Beacon Pines

Beacon Pines is a survival story heavy game and a game that I could not be any more excited for. There is a free demo for this game and if you play that and then are not intrigued by what this game is offering then I am sorry, we cannot be friends! Ok, so that is maybe going a tad too far, but this is honestly looking like it could be one of the more interesting and clever games released in 2021.

A Walk In The Woods

This is a game that is set in a storybook and that is not just a gimmick, it is a major gameplay feature. The story of Beacon Pines is about a little deer called, Luka who is a normal “kid” that lives in the strange place of Beacon Pines. His best friend Rolo has heard some strange rumors about this weird warehouse in town and when the two go and investigate they get pulled into a strange adventure where they literally have to re-write the story as they go. I get some very Night in the Woods feelings from the tone and the way the story unfolds. It will make you laugh, but it also has some pretty twisted stuff going on too.

Writing Your Own Adventure

With Beacon Pines taking place in a book, the puzzle aspect of the game comes from finding what are called, Charm Words. These Charm Words let you change the story and take things in a new direction. You can even go back in time and use Charm Words that you have found in areas that caused you problems in the past. It is a very, very interesting mechanic and it can radically change the way the story and the game unfolds.

You walk around the various locations of Beacon Pines and try to talk to people, find things, solve puzzles, and of course, look for more words that you can use to change the plot of what is going on.

A Storybook Come To Life

This is a lovely game; it really does look like a storybook come to life and the animation and the personality truly does shine through. I think that they have done a tremendous job with Beacon Pines and at first glance, you think it is a nice and cute game, but the more you play it and the more weird and sometimes disturbing stuff will go down. The voice acting is amazing as you are the narrator and the way it tells the story can make you laugh in one scene and then in the next it sends a shiver down your spine.

I played through the demo of Beacon Pines three times…. Three times! I cannot tell you the last time a demo captured me this way, I think it was Resident Evil 5! Anyway, if you are a gamer who loves story driven games then I am positive that you are going to have a very, very good time playing through this. I would advise that you avoid as many spoilers as possible though!

Pros:

• I love the way it is like Twin Peaks meets Winnie The Pooh
• The presentation is fantastic in every regard
• The story can change, depending on what you do
• There are many interesting twists that the story can take

Cons:

• The game may be darker than some people realize
• I legit cannot think of anything else that concerns me!