Burnhouse Lane

Burnhouse Lane
N/A
Metacritic
94
Steam
85.024
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
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Steam reviews score
Total
94 (670 votes)
Recent
94 (17 votes)

Burnhouse Lane tells a story of Angie Weather, a one foot in the grave agency nurse attempting to complete five impossible tasks in order to win her life back. Solve puzzles, make friends and enemies, run, hide and fight in this dark adventure that'll take you on a trip to another world and back...

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Burnhouse Lane system requirements

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 7, 8, 10 (64-bit OS)
  • Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD CPU
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA or AMD ATI video card with 2GB of VRAM (Nvidia GeForce GT 705 or higher/AMD Radeon HD 8450G or higher)
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 5 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
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Vivi
Vivi

UPDATE: As of 12/7/22 one of the problems that initially soured the experience for me has been discovered as a bug and patched out. This review is revised with that knowledge including my opinions after finishing the game, and having some time to think about it.

The Cat Lady. . . Two?

Burnhouse Lane shares it's lifeblood with the original game 'The Cat Lady' moreso than the other two games in the series, and as someone who's rather passionate about the series I can appreciate that. I remember even purchasing the games through the Harvester website, and I even played the OLD Downfall when it was still a point-and-click adventure game without any sort of voice acting. It's hard to say I'm not a bit fanatical about them.

I have grown up with these games through my early adult life more or less, and they will always have a special place in my heart.

Burnhouse Lane is without a doubt the best looking game in Harvester's lineup, and is rather visually distinct from the other games in the series. The music is superb as always. I legitimately do not think I've ever had a problem with the soundtrack in any of these games including one of the weaker entries, Lorelai.

There was obviously a lot learned between the development of Lorelai and this game, and it shows through the evolution of the series. There are real controller button prompts now on screen, and the UI is moved to an easy to navigate menu, so the games are just a hair more immersive. The audio quality overall has been improved as well. I still take a bit of issue with the lack of save slots being that I've gotten used to them from the previous games, but I ended up making due by taking the files out of the folder and making copies of them.

Story-wise Burnhouse Lane is what I would consider comfort food for fans of the series, including myself. If you've never played a game from this developer before a lot of these concepts will feel fresh and new. From that perspective I can see this game attracting quite a few new fans to the series without relying too heavily on references to previous games that may make it too hard to understand. The story stands up well in it's own right. For people who have played through the series a lot of the story elements are a retread of things that have happened in previous games. This does not mean they are BAD, but they aren't necessarily a new experience. In terms of execution of those characters? They're done well. George is one of my favorite characters throughout the series right there next to Mitzi, and the human element of the game's storytelling has always been it's strongest suit. The moments you get to spend with George were the moments I was always waiting for when going through the game chapter by chapter, and I'm happy that I took the journey with him and Ciaran. I quite liked a good chunk of the cast in this game.

General Character Spoiler
I do think Jenny was a bit too inhuman at times, and her actions felt a bit off in terms of feeling human in any sense. She's a bit of a caricature of a snobby Hollywood actress, and sometimes she comes across as doing something only to cause conflict in the game to move the game into it's final chapters. I suppose everyone in a sense is a caricature or a bit schlocky at times, but it doesn't end up bothering me too much.

I do still have to nag a bit about the save slots and the checkpoint system. It can be frustrating to get sent back to a save made 20 minutes prior through trial and error. The combat and platforming mechanics were not extremely well done, but I understand at the end of the day Rem was trying something new to break up the pacing of the game since previous games were a matter of just walking left and right constantly.

I will likely always check every year for updates about games from Rem, get overly excited and bother my friends about them whenever I spot their release dates on the horizon. My frustrations are born of love, and I truly appreciate the work that goes into them at the end of the day. I hope Rem will continue with his works, whatever they may be, and the communities for these games will continue to grow. As always I eagerly await any future projects.

For newcomers and fans alike I can recommend Burnhouse Lane as one of the stronger entries in the series of games, though I certainly still recommend playing The Cat Lady if you haven't before.

Apocalypse Pony
Apocalypse Pony

Приятно видеть, как от игры к игре всё больше растут скиллы Рема в аспектах геймдизайна. Как по мне, не дотягивает до уровня Cat lady, но зацепила больше, чем Lorelai (которая, в целом, тоже была неплохая). Если вам нравятся игры Михальски, то покупайте, вы не будете разочарованы.

mayfire.par
mayfire.par

I've not personally finished the game yet, but I've been enjoying it so far. (4 hours in)

The gameplay itself is standard harvester game, smart puzzles and with the tension that always keep you on edge.
(not gonna lie my heart rates went straight to the roof several times.)

The visual is absolutely gorgeous and a big step up from harvester's previous games
(despite being so very gore-y but believe me when I say the gore made the game even nicer.
if you have a taste for it any way.)

And there's a horse.
And you can made weird sandwich. (how is ham&cheese&lettuce weird??? idk.)
And that's perfect for me.

edited :
Okay, future me time.
Finished the game and absolutely love it.
If I'm being perfectly honest, the platform and the boss fight sections weren't really my cup of tea, (the thing is I suck so bad at those two;; so not a bad reflection on harvester's part it's not unplayable I just suck man) but the story and art style were intriguing enough to keep me going.

100/10 I will protecc George with my guns and axe.

SweetScentedDream
SweetScentedDream

I was incredibly excited for this game and I can tell you that it does not disappoint!
It was a fantastic game, of course loads of gore and creepy stuff but that's what makes it interesting,
The soundtrack was amazing and I loved the characters,
The art style is gorgeous!
Thankfully the puzzles weren't too difficult and you can easily be drawn into the game.
Congratulations to Harvester Games for another brilliant game!
I'd highly recommend it!

Josei Kage
Josei Kage

So, I jumped into Burnhouse Lane completely blind, not knowing what to expect, and was not disappointed! Going to try to review this spoiler free now which is very hard because this game was extremely exciting and very satisfying!

As per usual with Harvester Games, this is a Horror/Mystery/Psychological Horror, where your choices matter throughout the game. There are elements of it that people may find disturbing: violence, illness, drugs, gore, trauma, things involving animals, etc. That being said, if psychological horror is for you, you have come to the right game!

Starting off, all of the characters are interesting and curious people, and you quickly either fall in love with them or end up hating their guts (talking about the villains lol). Each character, including the main character you play as, all have varied personalities, goals, and interests that make them unique. The voice actors are amazing and really drive home the idea that each of these characters is real. Whilst playing the game, despite the animated style, everything felt surreally real to me and I got super into it!!!

The music is amazing. Featuring songs by micAmic, Myuu, Warmer, and so many other brilliant artists. AND I WILL BE JUMPING AT THE CHANCE TO GET THE ALBUM WHEN IT'S OUT *hint hint wink wink nudge nudge* :) The music really set the atmosphere and helped make many touching, dramatic, and heartrending moments.

Shaunri
Shaunri

I'm only 2 hrs in, but this seems to be Michalski at his peak performance. Immediatly The Cat Lady and Downfall comes to mind. If you're new to Harvester Games' games - just know that there is a very specific style to his games, there is a bunch of "indie junk", there is a lot of gore, psychological horror and unsettling topics.

But yea. It's all worth it.

wssmith04
wssmith04

Caveat: I'm terrible at writing reviews.

