Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One (reviewed), Microsoft Windows, Macintosh operating systems
Nowadays, the quickest way for a game to capture my attention is to be either wholesome or spooky. Yeah, that might seem like a bit of an odd combo, but I digress. So, when I first heard about Beacon Pines and saw it was self-described as a mix of “cute and creepy,” it was quickly added to my list of must-play games. Other than that, I didn’t really know what to expect from it and went into the experience blind. So let’s find out together what Beacon Pines is all about.
The first, and most important, thing to know about Beacon Pines is that it is a very story-driven experience. So, if you’re looking for intricate gameplay, you’re not going to find it here.
Beacon Pines tells the story of 12-year-old Luka. His father passed away six years earlier under suspicious circumstances, and now his mother has gone missing. His goal is to unravel this mystery that has plagued the titular town of Beacon Pines and find out exactly what happened to his parents. With Beacon Pines being all about its story, I won’t say much more than that about it as I don’t want to ruin it in any way. If I had to make vague comparisons, it gave off vibes of both Stranger Things and Night in the Woods, and that’s some pretty solid company to have.
Luka is joined on his journey by his best friend, Rolo, and the new kid in town, Beck. These are just two of a wide variety of characters that Luka will interact with throughout the course of the game. The cast is full of characters you’ll both end up loving and hating, and each one is important to the narrative in their own way. Meeting and getting to know the different residents of Beacon Pines was definitely a highlight of the game for me, with the lovable and hilarious Rolo being my personal favorite.
If I did have one slight complaint about the story and overall feel of the game, it just wasn’t spooky enough for me. When it was described as “cute and creepy,” I guess I was expecting a little more from the creepy side. While the story does have its dark moments, I was just left wanting a few more scary ones. Of course, this is all subjective and didn’t really make me like the game any less, It’s just something I thought might be worth mentioning for those coming in looking for the spooky.
The entirety of Beacon Pines takes place within a special book and, as told by the book’s narrator at the beginning, the player will shape the outcome of the story. This is where the gameplay mechanics come into play. As Luka explores the town and talks to people, he will come across Charms. These are basically keywords that can be used to alter the story in some way.
At pivotal moments in the game, known as Turning Points, you’ll be given the option to choose between some of the Charms you’ve acquired. For example, you may be able to choose between the Charms “fight” or “flight” in order to handle a situation, with each choice playing out differently. These choices will then create branching paths for the story. Some of these paths lead to new revelations, while others can end the story abruptly right there. Once you’ve chosen a specific Charm and have seen how it has played out, you’ll be able to go back and make different decisions using The Chronicle, which is a record of all the decisions you’ve made throughout the game.
In theory this is a neat idea, but as the game went on it began to feel rather shallow. My first big issue with it is that, while I had upwards of two dozen Charms, each Turning Point only allows you to choose between two or three predetermined ones. There also weren’t all that many Turning Points in the game to begin with. So while it was fun to see how each Charm changed the story, I would have loved to have more options and more branching paths, if for no other reason than I enjoyed the world and characters so much that I wanted more from them. None of this takes away from the core story being told, but when you really boil it down, the Turning Point system feels a bit lacking.
I feel like I couldn’t go through this and not mention the art design. The storybook aesthetic is both adorable and unique. One look at the screenshots and you’ll know how you feel about it, but for me, it’s one of Beacon Pines strongest aspects. As far as sound goes, it is also a bright spot for the game. The music, in particular, really helped bring together certain scenes, as well as add to the ambiance throughout. Also, as I mentioned earlier, the game features a narrator and they play a big part in telling the story. It was a nice surprise to learn that all of the narrator’s lines are fully voice acted and done so wonderfully. The audio and visual elements were definitely on point for me in this one.
Beacon Pines has so much going for it. It looks and sounds great, tells an engaging story, and is full of endearing characters. Unfortunately, its Turning Point system, which is supposed to let you make decisions at pivotal points in the story, feels like it could have been fleshed out quite a bit more. That’s the only thing that is holding it back from greatness. So with that said, if you’re looking for a story-driven experience with both a cozy vibe and some spooky undertones, look no further than Beacon Pines. This is one I’d highly recommend checking out, as it’s the perfect Fall game.
