Henchman Story

Henchman Story is a comedic visual novel and interactive fiction game set in a fantasy world where players take on the role of a henchman navigating the absurd and often hilarious challenges of working for supervillains. With a unique comic book-inspired art style, full voice acting, and a branching narrative leading to 12 different endings, the game blends humor, crime, and adventure as players interact with eccentric characters and make choices that shape their story.

Henchman Story: A Masterclass in Superhero Satire and Interactive Storytelling

Introduction: The Unlikely Hero of the Henchman

In an era where superhero fatigue threatens to dull even the most ardent fan’s enthusiasm, Henchman Story emerges as a breath of fresh, irreverent air—a game that doesn’t just deconstruct the genre but gleefully dismantles it with wit, charm, and a surprising depth of emotional resonance. Developed by Silken Sail Entertainment and published by Top Hat Studios, this visual novel dares to ask: What if the most compelling character in a superhero saga wasn’t the caped crusader or the nefarious mastermind, but the poor schmuck in purple spandex holding the door?

From its humble origins as a Kickstarter passion project to its multi-platform release in October 2021, Henchman Story has carved out a niche as one of the most original and polished interactive narratives in recent memory. It’s a game that understands the absurdity of its premise and leans into it with gusto, all while delivering a story that’s as heartfelt as it is hilarious. With a script clocking in at over 200,000 words, full voice acting, and a branching narrative that boasts eleven distinct endings, Henchman Story isn’t just a visual novel—it’s a love letter to the underdogs, the also-rans, and the perpetually underappreciated.

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Development History & Context: From Kickstarter Dream to Multi-Platform Reality

The Birth of an Idea

Henchman Story began as a glimmer in the mind of writer and game director Marc Soskin in 2016. Fresh off a cross-country move to Seattle and inspired by the absurdity of superhero tropes, Soskin sketched out the core concept: a narrative-driven game where players step into the shoes of Stan, a long-suffering henchman for the inept supervillain Lord Bedlam. The idea marinated for years as Soskin worked on high-profile projects like The Outer Worlds and Lone Echo, but the pull of his passion project never faded. By 2020, with a global pandemic raging and the world in flux, Soskin and a small team of collaborators—including artist Simon Adventure and composer Cliff Keller—decided it was time to bring Henchman Story to life.

Kickstarter Success and Community Support

In September 2020, Silken Sail Entertainment launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the game’s development, with stretch goals that included full voice acting, an original soundtrack, and additional polish. The campaign surpassed its funding goal by 24%, a testament to the game’s appeal and the team’s ability to connect with fans. Backers were treated to regular development updates, including a demo that showcased the game’s sharp writing, vibrant art style, and promising voice work. The demo, released in 2020, was a hit, generating buzz and attracting attention from publishers like Top Hat Studios, who would later handle the game’s console releases.

Technological and Creative Challenges

Developed using the Ren’Py engine—a popular choice for visual novels—Henchman Story faced the dual challenge of delivering a polished, branching narrative while ensuring smooth performance across PC, Mac, Linux, and all major consoles. The team’s remote workflow, spanning eight countries, required meticulous coordination, particularly in managing the game’s 7,000+ lines of voiced dialogue. Soskin himself took on multiple roles, including voicing both Stan and Lord Bedlam, directing the voice actors, and even contributing to the game’s UI design and coding.

The game’s art direction, led by Simon Adventure, embraced a comic book aesthetic that paid homage to classic superhero comics while infusing the world with a distinct, modern flair. The character designs are expressive and memorable, from the perpetually exasperated Stan to the menacing yet oddly alluring Madame Scorpion. The soundtrack, composed by Cliff Keller, complements the game’s tone perfectly, blending playful, upbeat tracks with more dramatic cues during pivotal moments.

The Gaming Landscape in 2021

Henchman Story arrived at a time when visual novels were experiencing a renaissance, thanks in part to the success of titles like Doki Doki Literature Club and Ace Attorney. However, the superhero genre remained largely untapped in the interactive fiction space, making Henchman Story a standout. Its release coincided with a broader cultural moment where audiences were increasingly drawn to stories that subverted traditional hero narratives—think The Boys or WandaVision—and Henchman Story fit neatly into this trend. The game’s satirical edge and focus on the “little guy” resonated with players weary of the same old power fantasies.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Power of the Everyman

Plot Overview: A Henchman’s Journey

Henchman Story begins in media res, with Stan—our hapless protagonist—participating in a heist gone wrong. The target? A pet store. The loot? Dog food. The aftermath? A humiliating defeat at the hands of the superhero Shining Nova. This opening sequence sets the tone for the entire game: a world where supervillainy is less about world domination and more about scraping by, where the line between hero and villain is blurred, and where the real drama happens in the break room.

