Beacon Pines Reviews
This is a splendid creation, superbly written, with spellbinding art, and a unique approach to telling a story. It’s also a fascinating exploration of grief, loss, and more than anything else, how we react to change. That and secret underground organizations and their evil plans to control towns through fertilizer production.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a softy when it comes to good stories, but I’ve still played quite a few games and seen enough narratives of all kinds to think it’s hard to floor me these days. Or so I thought, anyway. I’m not sure if I was caught off guard or if Beacon Pines really is just that good. It’s pretty easy to see that its art and music are both top notch. Ultimately, this is also a story good enough that I’d love more people to see it so I can talk to them about it. 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.
Beacon Pines is an adventure that takes shape before the player's eyes, but the gameplay feels so much limited because of the narrative. Despite that, it tries to tell a meaningful arc that overshadows its shortcomings by delivering a coming-of-age story in which it is worth diving.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A cute and creepy adventure game about three young friends exploring a small town and uncovering the secrets that lie beneath its surface.
Beacon Pines offers a quirky gameplay hook, pleasing art style, and an unexpected mystery, but that might not win over more than a select group.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with Beacon Pines. Its eye-catching storybook art style catches your attention which is then held by the game's fast-moving and suspenseful plot. There were times when this story felt too convoluted in some areas whilst a little lacking in explanation in others, but it's still an easy recommendation. Just don't trust its cutesy appearance too much — Beacon Pines might start out at the beginning of Summer, but that eerie undertone makes it a great contender to play in the run-up to Halloween.
Beacon Pines presents a rich world filled with deeply considered, not to mention adorable, characters. The beautifully crafted art, paired with a soundtrack that both captures and sets the mood, make for a wholly enjoyable experience. It might not be for those who prefer action, but it is a lovely and compelling story that sees Luka, Rolo and Beck delve into a bevy of unique situations. You might finish it in less than a work day, but it'll stay with you for much longer.
Readers may notice the lack of story details in this review, and it's for good reason. The risk of spoiling parts of the story is high because it takes twists and turns the moment it begins, and the best to experience this story is going in completely blind. Overall, Beacon Pines is a fantastic game with clever systems that enrich its characters, world, and masterful storytelling. With a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass, this is a must-play for fans of narrative-focused games and leaves one excited about what Hiding Spot Games will make next.
Beacon Pines effectively creates an uneasy atmosphere through contrast. The branching story helps build the exposition as you peer into the lives of the other townspeople. It's a simple game that is on the shorter side with a few seemingly unnecessary features, but all loose ends are wrapped up by the end, leaving an enjoyable story that doesn't overstay its welcome.
A young adult mystery surrounding a quaint town that prefers simplicity over ambition.
Beacon Pines is an engaging choose-your-own-adventure story with a variety of characters, excellent graphics and score, and overall narrative about a town in peril combine to create a wonderfully addictive game.
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.
Beacon Pines is a cozy and fun game with perfect comic-style graphics and an addicting story. The perfect adventure for those who love dark atmospheres but don't like to get too scared.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
A cute adventure game with a great art style and intriguing story. Sadly, its gameplay is a little lacking.
Review in Russian | Read full review
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.
The story and mystery presented in the game's world feel fun to discover, and the drastic differences noticed while going back and forth between different branches will likely be enough to keep your attention for the game's 6 to 7-hour runtime. I especially enjoyed the game's narrator, as she gives a delightfully enthusiastic (if not cheesy) performance throughout. If you want a complicated story with a simple delivery method, and a fun way of branching around, Beacon Pines is definitely a game to give a try.
Can you make the crucial decisions it takes to save your friends and your struggling town?
With strong presentation and art, for the most part, and an autumnal young adult mystery, Beacon Pines stands out, bringing new ideas to branching narrative gaming while not quite making the landing.
Beacon Pines is an experience that will have its players cross a fairy tale and find words that will cause shifts to the events on the plot. With less emphasis on action and more on narrative discovery, Beacon Pines treats its players to a charming visual world and an exquisite soundtrack, while its environment flows between an adorable kid-friendly world to something more disturbing and menacing, and the game does all this naturally. One of the best indie gems to make its way to the Nintendo Switch catalogue.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review