Silver Pines review: survival horror meets metroidvania

Silver Pines is a new survival horror metroidvania title with 2.5D scenarios. Developed by Wych Elm Games and published by Team17, the game blends exploration and resource management in a narrative-driven package.

Narrative and protagonist details

Players take on the role of Red Walker, a private investigator. Walker's mission is to find Eddie Velvet, a musician who is reportedly staying in the mysterious setting of Silver Pines.

Gameplay systems and player experience

The game focuses on exploration, backtracking, and managing resources. Money is a key resource, used for saving the game and purchasing supplies from vending machines. Enemies and bosses appear in dark zones, testing survival skills. A review by freelance writer Max Williams states that exploration is essential for survival and not a secondary activity. The game's camera system is inspired by Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

Inventory management involves combining, transferring, and rotating items. Storage boxes are available for this purpose. The review highlights stylish visuals, compelling gameplay, and strong performance on Steam Deck, where the review was conducted using PC code provided by the publisher. Boss fights, however, can be a little janky. Atmospheric music plays from environmental sources like jukeboxes or radios.

Review highlights: strengths and weaknesses

The review notes several strengths and weaknesses. Pros include an intriguing progressive narrative, secrets surrounding Red Walker, strong voice acting, and rewarding exploration. Backtracking feels naturally integrated, and money management requires strategy.

Cons include difficulty relating objects to their use or location. Backtracking also demands a good memory of prior areas. High prices for some supplies necessitate careful financial planning.

Resource management and saving mechanics

Money is used to save at pay phones or buy items from vending machines. These vending machines stock supplies like keys. Prices for some items are high. Saving the game involves contact with a character named Mr. Jackman, which reminds the player of their objectives. Mr. Jackman may also call the player after major story moments.

One quoted passage from the review illustrates the tension of resource management. Red Walker said: I'll never run out of empty bottles, I said, and then did and wondered if I could pour my Molotov cocktail all over the floor so I could stuff some herbs into it instead.

The game features multiple endings. These conclusions leave questions and wild theories unresolved for the player. The review compares the tone and influence of Silver Pines to classic survival horror series like Silent Hill and Resident Evil.