Stan’s life takes a dramatic turn when Lord Bedlam, his eccentric but well-meaning boss, partners with the far more competent and dangerous Madame Scorpion. This alliance thrusts Stan into a high-stakes conflict involving corporate espionage, superhero politics, and a shadowy organization known as the Northwestern Hero Association. Along the way, Stan must navigate office politics, forge alliances (and rivalries), and—if the player so chooses—pursue romance with either Kate, a fellow henchperson, or Madame Scorpion herself.

The game’s narrative is divided into two major branches, each offering a radically different experience. One path leans into the absurdity of superhero tropes, while the other delves into darker, more introspective territory. The choices Stan makes—whether to embrace his role as a henchman, strive for something greater, or reject the entire system—determine not just the ending but the very nature of the story.

Themes: Satire, Agency, and the Illusion of Power

At its core, Henchman Story is a satire of superhero media, but it’s also a meditation on agency, labor, and the illusion of power. The game gleefully skewers the tropes of the genre, from the over-the-top monologuing of villains to the arbitrary moral codes of heroes. Lord Bedlam, for instance, is a villain who provides his henchmen with healthcare and private rooms, making him a better boss than most real-world employers. Meanwhile, the heroes are often portrayed as self-righteous and hypocritical, more concerned with maintaining their public image than actually helping people.

Yet beneath the humor lies a deeper exploration of what it means to have agency in a world where power is concentrated in the hands of a few. Stan is, by his own admission, a nobody—a guy who took a job as a henchman because it paid the bills and offered decent benefits. But as the story progresses, he’s forced to confront the ethical implications of his work and decide whether he’s content to remain a cog in the machine or if he wants to carve out his own path. This theme is reinforced by the game’s branching narrative, which emphasizes that even the smallest choices can have profound consequences.

Characters: A Cast of Misfits and Memorable Oddballs

The heart of Henchman Story lies in its characters, each of whom is meticulously crafted and brought to life by the game’s stellar voice cast. Here’s a closer look at the key players:

• Stan: The everyman protagonist, voiced by Marc Soskin. Stan is a reluctant henchman who’s more interested in collecting a paycheck than in evil schemes. His dry wit and sarcastic commentary make him an instantly relatable and engaging lead. Over the course of the game, Stan’s character arc hinges on whether he remains a passive observer or takes control of his destiny.

• Lord Bedlam: Also voiced by Soskin, Bedlam is a delightful contradiction—a supervillain who’s more bumbling than menacing, yet genuinely cares about his employees. His grandiloquent speeches and over-the-top persona mask a deep insecurity, making him one of the game’s most endearing characters.

• Madame Scorpion: Voiced by Elissa Park, Madame Scorpion is the game’s primary antagonist, a ruthless and calculating villainess who sees Stan as little more than a pawn. Her interactions with Stan are electric, blending menace with a strange, almost flirtatious tension. Park’s performance is a standout, imbuing Scorpion with a chilling authority that makes her a formidable presence.

• Kate: Voiced by Anairis Quiñones, Kate is a fellow henchperson who becomes one of Stan’s closest allies—and potential love interests. She’s resourceful, quick-witted, and far more competent than Stan, making her a refreshing foil to the game’s more eccentric characters.

• Dave: Voiced by Anthony Sardinha, Dave is Stan’s overly enthusiastic supervisor and a die-hard Lord Bedlam fanboy. His unshakable optimism and naivety provide much of the game’s comic relief, but there’s a hint of tragedy beneath his cheerful exterior.

• Miss Dynamo: Voiced by Daphne Nitsuga, Miss Dynamo is a superhero who becomes entangled in Stan’s story. Her dynamic with Stan is one of the game’s highlights, blending rivalry, mutual respect, and—depending on the player’s choices—something more.

The game’s supporting cast is equally memorable, from the flamboyant Chef Antonio to the enigmatic Nightingale. Each character is given depth and nuance, ensuring that even minor figures feel like fully realized individuals.

Dialogue and Writing: Sharp, Witty, and Full of Heart

The writing in Henchman Story is nothing short of exceptional. Soskin’s script is packed with razor-sharp wit, clever wordplay, and a keen understanding of comic timing. The dialogue crackles with energy, whether it’s Stan’s sarcastic asides, Lord Bedlam’s bombastic proclamations, or Madame Scorpion’s icy retorts. The game’s humor ranges from slapstick to dry satire, with plenty of meta-commentary on superhero tropes.

One of the standout sequences is a Dungeons & Dragons-style tabletop game session, where the characters’ personalities shine through their in-game alter egos. It’s a brilliant example of the game’s ability to blend humor with character development, offering insights into the cast’s motivations and quirks.

