Letters of Bernard Thorne

About

Letters of Bernard Thorne is a single player action game. It was developed by Korean Linguistics Lab and was released on March 29, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In "Letters of Bernard Thorne," you play as an aging Vietnam War veteran confined to a motorized wheelchair, navigating his home to uncover haunting memories and confront his guilt. Explore his environment, piece together his troubled past, and face the nightmares that plague him as he seeks a mysterious purpose in the attic. The game blends emotional storytelling with atmospheric exploration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

story23 positive mentions

graphics2 negative mentions

The game features an incredibly emotional and well-written story that resonates deeply with players, often leaving them in tears.
The unique gameplay mechanics, particularly the wheelchair navigation, provide a refreshing and immersive experience that enhances the narrative.
Players appreciate the game's ability to tackle heavy themes like PTSD and loss in a poignant and meaningful way, making it a standout in the horror genre.

The controls can be clunky and frustrating at times, making navigation difficult and leading to moments of getting stuck.
Some players found the pacing uneven, with certain flashbacks feeling drawn out and the audio balance inconsistent.
While the graphics are generally good, some reviewers noted that they feel dated and could benefit from an update to enhance the overall experience.

story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
33%
8%
The story of the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and compelling narrative, particularly highlighting the experiences of a Vietnam War veteran grappling with PTSD and personal regrets. Many players found the storytelling to be beautifully written and impactful, often evoking strong emotional responses, while some noted that the structure, including frequent flashbacks, could be slightly overwhelming. Overall, the narrative stands out as the game's most significant strength, making it a must-play for fans of story-rich horror games.
- “The story is amazing and heartbreaking.”
- “This story was beautifully written and hopefully can help people understand that your hardest critic is always you.”
- “What a beautiful story woven together through the struggles of a Vietnam War vet, his regrets, his PTSD, and his letters towards his loved ones.”
- “The story is decent, some of the flashbacks are a little drawn out, atmosphere is okay, I had gotten stuck in a few spots and had to make a 17-point turn to get out.”
- “I do think the flashbacks and the way the story is divided is a little too frequent, but eh, it might've been necessary to tell the story the way it did.”
- “I have so many horror games in my library and sometimes games just fall flat when it comes to story and gameplay.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay is praised for its smooth mechanics and natural controls, particularly accommodating for players with disabilities, such as those using wheelchairs. While the mechanics are not overly complex, they effectively complement the well-crafted story, creating an immersive experience filled with emotional depth and unique challenges. Overall, the combination of engaging gameplay and poignant storytelling makes the game a standout in its genre.
- “The way the mechanics mix with the themes creates the perfect immersion, and that's saying a lot because my slow laptop could only run the game on the lowest setting and I still got sucked in.”
- “The pacing and movement mechanics and voice acting all come together to create a beautiful, poignant experience that will stick with me—and maybe you—for years to come.”
- “The game mechanics aren't really too in depth, but that's kind of what to expect in these kinds of games.”
- “I have so many horror games in my library and sometimes games just fall flat when it comes to story and gameplay.”
- “This game, with its unique wheelchair gameplay, is actually quite refreshing, challenging, and it possesses a beautifully haunting story of what it means to be truly in love.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players describing it as a poignant and heartbreaking journey that effectively conveys themes of empathy, trauma, and the struggles of PTSD. Many reviewers noted that the storytelling is both simple and fulfilling, with some expressing that it evoked strong emotional responses, including tears, making it a standout experience in the indie horror genre.
- “The story is amazing and heartbreaking.”
- “This is such a poignant, emotional journey of empathy where we experience the terror and pain of PTSD as a war veteran.”
- “Letters of Bernard Thorne is one of the best indie horror titles in years and is a beautiful emotional roller coaster of one man's life and deep trauma.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere in "Love, Sam" is widely praised for its effective tension and immersive horror elements, contributing to a compelling experience. While some players noted that certain aspects of the story could feel drawn out, the overall ambiance remains a strong point of the game, enhancing the impact of its thoughtful jumpscares.
- “Love, Sam is one of my favorite horror games with thoughtful jumpscares, tension, atmosphere, and writing.”
- “The horror elements are present with good tension, atmosphere, and a few scares.”
- “The atmosphere was amazing.”
- “The story is decent, but some of the flashbacks are a little drawn out. The atmosphere is okay, though I got stuck in a few spots and had to make a 17-point turn to get out.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are considered somewhat dated, with some users noting that an updated graphics engine could enhance the overall experience and improve jagged animations. However, this is seen as a minor issue, as the game's quality remains impressive despite the visual shortcomings.
- “The graphics feel a bit dated.”
- “This is more of a nitpick as the game is amazing no matter what, but I felt if the graphics engine was a bit more updated, it would make this game shine a lot more and help with some of the jagged animations.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users noting that the user interface appears somewhat rough and the overall optimization could be improved.
- “I think if I had to nitpick, the UI is a little rough looking and the game isn't optimized very well.”

Skip Game Offers

Buy Letters of Bernard Thorne

Letters of Bernard Thorne
€10.79
See offer on Steam

2h Median play time

2h Average play time

2-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Letters of Bernard Thorne

88%38.1kreviews

SOMA

2015

Shooter

+11

95%496reviews

The Inn-Sanity

2025

Action

78%412reviews

The Lightkeeper

2025

Action

82%20.8kreviews

Gone Home

2013

Simulation

+13

93%6.1kreviews

Wandersong

2018

Real-time Strategy

More games like Letters of Bernard Thorne

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Letters of Bernard Thorne is a action game.

Letters of Bernard Thorne is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 2 hours playing Letters of Bernard Thorne.

Letters of Bernard Thorne was released on March 29, 2025.

Letters of Bernard Thorne was developed by Korean Linguistics Lab.

Letters of Bernard Thorne has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Letters of Bernard Thorne is a single player game.

Similar games include SOMA, The Inn-Sanity, The Lightkeeper, Gone Home, Wandersong and others.

Letters of Bernard Thorne

Platforms

About

Buy Letters of Bernard Thorne