I've been a huge fan of The Cat Lady since it first came out. I love that game for the characters and puzzles that are challenging but not too hard. Downfall and Lorelai are great too.

I've only played Burnhouse Lane through the intro, but I feel like is even better than TCL. The music is fantastic and the artwork is moody, unsettling in the most entertaining way. Awesome voice acting too!

I would definitely recommend this game.

pirouette_cacahuete
pirouette_cacahuete

There is nothing quite like a Rem Michalski game. If you're like me and The Cat Lady, as well as Downfall, live in your head rent-free, but you were disappointed by Lorelai, don't hesitate: this game scratches the right itch and I couldn't be happier. Despite being a spiritual Cat Lady 2 and the themes being very similar yet not redundant, Burnhouse Lane reminds me much more of Downfall with its feverish layout, Burnhouse Lane itself being similar to the town in the original Downfall, and the iconography that Michalski keeps coming back to. I appreciate the new gameplay elements such as combat and cat powers which add a little instantaneity to the events, and the graphics, while better looking than ever, maintain this uncanny imperfection that adds to the horror feel. I am so happy that Harvester Games course corrected after Lorelai and can't wait to explore more of Michalski's fascinating imagination through the delirious world of Burnhouse Lane.

JimtheSFN
JimtheSFN

Well after having played through the whole game I can just say it is another well done game by Harvester Games.
Great characters and the story will take you to some unexpected places.
The setting and environment is excellent with its darkness and weirdness.
The voice-actors are doing bang on job with their characters. You will meet some very interesting characters.
Music and sound is doing a great job.
Just remember that how you treat characters will come back at you when you least expect it.
There are plenty of save points and sometimes the game has its own checkpoints so it is very forgiving. Plus it is always better to save an extra time after done plenty of things then to ignore it. That is just my play style.
Now to wait several years for the next one ;)

winklekinkle
winklekinkle

Another smash hit. A game of both real life horror and supernatural. As with every one of their games this one deals with some pretty heavy themes, mainly Death and Illness. Though some of the gameplay mechanics feel like they could of been used more, the story and feel is divine.

FemmeFeral
FemmeFeral

Don't pass on this game! ESPECIALLY at the generous price point.

The music is fantastic, the themes will have me thinking for days, and the easter eggs were a special, bonus touch I appreciate from the developer. The voice acting was the best out of any Harvester Games title so far, too! Burnhouse Lane truly digs down to the developer's roots of The Cat Lady (a special, favorite game of mine) and expands on the issue of complicated relationships and a struggle of life and death.

Now, you'll have to excuse me, I have to play this game again!

zergos_spb
zergos_spb

It's The Cat Lady again

I hope i don't get any flack for this, in the end of the day, this is my opinion.

Having finished this game i feel like Harvester Games's games are running around in circles, or, to be blunt, stagnating.
And it's a bit of a shame, because Burnhouse Lane is by far the most polished game from the studio. It is almost devoid of the rough edges that were accompanying their previous titles. The artwork is great, the music and sounds are refined to the point of them almost being unnoticeable (in a good way), the voiceacting is almost spotless, the core gameplay is polished and the dialogue is the most human-sounding out of all 5 games released so far. All the boxes are ticked - the cinematic direction, the dark topics, the supernatural, everything you expect from Harvester Games is here. But that, in my opinion, is its main problem. This is all the stuff that in one way or another was tackled in the previous titles. Not many risks were taken and not many fresh and original ideas were brought to the table, compared to everything that came before it. This is harvester's comfort zone and it kinda feels uninspired as a result. And it's hard to write all this because this is a really quality product, that is definetely worth its money, and yet i cannot help but feel that i've seen it all before. If you are new to Harvester Games then this one will be a good entry point as it is the least demanding from the player - gameplay or story wise. But if you've played through previous Michalski's titles and would not call yourself a die hard fan (which as far as i understand is a rare occasion), then i suggest to wait until their next game. I truly hope they try something new, because this is definitely the least interesting albeit the most technically competent game from one the most interesting indie developers out there.

Altotas
Altotas

Video games often deal with larger than life situations, bombastic set pieces, explosions of post-rendering effects at every corner you turn, etc. And yet, more often than not, it tends to be the simpler things that hit home the most. Michalski brothers' games are a testament to that, at least in my eyes. They all deal with horrific scenarios, incredibly dark themes, raw emotions, but everything is presented with so much SOUL and style, that it becomes something truly beautiful. I think it's largery because of exceptional writing and strong overarching themes like fear of dying and finding new purpose in life to keep on going. The dialogues to me always sound believable, like normal people would react to things, and they are voiced by talented folks, with genuine intonations and emotions. On top of it all is always brilliant musical accompaniment and ever evolving/improving visual presentation of the games. "Burnhouse Lane" is the strongest in that regard, but I still love all four games equally, and hope that someday four will turn to five and then maybe six and more.

(I find Chapter 5 in "BL" to be an exceptionally strong one, truly an emotional rollercoaster. It moved me harder than any AAA cinematic experience ever did in recent years)

FlanaganMoonshadow
FlanaganMoonshadow

A thing of beauty

Do you know that feeling when you finish a truly good game - or a book, or a movie - and then for a while you just can't stop thinking about it? I haven't felt that way for a long time. In fact, I can tell exactly how long - since December 2020, when I finished a game from another Polish studio.

And really, that's all you need to know. If you haven't played other games from Michalski brothers, this is a good place to start. And if you did, then you have most likely already bought and completed it.

It would be a sin not to mention vastly improved visuals. Action and platforming segments fit well, they are not frustrating, like in many other indie horror titles (looking at you, FAITH). But other than that, I don't what to analyze it, list pros/cons or the reasons why this game is great. Because you know what?

True love is unconditional.

P.S. Rem, if you reading this, thank you for making our lives a bit brighter. Also, can you tell what vegetable I'm thinking of? ;)

P.P.S. Jenny had it coming

BlackBayonetta
BlackBayonetta

So far and amazing experience and storytelling from Harvester games. It takes a premise similar to The cat lady, into a new level. With new gameplay mechanics and combat like: hiding, dodging, shooting, plataforming...
Most ambitious game from harvester by far, and the writting doesn´t disappoint.

9564695187436
9564695187436

This is noticeable more like Cat Lady, than Lorelai. And its good.
When you play Michalski's games, you always have this feeling that you had super badly fu**ed up somewhere. And thats most likely true.

Good game.

MITZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiIIIiiiiiii!!!!!! :-DDDDDDDDD :'(((( :'))))

zerpente
zerpente

Really loving the game so far. The Cat Lady and Downfall are some of my favorite games. I even plan on getting a tattoo inspired from your games, in fact I'm going to need to come up with some more ideas now that this game is out 😅 anyways I really enioy the gameplay, story, and art style. Angie is an interesting protagonist as well as the rest of the characters, the burned cat is one of the coolest ones so far. I'm still in my first playthrough of the game but so far it's awesome!! The graphics are improved too but still give off that "Harvester Games" vibe. Highly recommend 🖤

Gaur
Gaur

This is a spoiler-free review.

I waited for Burnhouse Lane for a year! I'm a huge fan of Harvester Games' games (...uh) and played whole trilogy of Devil Came Through here. While I absolutely adored Cat Lady and greatly enjoyed Downfall, Lorelai was rather underwhelming to me and I left a negative review for the it.