The game’s branching narrative is equally impressive. Unlike many visual novels where choices feel superficial, Henchman Story ensures that every major decision has tangible consequences. The two primary narrative branches diverge so dramatically that they almost feel like separate games, with unique plotlines, characters, and themes. Even smaller choices—such as how Stan responds to a colleague’s remark—can alter relationships and open up new dialogue options later on.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: Choice, Consequence, and Replayability

Core Gameplay Loop: Reading, Choosing, and Consequences

As a visual novel, Henchman Story adheres to the genre’s traditional gameplay loop: read, make choices, and witness the consequences. However, the game elevates this formula through its meticulous attention to detail and the weight of its decisions. Players spend the majority of their time engaging with the story, but the choices they make—whether in dialogue or during key plot moments—shape Stan’s relationships, his moral alignment, and ultimately, the game’s ending.

The UI is clean and intuitive, with a comic book aesthetic that complements the game’s art style. Dialogue choices are presented in a straightforward manner, and the game does an excellent job of signaling when a choice will have significant consequences. The “Opinion Changed” notifications—which indicate how a character’s perception of Stan has shifted—add a layer of feedback that helps players understand the impact of their decisions.

Branching Narrative and Multiple Endings

Henchman Story’s greatest strength lies in its branching narrative. The game features two major story paths, each with its own tone, themes, and cast of characters. The first path is more comedic and lighthearted, leaning into the absurdity of superhero tropes, while the second is darker and more introspective, exploring themes of power, corruption, and redemption.

Within these paths, players can unlock one of eleven distinct endings, each offering a different resolution to Stan’s journey. Some endings are bittersweet, others triumphant, and a few are downright tragic. The game’s replayability is further enhanced by the presence of two romance options—Kate and Madame Scorpion—each with their own unique storylines and endings.

The game’s “rewind” feature allows players to backtrack and explore different choices without starting a new playthrough from scratch. This is a godsend for completionists, as it makes it easy to experiment with different dialogue options and see how they affect the story. The “skip” function, which can be toggled in the settings, is equally useful for subsequent playthroughs, allowing players to breeze through previously seen content.

Character Relationships and the “Opinion” System

A key mechanic in Henchman Story is the “Opinion” system, which tracks how characters feel about Stan based on his choices. While the game doesn’t feature a traditional “relationship meter,” the “Opinion Changed” notifications provide valuable feedback on how dialogue options affect Stan’s standing with other characters.

For example, siding with Madame Scorpion in a key moment might earn her approval but alienate Kate, while a sarcastic remark to Lord Bedlam could either amuse him or offend his delicate ego. These shifts in opinion don’t just affect dialogue—they can open up or close off entire story paths, making the system an integral part of the gameplay experience.

Combat and Action: A Notable Absence

One of the most interesting aspects of Henchman Story is what it doesn’t include: combat. In a genre where battles between heroes and villains are a given, the game subverts expectations by focusing entirely on narrative and character interactions. Stan is, after all, a henchman—not a fighter—and the game embraces this limitation as a strength. The absence of combat mechanics forces the story to rely on dialogue, choice, and consequence, making it a refreshing departure from traditional superhero games.

Accessibility and Quality of Life Features

Henchman Story includes several quality-of-life features that enhance the player experience. The game supports multiple save slots, allowing players to experiment with different choices without losing progress. The “rewind” and “skip” functions are invaluable for replayability, and the game’s subtitles are well-implemented, ensuring accessibility for hearing-impaired players.

The game’s performance is smooth across all platforms, with no noticeable technical issues. The only minor complaint from some players—particularly on Mac—was related to save file management, but the developers provided clear instructions on how to resolve these issues.

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World-Building, Art & Sound: A Comic Book Come to Life

Setting: A Superhero World Through the Eyes of a Henchman

Henchman Story takes place in a world where superheroes and supervillains are a fact of life, but the game’s genius lies in how it presents this world from the perspective of the people who are usually relegated to the background. The story unfolds primarily in Lord Bedlam’s lair—a sprawling, high-tech base that’s equal parts ridiculous and functional—and the surrounding city, which is populated by a mix of heroes, villains, and ordinary citizens just trying to get by.

The game’s setting is rich with detail, from the mundane (henchmen complaining about their uniforms) to the extraordinary (a corporate espionage plot involving a shadowy organization). The world feels lived-in and believable, even as it embraces the absurdity of its premise. One of the game’s standout features is its use of modern technology, such as a “henchmen-for-hire” app that parodies gig economy platforms like Uber.

Art Direction: Vibrant, Expressive, and Full of Personality

The art in Henchman Story is a visual treat, blending the aesthetic of classic comic books with a modern, anime-inspired flair. Character sprites are expressive and dynamic, with exaggerated facial expressions that enhance the game’s comedic tone. The backgrounds are equally impressive, featuring detailed environments that range from the sleek, high-tech interiors of Lord Bedlam’s lair to the gritty, neon-lit streets of the city.

