Mothmen 1966 Critic Reviews

Mothmen 1966 is a unique-looking and suspenseful visual novel that lets the players make decisions that will affect the story's outcome and what will happen to this cast of characters.

Mothmen 1966 is ultimately a terrific little horror game, reminding us that the genre can be more than first-person jumpscare factories. As the first episode of the 3-part first volume of Pixel Pulps, the adventures of Holt, Victoria, and Lee provide a terrific first impression of what will hopefully be a memorable series. The brief interactive interludes do not hold up to the polish of the writing, soundscapes, and graphics of Mothmen 1966, but LCD Game Studio have a chance to update those mechanics when the next episode, Varney Lake, comes out later this year.

Mothmen 1966 is the first of three interactive adventures called Pixel Pulps, and it certainly makes me want to check out the other two whenever they’ll be out. The writing is good, the characters are decently fleshed out, and the sound adds to tension. Although the soundtrack is a mixed bag, it's by no means bad. If you’re looking for a short sci-fi story with some horror elements and good writing, Mothmen 1966 is more than serviceable. Even though some choices lead to different outcomes, these are too minor to warrant another second playthrough, unless you want to know every bit of lore.

Mothmen 1966 is a haunting outing that, with the exception of one awkward line, uses quality writing rather than jump scares to keep you on edge. Yes, you’ll get a little extra out of it if you’ve an appreciation for cryptozoology or astrology, but that’s by no means compulsory. It’s entertaining and unsettling in equal measure and if, as its developers suggest, it’s the first of many, we look forward to seeing where LCB takes the series next.

Punchy little pixel adventure set against the historic 1966 Leonid meteor shower that marries experimental storytelling with the visual novel. The devs are deliberately making fast, quick, intense games (“pixel-pulps”) packed with style and retro aesthetics, though Mothmen 1966, which follows the same pixel-pulp formula, lacks the bite of their previous release.

Mothmen 1986 is short and not very intense. It tries to open some questions, but who cares about the answers?

The fumble at the end is largely a disappointment because of everything that comes before it – a ripe setup, deliciously-built tension, and plenty of creepiness. Mothmen 1966 starts off with an excellent pace, beautifully told in both dialogue and visuals with characters that feel real, but the lack of satisfying pay-off and the slow devolution of the game’s plot leaves you wanting much, much more by the end.

The story, too, is left a bit wanting, though not for lack of ambition. Mothmen 1996 includes many character and conceptual threads that allow for the game to be engaging from moment to moment, but then the end suddenly arrives and it can feel as if a bow hasn’t been tied on everything. In particular, we never get a complete picture of everyone’s interpersonal relationships and insecurities. Mothmen 1966 is a compelling introduction to “pixel pulp,” though it’s something of a mixed success for the degree to which it leaves us wanting more.

An eerie journey back to the days when all games were a bit eerie anyway.