Three Lesbians in a Barrow

A change in gameplay can sometimes be beneficial for a game series, though it still helps to try and keep things fresh as it goes. A follow-up to The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer Smith (TToTGS), Three Lesbians in a Barrow (TLiaB) is another visual novel that was included in the same bundle as the previous game and Parsnip and expands further on those games’ universe while trying something new for the series. Though shorter, TLiaB accomplishes this goal, even if the execution isn’t perfect.

Following the events of TToTGS, Trixie Glimmer Smith and Nikita are joined by the previously-unseen Tabithia Knight (Tabby) on a trip to a barrow for a university assignment. Despite ominous warnings outside the entrance, the three venture inside for research, only for Trixie to accidentally cause a cave-in that traps them inside and separates Nikita from the rest of the group. While Trixie and Tabby try and rescue Nikita before their supplies run out, a dark force sealed inside the barrow makes itself known.

Though the events of TToTGS are referenced through dialogue between Trixie and Nikita and form the basis of their relationship in the game, they are left vague to allow TLiaB to potentially work as a stand-alone title. While this does work to some extent, prior knowledge of both that game and Parsnip can help enhance the experience (plus it seems to suggest that the Bell route in the previous game was the correct answer). What helps though is that Tabithia Knight, who was only mentioned previously, becomes the player character this time around, allowing the player to see Trixie and Nikita’s relationship as an outsider and therefore an uninformed player would only know as much as she does.

Tabby is an interesting character in both design and personality.

The story itself is much shorter than the previous game, taking place across two locations and the majority of the game is spent inside the barrow itself. This shorter length, however, allows for a far more focused narrative and tighter pacing when compared with TToTGS. The game even includes a jab at itself for how the story of TToTGS was written, even mentioning storylines that didn’t go anywhere. On that note, the writing quality has improved since the last entry in that there are far fewer grammar errors, however they are still noticeable when they occur (two standouts in my playthrough were “interference” being misspelled and the word “king” being used in place of “kind” in one sentence). The horror element of the game is also more subdued compared to its predecessors, however it its still evident in the dark force that lurks within the barrow, with some really good sound mixing that creates a sense of dread and provides an additional ticking clock to the narrative.

The gameplay is similar to TToTGS, taking the form of a visual novel with the occasional player choice. TLiaB takes this further by introducing sections of gameplay where the player can investigate the environment, but has only a limited number of actions before they must continue the story. This system does provide a good amount of player agency and has a more immediate impact on the course of the narrative when compared with TToTGS, as there are once again multiple endings. One minor gripe I have with this though is that, outside of the tutorial, your remaining actions are hidden, forcing you to have to guess and potentially waste actions before you have to press on. That said, repeating an interaction does not waste your actions, which alleviates any potential frustration.

The visual style is consistent with that of TToTGS while continuing to improve on it, featuring character models that indicate a passage of time from the previous game’s events. It’s also made clear what you can and can’t interact with by whether or not an object sparkles when you hover over it, though the interface is otherwise familiar. The soundtrack is also minimal, recycling music from the previous game while adding some new music that fits the tone of TLiaB while it lasts.

Though a more condensed experience than TToTGS, Three Lesbians in a Barrow improves on it and Parsnip to provide a tighter and more satisfying experience. Should you choose to experience this for yourself, with or without prior knowledge of previous entries, this game also has a lower asking price than TToTGS on itch.io ($4) that’s well worth it with the amount of replay value it provides.