Beacon Pines

Beacon Pines is a title that I will find myself recommending to people with as little context as possible – a gorgeous and charming example of unique storytelling that simply must be experienced blindly to fully appreciate its cute and quirky tale of curious conspiracy.

It might not be the longest game, and the thrill of the exploration may bottleneck a bit at the end, but the changing course, different routes, and ultimate ending of Beacon Pines are still more than worth exploring for any fan of narrative adventure.

Gameplay and player agency may be limited, but as an interactive storybook, Beacon Pines is a charming, intriguing mystery with a great cast, gorgeous art, and a fun branching path mechanic.

Beacon Pines is the type of adventure game that's perfectly suited for genre newcomers and those seeking to get away from the point-and-click style while retaining the genre's deeper storytelling. The story remains fascinating, since it clashes with the idyllic town setting and cast of cute characters. The ability to uncover every branch of the story tree via your discovered actions drives the desire to see every possible outcome even, if it is forced on you via the game design. The overall gameplay length ensures that it doesn't overstay its welcome, but some players may not like the semi-visual novel flow of most of the game. If you're willing to overlook that design decision, you'll be more than happy with this unassuming adventure.

If you're in the mood for a delightfully disturbing one-shot with an original walkthrough, with its cute style and horror touch, it's perfect for gloomy autumn evenings. [Issue#322]

Beacon Pines is utterly charming yet wonderfully creepy, with a surprisingly thoughtful narrative despite its cute characters and storybook aesthetic.

Beacon Pines is a fantastic story-heavy game for anyone who is into creepy and cute stories and doesn't mind being narrated at for hours on end.

Beacon Pines is a special kind of game in that it doesn’t strive to be more than it should be. That’s praise, by the way. At its core, it is a mystery title about conspiracy and larger-than-life problems; no deep human insights, no world-ending machinations, and no shoe-horned gameplay. Beacon Pines might not strike our fancy for those of us looking for something more than a small-town mystery, but if a simple romp with cute animals told with superior visuals and music is what you’re after, then Beacon Pines will sate nicely.

Along with the pleasant narration of voice actor Kirsten Mize, the Beacon Pines development team consisted of only three other people — Matt Meyer, Ilse Harting, and Brent Calhoun — who all wore multiple hats including creative director, writer, artist, audio editor, music, and sound effects. It’s an impressive feat that makes the game that much more worthy of appreciation. Unfortunately, despite its positives, Beacon Pines simply won’t be a hit for everyone. And while its story and gameplay mechanics are interesting and fun, they aren’t necessarily memorable. This is a game that will certainly draw in a select few, but that an even smaller group will add to their list of favorites.