The game’s color palette is vibrant and eye-catching, with bold hues that pop off the screen. The character designs are particularly noteworthy, with each figure boasting a distinct look that reflects their personality. Stan’s perpetually exasperated expression, Lord Bedlam’s over-the-top villainous attire, and Madame Scorpion’s sleek, menacing outfit all contribute to the game’s visual identity.

Sound Design and Music: A Perfect Complement to the Narrative

The sound design in Henchman Story is top-notch, with a particular emphasis on the game’s full voice acting. The cast delivers stellar performances across the board, bringing the characters to life with nuance and emotion. Marc Soskin’s dual role as Stan and Lord Bedlam is a highlight, as he imbues both characters with distinct personalities and vocal mannerisms. Elissa Park’s portrayal of Madame Scorpion is equally impressive, balancing menace and charm in equal measure.

The game’s soundtrack, composed by Cliff Keller, is a delightful mix of upbeat, playful tracks and more dramatic, cinematic cues. The music enhances the game’s tone, shifting seamlessly between comedic and serious moments. The ending theme, performed by Elsie Lovelock, is a standout, offering a poignant conclusion to Stan’s journey.

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Reception & Legacy: Critical Acclaim and a Bright Future

Critical Reception: Praise for Writing, Humor, and Heart

Henchman Story was met with widespread acclaim upon its release, earning praise for its sharp writing, memorable characters, and innovative take on the superhero genre. Critics and players alike lauded the game’s humor, which ranges from slapstick to biting satire, as well as its surprising emotional depth.

• NookGaming gave the game an 8/10, calling it “a hilarious ride with a real heart to it” and praising its comic book style and full voice acting.
• RPGFan scored it 79/100, noting that it “left me wanting more.”
• Digital Chumps awarded it a 9.5/10, declaring that “it really kicks from the beginning and doesn’t stop until it concludes.”
• Save or Quit called it “one of the best Visual Novels that I have ever played,” highlighting its branching narrative and witty writing.

The game’s reception on Steam was equally positive, with a “Very Positive” rating based on over 270 user reviews. Players praised the game’s replayability, voice acting, and the weight of its choices, with many noting that it stood out in a crowded field of visual novels.

Commercial Performance and Community Engagement

While Henchman Story didn’t achieve blockbuster sales, it found a dedicated fanbase that embraced its unique premise and polished execution. The game’s simultaneous release on PC and consoles—including PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch—helped it reach a wide audience, and its inclusion in bundles like the “Heroes, Villains, and Raptors Bundle” introduced it to new players.

The developers maintained an active presence on social media and Discord, engaging with fans and addressing feedback. This community-driven approach helped foster a loyal following, with many players expressing enthusiasm for potential DLC or sequels.

Influence and Legacy: A New Standard for Interactive Fiction

Henchman Story’s impact on the visual novel genre is significant, demonstrating that interactive fiction can be both hilarious and heartfelt, both satirical and sincere. The game’s success has paved the way for other narrative-driven titles that subvert genre expectations, and its emphasis on meaningful choices and branching narratives has set a new standard for player agency in visual novels.

The game’s legacy is also evident in its influence on subsequent projects from Silken Sail Entertainment. While no direct sequel has been announced, the team’s next project, Penny Larceny: Gig Economy Supervillain, suggests a continued interest in exploring the lives of society’s underdogs. Fans have also expressed hope for DLC that could expand on Henchman Story’s universe, particularly with additional romance routes or side stories.

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Conclusion: A Triumph of Storytelling and Satire

Henchman Story is a masterclass in interactive storytelling, a game that takes a seemingly ridiculous premise and transforms it into a compelling, emotionally resonant experience. It’s a celebration of the underdog, a satire of superhero tropes, and a testament to the power of choice and consequence in narrative-driven games.

From its humble Kickstarter origins to its multi-platform release, Henchman Story has proven that a small team with a clear vision and a passion for storytelling can create something truly special. The game’s sharp writing, memorable characters, and innovative take on the visual novel genre make it a standout title, one that deserves a place in the pantheon of great interactive fiction.

For fans of visual novels, comedy, or superhero stories with a twist, Henchman Story is an essential play. It’s a game that will make you laugh, think, and—most importantly—care about a guy in purple spandex who just wants to do his job and go home.

Final Verdict: 9.5/10 – A Must-Play for Fans of Narrative-Driven Games

Henchman Story isn’t just a great visual novel—it’s a reminder that even the smallest choices can change everything, and that sometimes, the most compelling heroes are the ones who never wanted the spotlight in the first place.