It makes me very happy to 100% support buying and playing through Burnhouse Lane. Multiple times, even :)

From the start it's obvious that there aren't many people nowadays in the industry with such clear artistic vision as Rem MIchalski, author of this game, this time also cooperating with his brother Michał. Visuals, while sticking closely to 2D (though... not always with smoothest animations :D) are a fascinating mix or art, decay, colours taken probably from Nicolas Winding Refn, morbid fantasies and layers upon layers of details oozing with one of a kind atmosphere. Truly, one of a kind - I played a lot of games during my 15 years of gaming and while some of them are similar to Burnhouse Lane gameplay-wise, I think that none of them give the player a feel of witnessing shocking ideas, poetry, violence and emotions buzzing under the skin both when looking at separate scenes and a grand picture after completing the game.

Appraisal can also be given to audio layer of the game - music has always been a strong part of Harvester Games productions and this time it's no different. Much love had to be put in the soundtrack and I not only remember main theme but also how in the moments of tension, sadness and calmness I always got a little bump in the right direction coming straight from the composer, Micamic. When it comes to dubbing part - voices are fitting, main heroine is a pure bliss to listen to. Same goes for all main cast, honestly - they simply all fit, with J and BC surely being the strongest parts of the dubbing, besides Angie. Dubbing also contains a little rather touching surprise for fans of the series. Thanks for this :)

Story is nuanced, firm, open to interperetations here and there and certainly engaging to follow. There are some ups and downs as sometimes dialogues are bit too plain or dragging too much, only to be soon countered with almost real-life level conversations.
It's based on the similar concept as The Cat Lady, but with lots of fresh content to keep things interesting, while also utilizing what worked well in previous games. This time, also, it's visible that Burnhouse Lane was made with intention of giving incentive for replaying the game - and it sure is working. Upon starting a new game it is said clearly, that you should think about your choices, as they matter; turns out they really do.

From what I've checked in the community discussions and some negative reviews some people did not like this weight of decisions and expected to be able to always reload last save, select best options and go straight for Golden Ending... I don't think that it's the way, as it is not like this also in real life - if you could turn back time, you would make your life much better, thanks to knowledge gained after not-optimal decisions or simply thanks to sheer luck. Most of the time you don't get any of this. Same goes for this game. However... you may start again and fight with life one more time.
I think that it's a good way of doing a game like this. Certainly worked for me, as I'm off to start my second playthrough (and I'll be going for a 3rd as well afterwards).

Overall - this game is a step in a very right direction, packed with concepts you won't easily see in other games and enough eye (or ear)-candies to sometimes stop you for a moment and really appreciate the moment. Sometimes it's a shilouette, a line of a dialog, gesture... or realization of what you have to do.
And I play games for all these years exactly for moments like this.

Thank you, Rem, Michał and everyone else involved - until next production that I will also buy at day one.

Dr. Schwifty
Dr. Schwifty

Great setting, riveting plot, hard-hitting feels.

Has all the makings of an un-put-downable book.

(Loved the little references to classic horror books/movies)

If you loved The Cat Lady, or story-driven puzzle/adventure games, then PLEASE, buy this game.

10/10 cats...

(...recommend this game)

Zaftula
Zaftula

There's something really beautiful about the way that Harvester Games tells their stories. They manage to take harrowing subjects like trauma, loneliness, depression, or even suicide, and treat these subjects with respect and curiosity. These themes rarely feel edgy or out of place, they're just presented as darker facets of humanity that are held up for you to examine in a little adventure game alongside talking cats and over-fed kebab monsters. There's always something charmingly hopeful within the bleakness that Burnhouse Lane seeks to present. The art style further pushes the dreamy symbolism, where everything feels like a puppet show made from the notes of a madwoman's journal. Really enjoying this one.

"Andrea, who was she?"
"Why, my friend, of course."

mutant_alpaca
mutant_alpaca

As always with Rem Michalski's games it was amazing, thought provoking and lots of fun. Harvester Games never fail to amaze me with their beautiful yet tragic stories. The cat lady, downfall and now burnhouse lane are some of my absolute favorite games and stories and if you love psychological horror, puzzles and great well written stories then you have to check out burnhouse lane or any of harvester's other games if you haven't. 15/10 highly recommend.

kengperapol
kengperapol

พอเปลี่ยน Engine เป็น Unity แล้วมันหลอนน่ากลัวเหลือเกิน เกมภาคอื่นไม่รู้สึกน่ากลัวและกดดันขนาดนี้

ในส่วนของเนื้อเรื่องน่าค้นหา มีแก๊กตลกร้าย แบบทำให้ต้องคิดตามทุกช่วง แต่เข้าใจค่อนข้างง่าย ไม่ซับซ้อนจนต้องใช้จินตนาการมากเกินไป

สนุกดีครับ แต่ยังเล่นไม่จบ Chapter 1 เพราะน่ากลัวจัดๆ เดี๋ยวทำใจได้แล้วมาเล่นต่อ

brendangarner97
brendangarner97

I am a huge fan of this series of games , so far Burnhouse Lane has been so much more than i was expecting in great gameplay and the atmosphere that I love from Harvester games. Absolutely a 10/10 for me!

themegandeth
themegandeth

I have always been a fan of this dev, but am blown away by their latest game. The sound/art style/soundtrack is amazing and the story is great. Well worth your time if you like a good story with horror elements and puzzle solving!

Dr. Birb Lady
Dr. Birb Lady

I just finished my first play through. Overall, I very much enjoyed this game. With a couple caveats:

Atmosphere was amazingly executed. My only complaint regarding sound design is that some of the sounds are not controlled by the option (e.g., voice, sound effects, music) sliders. Which resulted in having all the sliders turned down to roughly 30%, but certain sounds in the game coming through full blast. Would be rather jarring through certain scenes or obnoxious when certain sounds were on repeat (e.g. machinery).

The story line was well written and the characters felt varied enough and built out enough where they each had their own personalities. Only thing here is that a couple of the characters use a term that I'm really not fond of when referring to persons with mental impairments. It's toward the beginning of the game, around the time when you meet the shepherd; and then again later on when one of the characters attempts to insult you via your association with him. That term is just a big oof for me. Sure there's gonna be others who don't think anything of it, but use of it in 2022 just feels wrong. Use sh*t, as*, b*tch, f*ck, dumbf*ck, or any combination therein to your heart's content. But let's not call someone a derogatory name that was used to specifically target and discriminate against mentally handicapped people decades ago.

Control layout was easy enough to grasp. Did not experience any bugs, glitches, or crashing on my setup.

Overall 8/10.

Phyll
Phyll

This game is a masterpiece. The art style and audio had been improved so much from the previous series. The stories is well written and gameplay is quite challenging. (although, some of the puzzles and boss fights took me way too long to finish.) But overall It's a great game. You should buy and try it!

IAmZuul
IAmZuul

Only on chapter 2 so far but am loving this sequel. I thoroughly enjoyed Downfall and The Cat Lady but admit I found Lorelai a little less captivating.
This game has fantastic music, great art style, great mood and fun gameplay. Enjoying the more complex puzzles rather than the last game's ones.

