Bahnsen Knights | Switch Review
I’ve adored the dark narratives of the previous entries in LCB Game Studio’s Pixel Pulps series. The battles between good and evil have been consistently excellent, with intriguing twists and sprinkles of comedy that further elevate the paranormal stories. Bahnsen Knights, the third Pixel Pulps game, continues this winning streak. It’s a short and sweet, engrossing tale that delivers just the right amount of horror in its brief runtime.
Guys, This Is a Cult
You are Boulder, an undercover detective who has infiltrated the Bahnsen Knights. This group is most definitely a religious cult, and Boulder’s friend mysteriously vanished after investigating them. Boulder is determined to find his buddy and dig up dirt on this community, no matter the cost. He’s putting his life in danger every day that he stays in the Bahnsen Knights, and your choices can send him to an early grave if you’re not careful. You’ll spend an hour or two in his shoes, and he has a multitude of dangers to face in this short runtime.
The Bahnsen Knights biggest belief is that a series of tornadoes that have plagued the area are due to the roads needing to be exorcised, and Boulder is soon assigned to “cleanse” the roads. Their method? Having Boulder drive on the wrong side of the road and almost end up in head-on collisions until they’re satisfied by his actions. You, as the player, control Boulder in these segments, and it’s a nerve-shredding (albeit slightly frustrating) experience. You have to use either the joystick or the d-pad to select text prompts to move Boulder’s car. Trying to read and maneuver the vehicle in a split second is a surprisingly difficult task.
Good Luck, Boulder
Bahnsen Knights is largely a visual novel, with minigames sprinkled throughout the story. As with the previous two games, these breaks from the narrative are the weakest aspect of the experience. Trying to complete the minigames by using text prompts is frustrating, but luckily in this installment, it’s not required to win these segments or even complete them. If you want to 100% the game you’ll want to play each one to completion, but most don’t have a large impact on the story, if they even influence the plot at all.
On a more positive note, I adored figuratively walking in Boulder’s shoes. Seeing how the cult operates was fascinating and eerie, and the Easter eggs to the previous entries was a treat. You don’t need to have played these prior games to enjoy Bahnsen Knights, but you’re rewarded with seeing the connective tissue tying all of the stories together if you have. Going back to this particular narrative, it was a twisted delight to find out what was going on. Even making the wrong choice at certain points was deviously fun. Seeing all of the bad endings for Boulder added more tension to the plot, but dying isn’t punished heavily. You’ll just be returned to the moment you pick between options, and now you know which one to avoid.
At Least It’s Pretty Here
I’d be remiss not to talk about the gorgeous pixelated graphics of Bahnsen Knights. The visual style evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of playing games on my Game Boy as a young girl. The limited color palette is exquisite and really pops. The red, purple, and black design scheme lends everything an ominous, unnerving vibe. This is perfect for what the story is trying to convey. The sound effects are also wonderfully old-school, transporting the player back to a different era mentally.
The Final Verdict
If you enjoyed the previous games in the Pixel Pulps series, Bahnsen Knights is a must-play. It continues the creepy narrative excellence of the previous entries while also standing on its own two feet. The minigames are still frustrating, but the option to not complete them alleviates some of the tedium if you become stuck. The visuals and sound effects pop and bring forth nostalgia, and the story is wonderfully terrifying. Boulder is a fantastic character with a rich backstory, and he’s personally my favorite character to play as in this entire series. Even if you haven’t played the prior games, I highly recommend giving Bahnsen Knights a chance if you’re a horror fan or are interested in the subject matter.
To hear me talk more about Bahnsen Knights, be sure to listen to the January 24 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:18:16 time stamp.
This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy of Bahnsen Knights provided by Stride PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam and GOG.
Bahnsen Knights
$9.99
Pros
- Effectively Creepy Story
- Excellent Color Palette and Visuals
- Boulder Is a Great Protagonist
Cons
- Minigames Continue to Be Frustrating
- Short Length Could Turn off Some Players
