Console Corner: Review of Knights & Bikes

There are many ways a video game can be successful. Good story, good mechanisms, good art, good puzzles—just one of these facets done well can rocket a game to fame. In the case of Foam Sword’s Knights & Bikes (2019), it’s the combination of brilliant art and charming story.

Knights & Bikes is a classic adventure. Things start one rainy afternoon on the island of Penfurzy when a girl named Nessa lands with the ferry, looking for a place to sleep. Demelza and her goose happen to be at the pier, and after a little altercation, Demelza welcomes Nessa into her little mobile home where the two bond over video games and nighttime stories. The next day, Demelza introduces Nessa to the amusement park her father owns, as well as the legend of lost treasure the island is famous for. But in the process of giving Nessa a tour, something happens. A bulldozer digging a hole goes crazy, unleashing all kinds of ghosts and spirits. The girls having to fight for their lives, they realize that the only way to stop all the mad things from happening is to work together to find the treasure and put the evil spirits away.

If it wasn’t clear, Knights & Bikes tells a warm, fun story. From the pen of Gabrielle Kent, it takes a rainy, dreary British isle and makes it place for adventurous, supernatural fun. The two girls have personal stories which are slowly revealed in the course of play, and the different places on the island are used to full potential for puzzles, games, and action. Rather than using voice acting, instead dialogue is text-based, which allows players to move at their own pace, while giving younger people (like my son) a fun opportunity to practice reading.

But what interests many gamers beyond story is gameplay. With Knights & Bikes, it’s basic but solidly implemented. My seven-year old son has difficulties with some other games, but with Knights & Bikes, everything was fluid—not too complex, not too simple. The bosses were a challenge, but the bop and smash possible through the unique skills of the two girls is huge fun. There were a few puzzles that my son became frustrated with, and dear ol’ dad needed to get his noggin’ smoking, but overall the age rating is appropriate. Thus, take any criticisms you may see of gameplay with a grain of salt; the game is not meant to be adult-level complex.

There are minor rpg aspects to Knights & Bikes. Demelza and Nessa will occasionally be given dialogue choices which have minor impact. But perhaps most visible are the character upgrades. Bicycles, weapons, and other things (which will not be mentioned for spoiler’s sake) are steadily added to the girls’ repertoires, in turn diversifying the game and adding to the fun. (If I had one tiny problem with the game, however, it would be the bicycle upgrade system. I can’t remember a more confusing menu interaction in all my days of video gaming.)

It’s impossible to talk about Knights & Bikes without talking about the art. Hand painted pieces that have been animated (similar but not the same as Tearaway), it’s a beautiful game to experience. The player can get lost just looking at it. Wholly complementing Nessa and Demelza’s quest for treasure, it’s amazing how the game’s aesthetic informs the sense of child-like fun—even for adults. I can’t say enough about the passion for art that went into this game.

In the end, Knights & Bikes is one of the most charming games we’ve ever played. It captures the innocence and joy of being a child in a wonderfully hand-drawn, heartfelt adventure. It’s two-player couch co-op, which means the joy can be shared face-to-face—high fives, included. The game comes strongly recommended for families with young gamers, the age rating appropriate.