AssimilatedDreams
AssimilatedDreams

Harvester Games is at it again! Loved the game as expected :3 Spend about 12h in it.
So much improvement in artstyle and animation, the story is as always some dark, psychological fairy tale mixed with splattery-horror.
I only fellt the fighting scenes were a bit annoying. Anyways, will play again :3

Rock Lobster
Rock Lobster

I was so happy to see this phenomenal game come out with a surprise release and I couldn't help but buy it! I'm an old fan of the Cat Lady, Downfall and Lorelai, but Burnhouse Lane really feels closest to the Cat Lady and I was happy to see a familiar face!! But very saddened by her final end when she was set free T_T
There was so much love poured into this game, in fact, it was made by 2 people - Rem and Michal and, let me tell you something, the graphics and the sound in this game couldn't have been better! Freaking amazing job, everyone.
The most interesting character for me was Aarno (his voice actor's name is Aarno in real life as well), such a mysterious dude, I really hope he's killing it out there and making the best time of his life. Wherever he is!

ccity16
ccity16

I just purchased the game the moment I saw it was available, i'm still early on into it and really enjoying it. No matter how the game ends up being, you guys made me a believer in your studio and pass games, you guys hard work have earn my money.

AttackOnSnorlax
AttackOnSnorlax

I got everything out of Burnhouse that I've come to expect from a Harvester Game: memorable soundtrack, angsty characters whose flaws are what makes them charming, an alarming amount of active serial killers within a small radius, a persistent sense of dread, and CATS! Lots and lots of cats!

Also sandwich-making minigames
10/10

litvyakov1478
litvyakov1478

A perfect spiritual successor of The Cat Lady with a lot of improvements: better gameplay, nice work with the lightning, added combat system, etc. Haven't finished the game yet but my preview is super positive so far.

Dan
Dan

The intro pretty sad and a depressing, but once you get past it that goes mostly away. The "terminal illness" theme is something that just repeats itself through the "Harvester Games", and personally, I'm not a giant fan of it.

When the world turns weird is when the good stuff starts, and the reason I get these games. Weird people and encouters, creepy or just plain insane creatures, unreal environments and point+click gameplay with (not very difficult) puzzles.

If you want to check out the first hour, or maybe just like Horror Let's Plays, look no further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOrb9Kmfcgw

Anonymous
Anonymous

wow, this game was completely addictive and utterly gorgeous in regard to aesthetics - I really enjoyed the progression of the story line, with all the twists and turns that kept me continuously guessing and wanting more! Also, I felt the balance of slower, plot driven development play vs action oriented scenes was great! Honestly so impressed, what a clear labour of love from the developers. Very beautiful, thoroughly enjoyed! Gave a slight silent hill vibe but definitely unique enough, both in terms of art and plot to stand out as an extremely enjoyable, original game. Thank you developers for a fabulous gaming experience!

Otomon
Otomon

Hes done it again! The developer Rem Michalski released hit after hit with his previous "Devil Came Through Here Trilogy", so when I heard he was cooking up something new, this quickly became one of my most anticipated games of the year. I been let down before, but I can honestly say this was not one of those times.

If you never played his games before, he makes point and clickish narrative adventure games with good atmosphere, music, plot and and a unique artstyle with darker undertones. (That being said, it is fairly clear what the developer was inspired by)

I recommend you dont spoil yourself anything about the plot and just got into this blind... if you have played his games before, this is kind of similar but better and longer (should take you at least 12 hours).

If I had to criticise something is that while every puzzle in the game is fairly easy to understand and solve, for some reason he decided that one of the late game puzzles you should just guess and do a very annoying platforming section with the actual item you need being hidden like an Easter egg, he also only had like 3 testers which meant on launch the game was riddle with bugs.. something that he is constantly working hard to fix, but could had been avoided if he had just gave some free keys to a few more people.

But other than that the game is stellar and I dont regret paying full price!

Faith
Faith

I just finished this game and this is the first time in my life I am leaving a Steam review because this game was breathtaking. The visuals, the combats, the dialogues, the colour schemes - everything is so hauntingly beautiful. I am a big fan of good plots and the level at which all the Harvester Games are deeply ingrained with each other even to this day mystifies me. I love the addition of combats which make the game even more immersive. I had my heart in my throat the whole time. Harvester Games is the only developer whose games I keep replaying because of the variety of different plot lines and endings the Devil Came Through Here trilogy offered and Burnhouse Lane is no different. I encourage everyone to try out the different endings by replaying the game after some time. I really loved this game and how this developer constantly improves the gameplay experience and quality with each game. Can't wait for the next one by Harvester Games.

msBean
msBean

I’ve finished only Chapter 1 and 2 but I decided to leave a review. If you like horror, 2D side scroll, gore and have strong views on life and death, I think you’ll like Burnhouse Lane. I have played The Cat Lady and Lorelai, and this is the third game I’ve been playing at this moment.

Honestly speaking, each game I have played seemed to have the same theme, life and death. If you don’t care too much about the theme, each experience might feel quite repetitive. I felt in the same way when I started playing The Cat Lady and Lorelai, but I was always emotional and even content at the end. This rich experience might come from the protagonists and characters in the games. They are all annoying but just being human. They all just trying to "live" but the simple task is the never ending journey we all share.

Burnhouse Lane is only available in English though. I’m trying my best to translate it into Japanese for my audience to promote Burnhouse Lane. Thank you for reading my review. Hopefully, my review will be helpful!

My Burnhouse Lane playthrough Chapter 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S92nbvLr70&t=4856s

fiftydwarves
fiftydwarves

It was... fine.
I'm not a f%&$# hypocrite to give a thumbs down to a game I completed in pretty much one sitting.
I would also be very surprised if I remembered anything from it in a month.

Which is very annoying, because at its best it feels like a worthy rival/successor to Silent Hill 2.
It's a great exploration of sickness and going into dark places, both internal and external, often simultaneously. I wouldn't call it scary in a 'horror-scary' sense, but it often feels deeper and more subtle than most horror media out there. It's more of a tense thriller with very good pacing, and the gameplay is both simple and engaging. The presentation is also great, visual and audio. The soundtrack is well worth a listen on its own, and the voice acting is incredible.

The lows are not THAT low, but a lot of it is just... Not amazing.
Angie doesn't really feel like an interesting or a deep character in any way.
Her interactions with other characters often don't sound believable. It doesn't help that it heavily relies on conventions when it makes you expect something more realistic.
A significant part of the game feels like a less inspired rehash of The Cat Lady - it's not criminal in itself or even bad, but it also doesn't have that spark.
Some scenes are downright annoying to play - they don't last long to truly bother, sure, but I doubt I'll ever want to replay it.
I feel like the overall intended direction for a good ending is pretty clear - and despite doing my best to follow it exploring everything, being generally nice and reasonable, not lashing out, resolving everything as peacefully as possible and being a responsible kitten, I still got the choice of the two crappiest endings - and it just felt completely unnecessary and underwhelming. The situation presented in the end, a big part of what the game was about, also felt like a betrayal of the game's themes.

So in the end, the game is generally good, but if you haven't played The Cat Lady yet, absolutely go and play that first. If you have and liked it, there's a high chance you'll enjoy this one too. It goes in a 'Silent Hill-like interaction with the environment' direction more than it repeats 'meaningful personal interaction with the characters', and it doesn't always succeed, but it also doesn't really truly fail. It's... fine.

Emeraldus
Emeraldus

I'll just say this first - I'm a big fan of Harvester Games.
I love the themes in their games and how the managed to tell the stories.
This game is no exception. I think this game is probably their best so far in storytelling and gameplay.
Though I think Cat Lady by Harvester Games has the best story, this one is much more polished and balances in both gameplay and storytelling. Burnhouse Lane was a journey through a bunch of feelings for me, and I loved every second of it!

