As someone who’s spent countless hours delving into the dark corners of horror games since the days of my old Atari 2600, I must say that Pine Harbor, with its fog-shrouded town and eerie atmosphere, caught my attention immediately. The game feels like a love letter to classics such as Silent Hill, and for that, I was eager to explore its mysteries.
Despite numerous horror games available currently, the genre continues to captivate indie game developers, with small studios constantly seeking innovative ways to redefine it. The latest endeavor in this direction is “Pine Harbor” by Vision Forge Team, which exhibits elements of old concepts yet offers a fresh perspective on horror gaming. It’s important to mention that at the time of writing this review, “Pine Harbor” is still in Early Access, meaning it will undergo significant changes before its full release.
In essence, I find myself utterly captivated by the fundamentals of “Pine Harbor”. It seamlessly blends mechanics typically seen in survival or even tactical shooter genres with a chilling dose of suspense, creating an engaging loop of scavenging for essentials during daylight hours to ensure survival through the impending night. As the game’s Steam description accurately states, the core gameplay centers around gathering supplies and materials during the day, which later aid in surviving the terrors of the night. Although this primary gameplay loop persists throughout, there’s also a narrative that offers a more structured approach to achieving objectives, providing a sense of direction for players.
Following Richard’s departure, it falls upon the players to decipher the enigma surrounding the secret he was unearthing, and understand why a company could be trying to silence him.
The scenario is straightforward: Pine Harbor is a quaint little town that experienced an explosion in a factory, transforming it into a horrifying landscape filled with undead creatures reminiscent of zombies. This event led to the majority of its inhabitants fleeing. The game puts you in the shoes of Josh, who boarded a bus to the titular town following what appeared to be his father’s instructions. Upon meeting his father, Richard, Josh uncovers that the letter wasn’t actually penned by him, suggesting that sinister forces and possibly a conspiracy could be lurking behind the scenes.
Following Richard’s sudden disappearance, it becomes the players’ task to unravel the enigma surrounding his discovery of a secret, one that appears to have a powerful corporation determined to silence him. The situation grows even more complex as the menacing Skinners, resembling zombies, seem intent on capturing both Richard and you. As the story unfolds, you’ll be dispatched across Pine Harbor for various missions. These tasks could involve searching for supplies for fellow survivors who are planning an escape, or deciphering the puzzling instructions left behind by your father.
Overall, Pine Harbor seems heavily influenced by timeless survival horror games such as Silent Hill. The title town is perpetually shrouded in fog, effectively contributing to the overall eerie ambiance of the game. Additionally, the storyline’s vibe appears to draw heavily from Silent Hill, thanks to its unsettling environment, peculiar-looking adversaries, and enigmatic non-player characters.
Pine Harbor seems to draw considerable influence from the chilling atmosphere of timeless survival horror games, such as Silent Hill.
It’s worth noting that odd NPC behaviors could be due to the game being in Early Access. Right off the bat, it’s clear that there’s still a good deal of development required for Pine Harbor. For instance, the animations throughout the game appear very rigid, with characters like Richard appearing unusually motionless during conversations, even when in a moving vehicle. Similarly, enemy actions often seem peculiar. Furthermore, the strange behaviors exhibited by NPCs extend beyond just rigid movements, and veer into poor voice acting territory as well.
Often, tasks in games frequently involve traveling extensively between different areas of the town for fetch quests, and occasionally encountering foes. Although this helps players become well-acquainted with the layout of the town over an extended playtime, it unfortunately results in the game feeling excessively repetitive. The tasks could benefit from a wider array of experiences instead of merely requiring you to go to a building on the opposite side of town to either chat with a survivor or find supplies that must then be carried back.
Despite the playful appearance that Pine Harbor presents, much of your experience with this game feels dull, annoying, or simply unengaging. For instance, when it comes to handling adversaries, there’s a limited selection of strategies available. You can either shoot them if you possess a firearm, or repeatedly strike with a basic melee attack until they are defeated. This problem is compounded by the fact that enemies don’t generally display any intriguing behavior in response to your actions, except for approaching when they hear you approaching. Unlike games such as Resident Evil, where combat offers numerous strategies like shooting specific body parts on zombies, here, your only real option is to continually click the left mouse button and wait for them to eventually succumb.
“If you have a weapon, use it to take them out, otherwise, continue attacking with your basic melee attack until they are defeated.
It’s clear that Pine Harbor has a lot of work left to do before it’s fully complete, and maintaining its Early Access status seems like the best decision. Although the backdrop is intriguing, the main narrative falls flat due to poor voice acting and unimpressive writing. The NPC characters sometimes behave as if they’re inexperienced stage actors or struggling alien imitators of human speech. Add to that the monotonous gameplay and repetitive fetch quests, and there isn’t much substance to keep players engaged.
The game becomes more thrilling as darkness falls, when you’re safely indoors and must strategize on handling the approaching skinners who are dead set on targeting you. Regrettably, the artificial intelligence of the hostile enemies resurfaces, making it necessary for little more than seeking a secure hiding spot and ensuring an adequate supply of ammunition to make it through the night.
Within the quaint town of Pine Harbor lies a captivating game, still in its Early Access phase. This implies that the game’s potential for improvement is significant. The fundamentals are solid, and the overall atmosphere effectively creates an eerie, suspenseful feeling for players. However, some rough edges, limited combat options, unengaging questlines, and subpar voice acting hinder the game’s full potential.
At present, Pine Harbor may not be engaging enough for you, especially if you’re a connoisseur of horror. Nevertheless, it holds some promising concepts. With further development, there’s potential for it to make a significant contribution to the horror genre.
This game was reviewed on PC.
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2024-12-24 09:42