Having spent a significant amount of my adolescent years scooting around seaside caravan parks and getting into all sorts of mischief with other kids, I can sort of relate to Tyke inPine Hearts’ever-growing hunger for turfing up old memories.Granted, I never quite discovered a clapping seal whilst out exploring the shorelines, or even a ghostly apparition of a loved one, but I did, however, find numerous reasons to fall in love with the ideology of camping and the everlasting sentimental trinkets that came with it. Having that close connection with the lifestyle did, in all honesty, coerce me into thinking thatPine Heartswould be enough to scratch that itch, or at least, provide me with some level of intimacy with the hallmarks of my past. And it did, weirdly enough.
Like a lot of short and elegant games that bow to the word ‘cozy’ and just about everything that orbits it,Pine Heartspaints itself as a gentle, harmless, and irresistibly soothing art installation that, while not mechanically overwhelming or lathered in technical detail, has all the elements of a simple crowd-pleasing affair. In addition to its minimal, albeit surprisingly unique and appealing design choices, its gameplay is also incredibly straightforward—so much, that anyone could quite easily scrub its quarters squeaky clean and mop up the leftovers without having to endure any unwanted preliminary jargon or pre-credit tutorials. It’s an easy-going piece of work, is what I’m saying, and so, if it’s a laid back ordeal that you’re after, then allow us to introduce one of cleanest virtual representations of meditative reality that’s currently floating around on the storefront.
Still here? Not quite sold on the concept? Then let’s go ahead and unpack the tent and usher in a new dawn. Let’s talk,PineHearts.
Take Me Home
Pine Heartsis a top-down adventure game in which players take on the role of Tyke, a character who, like other emerging adults with an emotional attachment to the past, takes it upon himself to return to the root of his adolescence—a sleepy period that just so happens to house the core memories of a younger, slightly more naive protagonist. Inthisworld, you see through the eyes of an older, more wise hero—a person who, while still tethered to a maturer heart, still shares a common bond with one place, in particular: Pine Hearts Caravan Park. In the eyes of its neighbors, a generation has since come and gone, but to Tyke, the world and its trinkets still hold a permanent fixture not only in the foundations of its natural habitat, but in the burning hearts of its former residents.
Pine Heartsinvites you to embark on a simple quest: return to the foot of Pine Hearts Caravan Park, and have a good old rummage through the remnants in order to unlock a few self-sustaining core memories. To accomplish such a task, you’ll need to sport your best backpack, and essentially set out to meet friends from all walks of life. To begin with, you’ll find yourself petting a dog, and then waving to an otter, and so on and so forth. Afterthat,you’ll gradually make your way deeper into the beating heart of the utopian resort, where you’ll come across strangers in need, animals in hiding, and an abundance of collectibles to unearth and add to your journal. The goal, really, is to fill out that trusty journal of yours, and take a step back through time to relive some of the defining moments from your childhood.
Leaning on Your Heartstrings
It is worth pointing out here that, while the game does tap into that all-important cozy niche from the moment you step foot into its clutches, it does also feature an overarching narrative that’s a little upsetting. However, for the sake of keeping the spoilers from coming out and, perhaps, the peaceful aesthetic from being overshadowed by slightly more emotional tidings, I will say this: it depicts the coming-of-age tale of someone who’s lost their loved one. Needless to say,Pine Heartsis, more or less, a love letter to that person, thus making it more of a gut-punching memoir than a mindless one with little to no substance or meaning.
Heartbreaking premise cast aside,Pine Heartsis a very,veryrelaxing game; it doesn’t feature any combat, nor does it include any amount of litter of perplexing obstacles to overcome, either. To cut a long story short, it mostly revolves around collecting pieces of memorabilia, as well as aiding certain characters in their quests to either locate a missing ingredient, or finding a useful tool for making some form of morale-boosting contraption. Thankfully, you can tackle these issues at your own leisure, and so, naturally, you won’t have any time restraints preventing you from exploring the archipelago at your own pace. And honestly, that’s a good thing, as you can make what would otherwise be a quick romp through the motions something a little more endearing.
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Pine Hearts’crowing feature, which is something that’s almost impossible to miss, is its art style—a tender-looking palette that’s flawlessly bursting at the seams with colorful characters, cartoon-like shapes, and more than enough quirky critters to makethe likes ofAnimal Crossing quake in its own boots. In addition to its joyous charm and whimsical design, the game also benefits from a wholesome atmosphere that’s equally as warmly as it is inviting, and it’s further enhanced by a score that’s both soothing and melodic in all the right places, too. What’s more, as it takes full advantage of a wild setting, it also features a wealth of elegant sound effects, including the fluttering of birds, brushing of trees, and the pattering of tiny feet crunching through the soil. Sure enough, it isindeed cozy, and at no point does it pretend to be anything more than that.
As luck would have it,Pine Heartsis also an indie game that doesn’t fall short on its core gameplay mechanics; it isn’t laden with technical flaws or game-breaking bugs, nor is it incapable of delivering a fluid experience without presenting you with numerous UI features to alter or change, either. As a result of its consistency, I personally didn’t have to fret about whether or not it would crash at any given moment, or force me to make several alterations in order to squeeze its best possible outcomes out, for that matter. Suffice it to say, it’s a bit of an easy peeler, and so, if you did have your doubts about it being accessible, then honestly, you have little to worry about.
Verdict
I’m not going to say thatPine Heartsis perfect, because it isn’t; in fact, it does often struggle to sever the link between its cute and cuddly nature and its binding commitment to replicate a lot of the same materials as seen in other, slightly more complex counterparts. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of originality to the blueprint, and it does have a rather lavish selection of idyllic landscapes and charismatic themes, to boot, but to say that it’s something we’ve never seen before wouldn’t be totally accurate. With that said, I’ve often found myself to be a real sucker for a wholesome story, and to that end,Pine Heartsdelivers on all accounts, truly.
All in all, you’re looking at a solid five-hour journey here, and perhaps even a little bit more, depending on how you approach certain tasks, as well as how efficient you are at unearthing collectibles and what have you. Of course, if you’re looking for something that’ll keep you grinding for days on end, then you might struggle to get your money’s worth out of the relatively short quest on display here. With that said, if it’s a touching narrative-driven exploration game that you’re after, then honestly, you could certainly do a whole lot worse thanPine Hearts.Aside from it being in receipt of some rather emotional storytelling, it also supports a mechanical fluidity that’s both clean and simple to navigate, too — again, proving the previous comment about it being an easy peeler that doesn’t require a strenuous effort to comprehend.
To cut a long story short,yes,you should givePine Heartsthe tender love and care it deserves. Is it aperfectgame? No. But then, I’d also be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy it.
