Key information
Wych Elm Games has released Silver Pines, a 2.5D title that merges survival horror tropes with metroidvania exploration. IGN reviewer Tristan Ogilvie notes the game successfully adapts mechanics from Silent Hill and Resident Evil, such as restricted inventory management and deliberate combat, into a side-scrolling format.
Gameplay features include complex puzzles, such as aligning combination locks, and boss encounters that emphasize resource scarcity. Exploration relies on context-appropriate tools like box cutters to clear paths or sledgehammers to break concrete, rather than standard genre tropes like double-jumps.
Ogilvie praises the game's methodical pace, highlighting how actions like manually chambering revolver rounds or waiting for coffee to brew enhance the atmosphere. He notes that saving progress requires spending limited coins at payphones, a mechanic that forces players to choose between saving or purchasing supplies.
Despite being a debut title from a five-person team, Ogilvie finds the atmosphere engrossing, comparing its environmental storytelling to Alan Wake. Silver Pines is currently available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
