The third entry in a trilogy of retro, Pixel Pulps, games, Bahnsen Knights is a classically styled choose-your-own-adventure from LCB Game Studio. Coming to us hot off the heels of Mothmen 1966 and Varney Lake, it is the last (and weirdest) of the bunch.
As those who’ve played these games know, they’re steeped in classic, 1950s style pulp horror, and pay homage to those magazines of yesteryear. The first title dealt with the mythological mothman, who wasn’t alone, while the sequel featured a powerful vampire. Now, LCB Game Studio and Chorus Worldwide have released something that’s hard to properly explain. I’ll do my best though.
In Bahnsen Knights, players assume the role of an undercover investigator named Boulder, who’s left his wife and child at home to infiltrate a religious cult. He’s done so in order to discover what happened to his good friend, and his daughter’s godfather, Cupra.
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill cult, though. In this game you’re infiltrating a group of mad men and women, who exorcise F5 tornadoes using cars in a cross like pattern. Yes, you read that right.
To earn their trust, you’ll have to act like one of them. If you don’t, you’ll die in a number of grisly ways.
Since Bahnsen Knights is a text based choose-your-own-adventure slash interactive graphic novel, most of its gameplay comes in the form of choosing your actions by pressing A to select text. Choosing the wrong thing will often have poor results, so choose, and act, carefully!
You’ll also need to read and consider evidence, which must be sent back to your handler. Doing so involves choosing religious cards with themes that mimic those of the evidence itself.
There are, however, mini games like in the last two titles. This one just happens to involve driving, which tasks you with moving left or right to avoid oncoming traffic, as well as blocking the way of a large truck. Plus, like all of these Pixel Pulps games, the developers have created their own card game. This time around, it’s a very challenging, and religious based version of Solitaire.
You can play darts, too, but the only goal is to get a bullseye. The mechanics make this VERY difficult and frustrating, especially since you can only throw one.
Needless to say, Bahnsen Knights is a rather strange and unique game. It’s crazier than its peers, and odder too. These things honestly made me like it less than them. I was especially fond of Varney Lake, which is my favourite of the three, and feel that this hour-long experience is a step backward from that. It’s a decent game, though, nonetheless.
Presentation wise, this is probably the strongest of the three games. The pixelized art is more detailed than before, and the subject matter is more creative. Plus, the driving scenes feature more animation than I remember the other two games having. The sound, on the other hand, is very reminiscent of its era, and is dated as a result. There’s nothing wrong with that, though.
Those who are in the market for something intentionally dated, different and unique, should check out the Pixel Pulps trilogy. Bahnsen Knights may not be the best of the three, but it’s a solid game, and an unforgettably weird experience, nonetheless.
This review is based on the Xbox Series S version of the game, which we were provided with.