn't terrible. I wish more attention had been given to the sound design. There are stretches where the game feels silent, and a stronger audio atmosphere could have gone a long way toward enhancing the tension and my immersion. The story never dug its hooks into me. The story felt slow and, at times, a little boring.

Game is good. I saw how low the review count was and had to chime in. Play the game. The style and world building are something you don’t see very frequently in games. Even when you solve one mystery there are many that will never get solved. This game isn’t for everyone but if you look at the screenshots and feel something then it’s for you.

A good game. With a unique artstyle. The story is quiet unique for a game too. In that your an unddercover agent. Wish more games did that the. The tory i fine. I like that the game does have some mini game do witch things up. The characters is fine. Even if I wish there was a little more resolution. The ending is also fine. Still it would be could if you choice had a little more to say. Still the story is dark, gritty and good. The music is also fine. An overall good game.