Beacon Pines

I really didn't think I would like this game asmuch as I have! I thought it would be a quick game with a basic story but this game had its hooks in my from the second it started! I wish I could play it again for the first time!

[h1]Gameplay: 8/10[/h1] [h1]Graphics & Sound: 10/10[/h1] [h1]Narration: 9/10[/h1] ✔️ Great short-ish narrative game with a compelling intrigue. ✔️ Well designed creepy/cute ambience juggling between the innocence of childhood and the ruthlessness of the adult world. ✔️ Beautiful drawings and nice environments. ✔️ Enjoyable music, with quite a bit of variety for this scope of game. ✔️ Certain amount of fun little interactions that inject just a little bit more life into the gameflow. 💭 The controls felt a bit clunky sometimes, and I felt like the game missed a run button or some other way to move slightly faster. 💭 I feel like the narrator's exacerbated enthusiasm felt a bit fake. Not much of an issue really, but I think toning it down would have benefited the game's mood. A very nice and heartwarming game about friendship, growing up, and corporate greed. Loved playing it!

it excels with its art and music. the story is fine, its engaging enough and there are some fun twists and turns. its a little hard to follow at times due to the tree mechanic, and some questions go unanswered, but it was still engaging. i wish it leaned into the creepy aspect a bit more though

As a fan of narrative games, I was excited for this one. However, the non-linear, branching storyline gimmick of the game works against it and ultimately serves a disappointing ending. The game throws a plethora of plot elements during its many branching storylines but never completely explains or resolves many of them. The constant bouncing back and forth between storylines is jarring, especially when a story ends abruptly after introducing a crucial plot element. There is an ending, and a narrative that sort of ties things together but the entire plot crumbles if you look for details. Definitely not for people who are put off by un-answered questions in a piece of media. I honestly believe the vast majority of the reviews are positive just because of the cutesy aesthetic of the game and not the story itself.

This game has no right to make me feel all these feelings. The story was brilliant and I didn't expect all the twists and turns. I loved getting to explore Luka and he processed his grief.

Beacon Pines is a spooky and cute visual novel about a young boy uncovering the secrets of his town and family while defending his friends from the dangers that lurk next door. The game excels at its art design. The environments are vibrant and filled with personality, and the characters are unique and memorable. When the horror takes over, it's beautiful haunting in an effective way. The story is a great blend of cozy and creepy, and though there were some points that didn't click for me, and times when the suspension of disbelief was too great an ask, I enjoyed the plot and the branching way the story was revealed. Traveling around town was tedious at times without a run button, and sometimes it felt more like a point and click game than the visual novel it's marketed as, but regardless, Beacon Pines was a fun, short adventure that clearly had a lot of heart behind it. It definitely feels worth playing for fans of cute horror and story-rich games.

Ignore the "don't recommend" part, they force me to choose one. Can't say if I recommend it or not. The issue is that "cute, cozy, creepy" are the descriptors. This isn't "creepy", this is horror. I'm angry. I wouldn't have bought this if they told me what was actually in it.

To quote a reviewer: They tricked me into playing a visual novel and I'm not mad.

so sigma

A very heartfelt story with a unique take on a narrative game, adorable characters, and a satisfying ending!