Ebanella
Ebanella

Although I've progressed far enough, I will not finish this game because there is absolutely no way I am retrying _that_ tedious and dead stupid chase sequence again (headless lady with a chainsaw). Which is also why I think there is little to none replayability value to this game: some chapters are just so dragged out that you wouldn't want to waste your time waddling over yet another dozen of straight corridors back and forth just to get a new dialogue line or a different ending or whatever.

I wanted to like this game, I really did.
It's a huge progress over Rem's The Cat Lady, which remains one of my favorite games.
You can clearly see that Burnhouse Lane is a passion project: a lot of attention was put into backgrounds, (gorgeous) music, visual effects, but then there are those atrocious animation, mediocre dub and over-the-top cheesy and naive story.

In my opinion, the author has exhausted the 2D corridor thriller format and is ready to explore something different. His first several games sure are clunky, but they have a certain charm, one that makes you sigh once and shortly brush away the clunkiness for good, - while Lorelai and Burnhouse Lain feel like author is painfully fixated on the same story, theme and format, which makes each new game less original and more childish and goofy.

The characters are shallow and boring and the story is so all over the place, that it's difficult to give a damn about anything going on on the screen. Like how villains are your standard "ooga-booga-I-am-evil" puppets, it's just embarrassing.

This game was promising, but oh well.
Really looking forward to the OST coming out, and will definitely check out Rem's next game.

Yeetus Maximus
Yeetus Maximus

Hi, I want to express my appreciation for your work.

A long time ago I found The Cat Lady and this story and characters became something special. After finishing, I immediately bought Downfall and Lorelai. Even though I've seen all the previous games I came to a new game with open mind.
When I started playing Burnhouse lane, for the first time in a long time, I felt so elated and excited that it drove out the anxiety at the edge of my mind.
I finished my first playthrough and now I'm slowly making my way to the Golden ending.

I want to say thanks for this feelings and all hard job. Sorry if all this text is too chaotic haha.
Much love from Russian fan.

Regina Phalange
Regina Phalange

I'm a big fan of Harvester, and have been playing their games since The Cat Lady. I've been enjoying this game so far. It's definitely not part of the Devil Came Through Here trilogy, so don't expect any connections; however, since Burnhouse Lane has Michalski written all over, it still has that Cat Lady charm, regarding atmosphere and even sense of humor. And CATS!

Jazz
Jazz

Amazing game! I'm a huge fan of all the other games from the "devil came through here" trilogy as well, especially "The Cat Lady" so I was very pleased to see some cats in this one too! Haven't finished it yet but i highly recommend! It's addictive and I can't wait to see how it ends!

ydinroska
ydinroska

This is the first time I'm writing a review, so I'm not fully sure how to go about this, but I want to give my two cents on this game either way so here it goes! :]

I'll start off by saying that this game is absolutely gorgeous. I fell in love with the cool, collage-like art style of the previous games, but Harvester truly hit it out of the park with this one! I often found myself taking screenshots throughout my playthrough because I was simply so stunned by the beautiful background design and the usage of colors. The production value in this game is amazing and you can tell that a LOT of love and effort was put into this game. All the voice actors are talented and I felt captivated by their performances, there is definitely a wide range of talents included in this game! :]

As for the story, there are definitely plenty of similarities or re-occuring themes from the previous games, but I didn't mind that at all. I liked the story and especially the latter half of the game had some truly heartfelt moments and plenty of tears were shed! The characters are charming and some of them also very complex. Some villains felt a little rough around the edges and others were actually pretty scary, but I enjoyed them nonetheless! I liked the character relationships and some conflicts truly left me speechless because it felt very real and very complex. I wished some aspects of the latter half had been elaborated on a little more, but at the end of the day, I was truly content with the ending I chose. I will not spoil my ending, but I will say that it felt like the perfect kind of finish to a story.

The new mechanics were a nice addition! I'm happy that the classic sidescroller-gameplay from the previous games is still used in this one. The game plays very smoothly and while the new UI took a bit of adjusting, it felt very nice once I got the handle of it. I enjoyed the mechanic with the cats, it felt innovative and made the puzzles enjoyable, although I wish there were more savepoints scattered throughout those sections :] Usage of weapons felt pretty balanced for the most part and fighting didn't feel too overwhelming, albeit it did make me panic quite a bit waiting for the animation to stop so I could attack again. Puzzles were nice and challenging, though I feel like a few puzzles could have used a bit more indications/hints for the player on how to go about solving it (maybe Angie going 'hmm I think this could be used for this' or 'maybe this is related to x'? Something along those lines). Thankfully, these tougher puzzles were pretty scarce and most of the problem solving doesn't take long, but is challenging enough to be enjoyable!

While this game does have some things that bugged me out here and there, such as scarce saving points in some sections and a few tougher battles, I still found this game very enjoyable. The very few 'negative' aspects didn't take anything away from my experience as a whole and I'm very happy to have experienced the adventures of Burnhouse Lane! :]

I want to end this review by giving kudos for releasing the biggest and most ambitious project so far! Congratulations for the release! :] I am a young game designer student and I am in the early stages of learning development and just how much work and effort goes into making a game. Playing your previous titles and Burnhouse Lane truly remind me of why I fell in love with video games in the first place. My biggest thank yous go to Rem, Micamic and everyone who contributed to the making of this game, you guys are amazing and I can tell that this was a true passion project. Harvester Games has come a long way with it's titles and I am excited to see what the future holds! I will most definitely be returning to Burnhouse Lane again to uncover the secrets that I missed out on my first playthrough :]

See you in the next one! Much love

Signas
Signas

Man...what a game... what an experience. I've been a fan of Harvester Games's work since 2013, the first time that i played The Cat Lady. So you can imagine my euphoria when the first thing i see when i read the "extras" section in the main menu of this game is the developers mentioning that Burnhouse Lane started being developed as The Cat Lady 2 but then turned into its own thing. The story is incredible. A tale of life, death, judgment and acceptance (with multiple endings). A sad, but beautiful narrative in a sad but beautiful world. The graphics, the scenery is just absolutely gorgeous, every single place is a sight to behold. The beautiful ones get you in complete awe and the creepy, disgusting ones will make you feel like you're there experiencing the horrors. The music is so good, especially the songs that include piano, i could listen to most of the soundtrack for hours and i'm definitely gonna have a lot of it on my playlists. Gameplay wise, I find it amazing how they managed to capture the exact essence of what made The Cat Lady games fun EVEN with the engine change and improved on it a lot. The game engine of TCL was something special, and they managed to make an even more refreshing and modern take of it with Unity, including some very fun things like some action + survival horror little sections that will get you right in the edge of your seat at times. I wont dwell much into the story and what makes it so incredibly good, because i don't want to take away the experience from anyone. But you should DEFINITELY play this, ESPECIALLY if you've played TCL before. You will be surprised at some of the references that you'll see in this game. You should also play this if you enjoy artistic, deep games that will have you questioning every single aspect of life the moment you finish them. Because that is what this game is, a beautiful work of art. Make yourself a favor and buy this, support Harvester Games' amazing work that keeps getting better and better with the years with their unique take on games, and just enjoy this amazing new gem of gaming history. Thank you Harvester Games, may your incredible work live on forever.

