Beacon Pines

When you look at Beacon Pines on Steam, you may easily think it's a children's game. Cute drawings of animals, books of fairy tales... Everything fits. But you couldn't be more wrong. In fact, it might be more suitable for children to play Doom than Beacon Pines. Why? Because the latter may be a pretty tough experience for an unprepared psyche. No wonder many people call it a horror game, even though the creators themselves only classify it as 'creepy'. You just need to realize you're dealing with a wolf in sheep's clothing and adjust your expectations accordingly. After all, Beacon Pines manages not only to pull this curious mix of cute and macabre off but even win points for that.

Plot - 10/10

It's not easy to talk about the plot without any spoilers. The story begins one fine morning in the small town of Beacon Pines when a boy named Luka (an anthropomorphic deer) goes to meet his friend. What could be more simple and mundane? Just two little boys playing or getting in trouble. Well, the last part is exactly not mundane in this game. Who would have thought a quiet day could be disrupted by a mysterious warehouse and a man in a hazmat suit? And right around this time, Beacon Pines reveals its true nature - a mystery-heavy adventure game with horror elements. Not what you might have expected - but definitely something you won't be able to tear yourself away from.

About the mystery - it's good. Very good. It makes you wonder. It makes you want to discover the truth. It makes it hard to sleep. And it keeps you on the edge the whole time. What's happening in Beacon Pines? What's gonna happen to my favorite characters? Because, yeah, you're gonna love them. They're well-written and really sweet. Even some of the bad ones. Combining cute characters with shady or even sinister dealings in a quiet town undoubtedly paid off.

The story is linear... and not. To finish the plot, you're gonna walk the whole path the creators laid out for you. But that path involves different story branches - different timelines. Which timeline you're gonna go down now and see how that turns out depends on your choice. But you can't immediately choose whatever you please. You'll open new choices as you move along the timelines that are open for you right at this moment - hence the story is linear. But that fact is not making it worse. This way we have the possibility to see the plot in all its glory - and that's worth it, believe me.

Gameplay - 10/10

Beacon Pines is mostly a visual novel. You can move your character in the world, do some interactions, and maybe talk with some NPCs - but your main task remains to go from point A to point B to start another dialogue or cutscene that will advance you through the plot. And while it's not a whole lot of mechanics - it's not about the number, it's about their use, which is perfect for a visual novel. The controls are smooth and the dialogues are engaging.

Besides, there's one other defining mechanic which I should mention. Remember choices and timelines? Well, it's really elegant. Occasionally, the story becomes a real excerpt from a book - an excerpt where you have to insert a word that will define how the situation will play out. Make your choice. But you don't have all the necessary words from the beginning. There's more to be found along different timelines. After that, you can come back and make a different choice. Maybe a better one - but not necessarily.

Graphics & Visual Design - 10/10

The art style of Beacon Pines is cute and cartoon-like, despite some grim going-ons we may sometimes encounter. Every background and every character is drawn with precision and detail that you just can't fail to appreciate - sometimes you get the feeling you are in the same place as the characters just because of the amount of detail and careful work put into it.

Voice Acting & Soundtrack - 10/10

First of all, I have to mention the voice acting. When you see those little bits of story in the book, you don't have to read them. They're being read to you - and it's done amazingly well and atmospheric. Props for that.

About the music itself. It's done very well and perfectly matched to all in-game situations. It's hard to imagine any other musical pieces in place of those already present. The only downside is that they aren't suitable for listening to on repeat outside of a game - at least for me. Still deserve the maximum score.

Atmosphere - 10/10

Every piece of the game blends perfectly together - and sends you on an adventure you never expected in your life. From the very first till the very last minute Beacon Pines has its unique atmosphere that reverberates and shifts, but never disappears or strays too far.

Verdict - 10/10

Beacon Pines proposes a mystery unlike any other. With each twist of the story, you'll be understanding more and less of the secrets of this town simultaneously - and you'll love it. Old questions won't disappear, but new ones will keep coming - right up until the very end. And the ending won't disappoint you. All that in combination with amazing art, magnificent sound, and an entrancing atmosphere creates something beautiful - almost eternal.