About This Guide

Purpose

This walkthrough was created to help players experience Letters of Bernard Thorne without unnecessary frustration, while preserving the emotional impact of its story.

Unlike traditional walkthroughs that provide step-by-step instructions, this guide uses a progressive hint system:

  • Hint 1 — A gentle nudge that preserves discovery
  • Hint 2 — More specific direction when stuck
  • Solution — The explicit answer as a last resort

This approach respects the game's design philosophy: the journey matters more than the destination.

About the Game

Letters of Bernard Thorne

Developer: Korean Linguistics Lab

Release Date: March 29, 2025

Platform: PC (Steam)

Genre: Psychological Horror, Narrative

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Price: ~$10 USD

The game tells the story of Bernard Thorne, a 74-year-old Vietnam War veteran confined to a wheelchair, navigating his cluttered house in the middle of the night. Through letters, flashbacks, and environmental storytelling, players uncover his history of trauma, love, loss, and the possibility of healing.

Letters of Bernard Thorne was nominated for Best Narrative at the Horror Game Awards 2025 and holds a 97% positive rating on Steam.

Content Warnings

This Game Contains
  • Depictions of PTSD and trauma responses
  • References to suicide and suicide attempts
  • Death of a loved one (described, not shown graphically)
  • War violence (flashbacks, not explicit gore)
  • Themes of survivor's guilt and self-blame
  • Intense psychological distress

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or crisis service in your area.

Guide Design Principles

This guide was built with specific goals in mind:

  • Anti-spoiler by default: You should never accidentally read more than you need.
  • Respect the experience: The game's difficulty (wheelchair controls, navigation) is intentional. We explain why, not just how.
  • Emotional awareness: Content warnings are provided where appropriate.
  • Accessibility: The guide works on mobile devices and supports keyboard navigation.

Technical Notes

System Requirements

Minimum:

  • Windows 10/11
  • Intel Core i5-10300H or equivalent
  • 8 GB RAM
  • NVIDIA GTX 1650
  • 5 GB storage

Recommended:

  • Windows 10/11
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600
  • NVIDIA RTX 2070
  • 5 GB storage

The game supports Xbox controllers. Keyboard and mouse are fully supported. There are no accessibility options for the intentionally difficult wheelchair controls.

Credits & Thanks

This guide is a fan-created resource and is not affiliated with Korean Linguistics Lab.

Story information was compiled from in-game content, community discussions, and publicly available resources including Steam reviews and gameplay videos.

If you enjoyed the game, please consider leaving a positive review on Steam to support the developer.

External Resources