Pupiii
Pupiii

Burnhouse Lane is the newest game from Harvester Games, the makers of The Cat Lady and others.
Like in the other games, the game is 2D with a really breathtaking and unique artstyle that looks the best out of all the games so far. The story is great, the characters are great, the writting is really good.
The combat is well that was the one thing I didnt liked that much, but it was okay for the game.
The voice acting is really top quality, they really made them come to life.

Just another Harvester Games game, thats mostly what you need to know and buy it.

vertigo2hell
vertigo2hell

Do I recommend this game? Hmm... Well... it just so happens to have taken the number one spot for my game of the year, this year. So yes! It is also fighting very hard to take the number one spot from The Cat Lady, for my favorite game from Harvester Games. I still need more time to mull that over. But yes, this game is beautiful, depressing and funny. It's so nice when indie devs like this decide to make games just for me!

Drakensson
Drakensson

The eloquent and emotional story can't save Burnhouse Lane from ultimately
becoming a one-time experience with dragged-out levels, occasional intrusive puzzles
and a climax that makes you doubt your choices are story-altering anyway

SCORE: 7/10

riley_finniss
riley_finniss

I've been a fan of Harvester Games for a long time since I watched and then played The Cat Lady almost a decade ago. Burnhouse Lane feels like a culmination of many of the ideas and gameplay ideas present in many of the previous horror adventure games in its ideas and gameplay execution. There are harrowing moments where you must survive killers and monsters with combat mechanics interspersed with tender character interactions and some light puzzle solving.

A list of the positive aspects of this game has to include the great character writing, I was kept guessing until the final moments of the game about my feelings on several of the supporting cast members who are complex and entertaining but also prone to their own weaknesses and failures. The horror and gore is strong enough to evoke feelings of fear and intensity but not so much as to feel genuinely gratuitous. The downtime between the more intense horror moments allowed good breathing room and I never felt tired by any section- the pacing is quite good overall. What few bugs I ran into were not game breaking and whenever I encountered one right before finishing a play session I would wake up to find a new patch or hotfix had already adressed the issue- the devs are clearly dedicated to fixing any bugs or technical errors quickly. The achievements helped me to understand there was a great deal of extra thought and care put into item use (in particular holding onto items for later use) and some special abilities the main character gets that could encourage repeat playthroughs which is fun and helps build the kind of game that is a joy to play or watch your favourite youtuber react to.

In terms of issues I would say that the ending felt a tad rushed at its resolution (having gotten the game's secret best ending) I was left wanting more- which you might say is a point in the games favour. The combat is fairly underwhelming as most gun game play is simplistic and can make moments where you are able to fight back against the games various antagonists feeling anticlimactic. The game has a dash/dodge function which was very well implemented at the start but later enemies seemed to ignore it and I often forgot about it as a puzzle solving tool in various sections of the game, it feels telling that the dodge will have a reminder prompt at various points throughout the game after long stretches where it isn't used. in addition to that there is an axe that you acquire at various points in the game which was used to cut down some barricades blocking progress- I wish that the swing didn't require as much precision as it did as I would often stand directly in front of an obstacle, swing to no effect, then got stuck until I realised I had to be a step or two further back so the axe head would make contact with the centre of the object which felt intuitive to me personally. My final criticism is that there is some long walking sections in the game that toe the line from "atmospheric" to "dull" with some areas having too few interactable objects- this wouldn't really be an issue for first playthroughs but could make certain sections drag on repeats which IS an issue for games with multiple endings like this one.

I would say I do heartily reccomend Burnhouse Lane- In terms of the other games Harvester has released this one ranks as either my favourite or second favourite just behind The Cat Lady. It was a joy to play and I eagerly anticipated sitting down for another session when I had time in my day.

Agressive-Kitkat
Agressive-Kitkat

Burnhouse Lane a game of a 2D horror adventure game with a very interesting story. If you have played the cat lady you will enjoy this for sure. It feels like an expansion of the cat lady universe from her story to another which is Nurse Angie. This is a game that will have you trying to dig more into its story.

I also enjoyed not only the music but also the artwork. The various colors to fit the scene and mood. One thing i recommend is to make sure to take a look around while exploring. Might find some goodies that will help you on your dark adventure down Burnhouse Lane. If you are not a person to look around explore to open other possible endings or etc this may not the game for you with a bit of slow burn but then hits the fast button which is not a bad thing but for some might not be appealing.

One thing I do want to mention, somethings can be a little clunky like when you are the cat at one point. Could be human error, I am semi new to playing game on computers so disclosure. Hard to gauge that leap that can drive you a little nutty sometimes but hey cats are cute stubborn creatures haha so works out. Also, building a sandwich for sweet George, that is a win in my book. I had lots of fun with this game, especially i have seen game-play of the cat lady and I am a huge fan. Did not have a computer at the time so if you haven't already I would play cat lady then come back to this game and see some hidden gems that will make you screech like a kid in a candy store for some references.

RiSK
RiSK

This game was amazing.
I worked tirelessly to get the best ending in the game, and it was absolutely worth it.
You can see there is just so much love poured into this game. The art is fantastic, the characters three-dimensional and beautifully written, the story is unique, guttural horror yet still manages to be very poignant and humane.
I cannot recommend this game enough to anyone who enjoyed past entries in the series. While the game shares many similar themes with past Harvester Games entries, it is by far their best work to date.
If you love games for their story and art, love horror games with a fantastic story (which is VERY rare), looking for a fantastically unique experience, then this is the game for you.
They truly outdid themselves this time.
My one recommendation would be to find the file where Burnhouse Lane's save data is located, copy your saves during each chapter, and paste a back-up of your save elsewhere in case you miss something. That way, if you are hoping to go for the Golden Ending, you won't have to start the entire game over again. The only real critique I can give this game is that it does not give you the option of having multiple saves. Each time you save, it will rewrite your save data, and all you can do is press continue and go from where you last left off. Placing save files elsewhere for back-up purposes is highly recommended.
I hope people discover this gem and give it a genuine chance. Art like this fully deserves it.

Bonnie Gruesome
Bonnie Gruesome

How can you not love this?

A worthy addition to Harvester's growing library of indie horror, since The Cat Lady they've been spoiling us!

The game is beautiful, lovely lighting and effects, well crafted visual on the characters and the dialogue is enjoyable from good voice talent.
The horror is there in all it's glory as before with previous titles it holds nothing back and I love them for it!
The only thing it seems to be lacking compared to the last few games is a soundtrack, unless I'm missing something there's no songs or pieces of long eerie music from artists such as Black Casino & The Ghost, or Maisy Kay. Something along those lines feels like it's missing, but the atmosphere is there nonetheless.

All in all a horrific experience so far and as of the time of writing this I've not yet finished the game, I'm around chapter 4. if the rest of the chapters are continuing in this way then I won't be disappointed :)

Albino Crow
Albino Crow

Burnhouse Lane is a gorgeous game - the music and art alone are worth the playthrough.

Fortunately, the game also F*CKS (affectionate) and it's worth playing because it's absolutely phenomenal. Realistic characters (with hyperbolic exceptions that fit the genre), compelling and engaging story, and a good balance between fairly challenging mechanics and plot.

I'm not doing it justice, for sure. If you're considering playing - you should! I'm going to replay and try for that golden ending

slurpity slurp
slurpity slurp

This is the horror game you've been looking for; except you didn't look for it: it found you.

