It’s been a while since I played a “Pixel Pulp.” A genre coined by developer LCB Game Studio that recaptures the Amiga-era adventure that relies on the imagination as you’re greeted with a static screen. Mothmen 1966 was a surprisingly captivating intro to this style of game, and I gave it a resounding 9/10 thanks to its immersion, presentation, and short storytelling. The second entry, Varney Lake, slipped my mind, but I was excited to dive into the newest iteration, Bahnsen Knights. Focusing on a cult of car enthusiasts as you take the role of an undercover agent, the lore runs deep in this entry. How does it stack up?

From the first few screens, Bahnsen Knights invokes a sense of dread as you take the reigns of Bunker, the protagonist who’s knee-deep in a cult of crazed car jockeys that are as deranged as they are dangerous. To further maintain your cover, you have gone to great heights and built your tragic backstory to explain your demeanor. You’ll also be tasked with less-than-pleasant errands and tough decisions to integrate with the lunatic compatriots that make up the Bahnsen Knights. Most of the game’s dialogue delves into this cult and how it operates, which pays dividends into its climax to grip the player and provide motivation for their actions.

Gameplay in Bahnsen Knights may not be what you expect in a classic adventure title. It’s more than just selecting dialogue options – as the game is heavily focused around vehicles, you’ll be operating your Ford Sierra in some action sequences that are very time-sensitive and demand some ample reflexes. If you mess these up, you’re looking at either instant death or a lingering negative outcome that will weigh upon the rest of your playthrough. This makes these scenes that much more intense and should the player succeed, it’s a gratifying reward.

When you’re not behind the wheel in Bahnsen Knights, you’re going to be gathering evidence against the cult so you can put them away. Doing so requires you to not lose your cover, so any suspicious actions or non-adherence to the conversational tendencies of your fellow cult members put that in jeopardy. Once you have a chance to assess your evidence, you can assess each bit and piece accordingly to build your case against the Bahnsen Knights. Getting on someone’s good side can pay dividends in your pursuit of justice, and weighing your options is paramount.

It was a blast playing through Bahnsen Knights‘ brief 2-hour runtime, as there was no filler or dragging of the plot. I did have to play it on my Steam Deck as it wouldn’t fit comfortably on my super-ultrawide monitor, and I fear that the difficulty of the action sequences and time-sensitive events could spoil some playthroughs. But otherwise, this is another Pixel Pulp that has me engrossed and looking forward to whatever LCB Game Studio has cooking up next. I might even grab Varney Lake to tide me over as Bahnsen Knights retained the same level of quality as Mothmen 1966.

A PC review copy of Bahnsen Knights was provided by Chorus Worldwide Games for the purposes of this review.

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Bahnsen Knights

$9.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Pristine Atmosphere
• Gorgeous Pixel Art
• Gripping Prose

Cons

• Not the most Accessible
• Confusing Card Game