Bahnsen Knights Brings the Storm to Pixel Pulps
I’ve learned over the years that I rather like VN’s, and Chorus Worldwide has done a good job with them recently, most especially with the Pixel Pulp series. Admittedly I’ve only played one of them, Varney Lake, but that was enough to grab my interest. Now, the first volume of that series is racing towards an apocalyptic conclusion with one final entry, a game called Bahnsen Knights. And after putting some time in checking out a couple episodes, here’s what I found.
The first thing that struck me as different in Bahnsen Knights was the tone. Varney Lake jumped back and forth between the idyllic haze of childhood and a present impacted by your decisions back then. While it got admittedly dark with the appearance of a vampire, and occasionally bloody, I never felt like the narrator’s life was at risk. In this adventure, from the very minute I started reading I felt dizzy with paranoia and dread.
The game is about a world with supercharged Sierras and the cult that rides them, the titular knights led by a man named Toni. Before things got bad, Toni was a used car salesman, and from real world experience I know that profession attracts some dangerously narcissistic individuals. And while I’ve seen how bad they can become in apocalyptic settings before, I still found myself captivated by the premise here. Toni preaches that we’ve always been taught Hell was below, but in the game, it’s above, unleashing dangerous storms on the regular.
As for who the narrator is, that’s a big part of the drama. It’s a large, angry man named Boulder, and he has a problem – he’s an undercover agent. You’re actively trying to bring the Knights and Toni down, but you need to uncover evidence to do so. And the entire time you’re gathering it, you’re at risk of being discovered. Just a few minutes into the game, I managed to pick the wrong path and Boulder died a painful death as a result. From what I’ve learned, that’s only one of many bloody ends you can discover on your journey.
Like in Varney Lake, Bahnsen Knights continues the mini games, for better or worse. In my time with the adventure, I only experienced one so far, a game of darts. Though less frustrating than the math mini games before, this didn’t prove much better. A cursor drunkenly weaves back and forth as I strove to hit a bullseye, failing miserably time after time. For those that prove more resolute, there is an achievement for hitting that lofty target.
While I didn’t love the mini games, I found one new mechanic quite enjoyable – assigning evidence. I’m a big fan of murder mysteries, and in this game Boulder is investigating the death of a close friend at the hands of the Knights. The way it works is you use prayer cards which represent different categories, and assign evidence with them. One card represented Toni’s acquaintances, another his accounts and the last was forgery. I got two different factoids and had to figure out where they fit in.
It’s a lot of fun playing Sherlock, and I’m confident that’s just the first time Boulder will have to mull over the darkening web of secrets and murder. Bahnsen Knights will also continue the trend of various branching paths, and even introduces a new mechanic that represents how suspicious members of the Knights are of Boulder. It’s fascinating seeing where the story can go, and getting some rare achievements in the process.
Perhaps my favorite thing about any Pixel Pulp game is the art style. It’s definitely pulpy, but full of neat details and dramatic shading. This particular adventure features a distinctly red and black color palette, and it only helps make everything feel more fragile and dangerous. If you like what you’ve heard, be sure and stay tuned in 2024 for our upcoming console review of Bahnsen Knights!