I have over 250 horror games on steam, and I collect retro games from Silent Hill, to Siren, to Rule of Rose, to many, other titles. I am well acquainted with the genre, but no one does it like Harvester Games: especially not in the modern era of gaming. The gameplay makes you feel nostalgic for 90's point and clicks with a modern twist, the puzzles make you think and feel accomplished when solving them, and you will want to slap yourself for making a wrong decision 3 saves ago. This is true horror, with visuals that you have to experience because I simply cannot do it justice by explaining. You will experience visceral body horror, and then the horror of human relationships all in one go which will leave your head and heart reeling.

I've followed them since the release of "The Cat Lady" (as have many others), and each game has found me at a poignant point in my life. As a chronically ill person who's struggled with my own mental health struggles, each story has met me where I'm at. I have seen myself in the heroes, in the 'villains', in side characters, and main characters. Everyone is so fleshed out and so well written, it's impossible not to get attached.

No review can do this game justice, because it is absolutely something you have to experience and that will speak to you individually. I cannot wait to see what's next for Harvester games!

Siamese55
Siamese55

I have been playing Harvester games starting with the Cat Lady and this is honestly the best one yet. There were so many delightful details, from the minigames to the abilities. Even the plot connected to me in new ways as our ways to interact with these worlds grow. Usually I have a standout favorite section or chapter, but this time it felt completely well rounded; there was always something. It was an utter joy to experience and I will happily recommend it to anyone that asks.

That said, I do have some criticisms. For one, I miss our old save systems where they were not arbitrarily limited in time, frequency, or reloading. Especially now that combat is a very real element of the game (a change I am lukewarm on at best, though most battles can be treated as puzzles), it makes the game especially unforgiving in some aspects. I got the golden ending, but it took me 15 hours to do so. I can only imagine the time commitment required to do the same if you messed up along the way.

For two, and this is much more personal, but our relationships felt especially complicated with other characters in Burnhouse; to the point I somewhat question who is a friend and who is an enemy. While I would say this is more realistic, I cannot help but be torn by two fates even in the golden ending and of some of the expected interactions with them. I don't need a full blown fairy tale happily ever after, but real ambiguity was not especially satisfying.

TLDR: I have some qualms, but Burnhouse Lane is most certainly worth at least one play through.

Heretic89
Heretic89

The writing is gorgeous. Despite some particular similarities to Rem's other Games (which are partly explained by the fact, that Burnhouse Lane started as an early draft for 'Cat Lady 2'). And in some way - because of these similarities. What I mean is, these recurring themes (being already known to us) shouldn't normally lead to any new dilemas or revelation - yet somehow Rem finds the way to do exactly that. Similar (yet not the same) starting point for a different kind of story with a different conclusion.

kovenmoonshadow
kovenmoonshadow

I've been a huge fan of Harvester Games ever since I played The Cat Lady, which to this day remains one of my all time favorite games. Much like the previous installments, this one doesn't disappoint in the potent miasma of emotions. The scenery is gorgeous, the characters are well written and the dialogue as usual is fluid and believable. Amazing.

Tosco
Tosco

Another masterpiece. Just finished the game twice to see more developments and still I feel there is more to discover. The frame is deep in details and the opportunities of interpretation are many. This game is better than the ones that inspired it.

russtolium
russtolium

It's very familiar if you've tried any other Harvester games, but that's not a bad thing really. It experiments with a few new mechanics, some fall flat (combat) and others are refreshing if a little rough around the edges (platforming). If you like any of the other games you should definitely give it a go.

Like others have mentioned the plot and structure are very similar to past games. The themes are as disturbing as you'd come to expect at times. If there is one thing I would like to see with Rem's work in the future it is a more mature writing style. There is a often lack of nuance to conversations, words unnecessarily in ALL CAPS, and character interaction that can feel superficially task-based. As with most video game writing, the actors are dutifully reading the script exactly as written, with little room to expand the character through performance. Content-wise, the Mortal Kombat style of blood and gore / shock and awe is wearing thin, and it would be interesting to see future games be a bit more subtle with how it unsettles you, and a few less scenarios with people being abducted/tortured.

The greatest visual strength of Harvester Games is atmosphere, texture, and color. There are some genuinely breathtaking scenes with rich layering and masterful use of color, light, and silhouette and it's a true pleasure to move through. On the other hand, character animation has been stressed to the limits of what the "paper puppet" style can accomplish and is very awkward in contrast to the general aesthetic.It may be time to consider 3D characters, as much as I love how huge and detailed they are.

Similarly the music and sound design are, with a few odd exceptions, evocative, intricate, and inspired. The voicework, aside from a few very awkward performances and characters that do not express a convincing emotional context, is well done. Just get the barber character's actor a pop filter next time, eh?

All these detailed complaints felt worth writing down because all in all this is a very good game and I'm happy Harvester is continuing to make memorable experiences, which are amazing achievements for such a small team. I'll be keenly awaiting whatever comes next.

Nome
Nome

I'm a big fan of all of R Michalski games, I love each and one of them, and the cat lady was my first ever bought game on steam. so I was really exited when i so this game coming out.

The storyline seems similar to the cat lady, wich does not bother me, it's what made me fall in love with the game in the first place. Love the art design, very cool and not like any other, i felt like home to me.

The game did have a few bugs through out it and i had to close the game down a couple of times. The controls were fine to me, not the best, but i mange it. when it comes to saving the game, i wish that the options were i little bit better, like I couldnt just save and close the game, i had to find a ashetrade, and in chapter 5 right before the boss fight with the scolptore thing, you had the options to save, but if you died you would appear inside the ballroom with the thing, wich meant that if you didn't find the amo for the dessert eagle then your chance was lost.

But all in all, such a good game, and I would give anything to rediscover it and play it agian

Jojozi
Jojozi

If you're a fan of 'The Devil Came Through Here' trilogy, then this is a must play. The characters are all really well written and feel real , there were some that I really grew attached to, and some that really made me laugh out loud despite the dark and gritty story being told, which is to be expected from a Remiguisz Michalski game. I would also say that this game seems much more polished compared to his previous works, and the audio quality, music and voice acting were of topnotch quality, which helped with immersion, good job to the cast.

Now, although I really enjoyed this experience and would recommend it to anyone interested in a dark tale, there were a few things that I thought were a little questionable. There were a few combat segments which I felt could have been done better, the mechanics were too rudimentary for my liking, however I feel that this was an experimental idea and hopefully the experienced gathered from this game by Remiguisz Michalski will be implemented into future ones. So while I felt the combat was unnecessary, I'm excited to see how he will improve upon it in future releases. Additionally, there were a few occasions where you control a cat, and to be honest I personally wasn't a fan of these segments. The reason for this I feel was because I didn't like the way the cat controlled, for me the movement felt too hefty and also the jumping didn't feel right, felt quite clunky at times, which is fine on a whole but during some platforming bits it was a little frustrating. There was one cat part in particular where this was especially noticeable, in the latter part of the game there is a puzzle related to scales, I won't spoil it, all I'll say is that the concept was great, but my clumsy movements and me not realising that I had missed something for way too long made this part drag on for me, others may have been more intuitive though and solved it much quicker, but regardless, I feel that if it felt better to control the cat then I wouldn't have minded as much. One last thing, and this is completely subjective, although I think the voice quality and acting is brilliant, and I can't fault it at all, to some extent I kind of feel that the recording quality was too good, I don't know why but I found the tinniness in the voice recordings of the original Cat Lady kind of cozy and charming. Of course, I don't expect future recordings to downgrade in quality or anything, this is just a throw away comment really, I just thought I'd share this perspective, I wonder if anyone else feels similar or gets where I'm coming from.

