“The Hayseed Knight” by Maxi Molina Juan, Benjamin Beziat, Alejandro García Cutillas, Stan Kuschick, Joe Goffeney, Melody Muze, Travis Lindsey, Shishishiena, Tim Lewis, Kameron Watson, Cassie Ewulu, Anjali Kunapaneni, Ryan Hoyle, Kieran Flitton, Kemi Haydee Stanton, Kim Gasiciel, Allison Seils, Tom Schalk, Daven Tyler Fultz, Kenneth Faircloth, Jr., Brandon Acosta, Tatianna Stapleton, William Poulter, Natalie Van Sistine, Gabriel Hicks, Ellie Rhodes, Els White, Karan Jaggi, Korbin Hill, Karam Bharj & Saad Akhter Ali.
“Join a ragtag band of misfits as they piece together how Ader, a one-eyed farmboy with seemingly impossible dreams, becomes the most celebrated knight the kingdom of Acazhor has ever known. This gorgeous, animated visual novel unravels in unexpected ways with a perfect blend of mystery, comedy and romance.”
Full disclosure right ahead:
Naomi “Bez” Norbez used a free key of “The Hayseed Knight”, provided by Maxi Molina Juan, to play the game and write an article about it.
“The Hayseed Knight” is a visual novel about history and how it is told to those who have not witnessed it firsthand. In the framing device, a teenager named Lin writes down the story told to her by a perhaps divine being known only as the Narrator. The story is that of Ader, famed knight of the land, and as we go through the tale, we try and see how Ader became the well-known hero that Lin knows him as.
The story is interesting, and the characters are excellent. I loved their interactions, I enjoyed how they bounce off of each other and I liked the voice acting a lot too, as the performances are great. The art is top notch and the sprite animations are all fantastic, some of the best I have ever seen in a visual novel. The music is also lively and spirited, really bringing the scenes together.
If I had one complaint, it would be that you have to read a lot in the glossary if you want to understand the world and characters in their entirety. Personally, I prefer stories that expand on both the environment and its inhabitants in themselves, leaving the glossary for additional information and side context, as in games like “Code: Realize – Guardian of Rebirth”.
For now, “The Hayseed Knight” consists of just the first three chapters, but since it is still in development, I assume it to be updated along the line. In any case, it is already a strong game. I definitely consider it a high quality visual novel that I can only recommend wholeheartedly. [PLAY]