I know I spent a huge chunk of this review talking about aspects I weren't too keen on, but it's because I love the game a lot, and I'm a really big fan of Remiguisz Michalski work. I'd rather he keep on releasing games with faults than not release them at all, as his games are very unique and special and I have yet to play a game that can replicate the same feeling, besides perhaps The Dream Machine to some extent, but that's quite a different game.

So yeah, 9 out of 10, would recommend this game a lot, possibly the best game Remiguisz Michalski has done despite my critiques.

Lustmored
Lustmored

Wow! My expectations were extremely high, yet the game delivers! It's so sick and deep and creepy and... It's just really worth it! The only bad side are the platform elements, which seems redundant and sometimes too frustrating due to unconvenient controlling. But there aren't many. Other than that - pure, harvester style, fun.

Karma_Emberose
Karma_Emberose

I have been a fan of Harvester Games since The Cat Lady and Downfall (OG version), but without that fact I can confidently say that Burnhouse Lane is a masterpiece of a game.
The story alone is worth it, but I think the puzzles and gameplay also make for a really fun time! This game has it all for me: horror, humor, gore, drama, and a moving story. I am already looking forward to (hopefully) the next game.

vengefulretreat
vengefulretreat

I can't believe I'm about to say this about a game from one of my favorite developers. Burnhouse Lane is fundamentally broken. The save system renders the trial and error gameplay not only frustrating, but offensive in how punishing it is. The Cat Lady subverted this at multiple points by having resurrection be a core part of the narrative and gameplay so the player could avoid losing significant progress. Also there were just less threats in general in that game. Burnhouse Lane on the other hand gives you manual saves ONLY and the only proper way to protect yourself from replaying significant portions of the game including heavy dialogue sections, is to run back to an ashtray and save EVERY TIME you take even a single step towards progress, and that is just not a concession players should have to make to avoid frustration.

In my review for The Callisto Protocol I talked about how I had become spoiled by indie games which is why I found the broken game design in that game so jarring, and here we have the latest entry from one of our most promising indie devs committing the same sins. I won't be picking this game back up until a checkpoint system is introduced to work in tandem with the manual saves to protect your progress. The impact of each new set piece, character moment, and puzzle section is just ruined, and my immersion absolutely obliterated every time I die because of something I can't possibly predict on my first playthrough. Harvester is supposed to be one of the good ones. I know people will forgive this stuff because of their previous games, but I'm sorry, this is something that should've been very obvious at any level of playtesting. I can't believe more people aren't talking about this. Please hold ALL developers to account, not just the big ones.

I should say that, other than this issue, I wouldn't really have anything negative to say about the game, at least from the few hours I played but this particular issue is significant, fundamental, and most obviously, unacceptable in any game with a trial and error fail state. I will absolutely revisit this review if I see a fix to this issue but as it stands, I can't recommend Burnhouse Lane, no matter how much it hurts me to say it.

Anonymous
Anonymous

While not without it's gameplay flaws, the overall experience felt worthwhile.
Visually, the game is a huge step up from their earlier games and the environment feels bigger.
If you liked their other work, I would recommend this.

Malkata
Malkata

Burnhouse Lane combines years of experience creating thought-provoking psychological horror adventures, resulting in what might be among the best titles from Harvester Games. It's been a treat playing it!

More in-depth video review:
https://youtu.be/XhuIj4-j-3U

Moody
Moody

I've only played 20 minutes so far but already am loving everything I see.
Rem's previous games take three spots of my top five best games ever made and I am so excited to see where this goes.
A seven day 10% discount on release too? Crazy.
Excited!

Also for anyone wondering it runs OOTB on Arch Linux without having to mess with Proton which is a huge thumbs up.

Conway
Conway

The release came as a surprise to me, so I haven't been able to fully dive into it yet, but the brief preview made me feel at home straight away. There is no other voice in this ruminant medium like Michalski's. Will update my review once I'm through.

Penny
Penny

Fantastic and immersive as always. I got into Rem's games when I was younger. I never had any game ever pull me in like his did. It gives you feelings you never knew you had before.

Starting out, I found myself drawn to Angie right away, and even George! I am a carer myself in the states. And I always connect with nurses and healthcare workers in games as well. I'm excited to see how this comes to an end.

Thank you Rem for everything and the games you create.

Julliazor
Julliazor

I was really waiting for this game, so I was very excited when I saw the game released. The story looks promising, it reminds me of The Cat Lady but I can see that it has more to it. The art is so good, the colors are heaven to my eyes, everything looks so refreshing, I can really see that Michalsky put a lot of effort and love in this game. The music like always, is amazing! And the voice acting, like in the other games, doesn't fail to impress me. Everything is high quality! I love every bit of it and can't wait to enjoy every second of this gem!

93lukewalton93
93lukewalton93

I have only completed Chapter 1 but I wanted to say how happy I am with how well this game runs on my PC. Lorelei was the first game in this series that ran poorly and I was expecting this one to as well since they are both the newer entries. Not only does this one look great it runs perfectly optimised this time round.

So far the game is just as good as I wanted to and even better! I love these games they're so good.

derenb
derenb

Harvester Games does not disappoint. I was looking forward to this game for a good while and it's safe to say that it has exceeded my expectations. I've enjoyed every moment of it so far. It is brilliantly disturbing and visually captivating just like The Cat Lady and Downfall. Thank you for your work!

Vince
Vince

Great game just like the last titles Harvester Games have made.
If you like a good well written story with well written characters, then this game is no doubt for you.
And definitely worth the 12,49 euro

azalty
azalty

I've only played 1 hour so far but the visual style, the animations, the dialogues... so far, it just seems like a downgrade in every way.
I miss The Cat Lady, I hope it'll get better, but both visual styles and animations are probably not going to change through the story...

ShittyKitty
ShittyKitty

Absolutely stunning! Plan on finishing tonight. Rem never misses, I've been looking forward to this game for about a year now and I've only played a few hours, but it's already sucked me in. Gorgeous, love the fluid movements, love the few puzzles I've done so far. Another Harvester Games hit. Will likely come back to update once I've finished!

Moxd
Moxd

After how disappointing The Callisto Protocol has turned out to be, let me tell you it's the BIGGEST sigh of relief that the new Harvester Games game absolutely slaps. Their games have been consistently special, there's nothing else like them, like they've captured and refined the essence of melancholy, and this one pushes their formula forward in the most positive direction with better graphics, animations, and mechanics. Just fantastic, a must play.

magickalwaste
magickalwaste

I’m absolutely loving he game so far! I’m currently in chapter 2 and it’s getting really intense. The atmosphere is beautiful, harvester games visual style is second to none. The story is captivating thus far. I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds. I love the old man too ☺️

Arcanum Luminarium
Arcanum Luminarium

Currently only played for an hour and a half, but wanted to take a moment to write this review.

Absolutely Phenominal game thus far. It really grabs you from the beginning. If you have played Harvester Games other games, like The Cat Lady, Lorelai, Down Fall you know what kind of an emotional, saddistic, and raw kind of experience your in for.