Silver Pines (PS5) Review – Lost in the Shadows of a Town That Refuses to Die

Developed by Wych Elm Games and published by Team17, Silver Pines is a dark, atmospheric survival-horror adventure that blends Metroidvania exploration with psychological terror and detective noir. Set in a mysterious, seemingly abandoned town, the game follows private investigator Red Walker as he searches for missing musician Eddie Velvet, uncovering disturbing secrets and sinister forces lurking beneath the surface. With its distinctive rotoscoped visuals, interconnected environments, resource-management mechanics, and unsettling atmosphere, Silver Pines sets out to deliver a horror experience where every discovery brings players closer to the truth, and potentially closer to something far more terrifying.

The Story ...

The story follows Red Walker, a troubled private investigator who finds himself in the half-deserted town of Silver Pines. His assignment sounds simple enough: locate Eddie Velvet, a missing musician whose disappearance has become entangled with the town's disturbing history. However, a mysterious phone call and a growing sense that something is terribly wrong quickly transform an ordinary investigation into something far more sinister.

As Walker digs deeper, the town begins revealing its unsettling secrets, and the line between reality and nightmare becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish. Strange encounters, cryptic clues, and the lingering presence of something far more disturbing than ordinary criminal activity keep the mystery alive throughout the adventure.

The Gameplay ...

Combining survival horror with Metroidvania design might initially sound like an unusual pairing, but Silver Pines demonstrates how naturally these genres can complement one another. The game unfolds in a two-dimensional world filled with interconnected locations, inaccessible passages, hidden resources, environmental puzzles, and creatures that make wandering around without a plan a potentially expensive mistake.

Exploration, itself, is the backbone of the experience in Silver Pines, and the challenge therein comes in four different difficulty settings including Normal, Tense, the intended Survival Horror, and Nightmare. Each unique setting offering their own distinct impact on enemy aggression, and resource management. As Red Walker investigates Silver Pines, players encounter locked doors, blocked pathways, suspicious locations, and obstacles that require specific tools or abilities to overcome. Discovering a new item can transform previously inaccessible areas into fresh opportunities for investigation, encouraging players to revisit locations and reconsider routes they previously abandoned.

This backtracking is part of the Metroidvania formula, and it gives the town a satisfying sense of interconnectedness. Rather than simply moving from one linear stage to another, players gradually build a mental picture of the environment and learn how its various locations connect. There is a genuine sense of satisfaction in finding the missing piece that finally opens a previously inaccessible route.

Combat, as a complimentary counterpart, introduces another layer of tension with the inclusion of guns, and even a box cutter knife. Enemies encountered along the way are dangerous enough to make encounters feel consequential, while limited ammunition, healing supplies, and inventory space encourage players to think carefully about how they approach each situation. Fighting every creature is not necessarily the smartest decision, particularly when resources could prove more valuable later on. Thankfully you can back step away from enemies, and dodge through enemies without taking damage. After which you can sprint out of harm's way or climb to safety if need be. Just realize that any action takes up recoverable stamina, and must be used sparingly. 

The Presentation ...

If there is one area where Silver Pines makes an immediate impression, it is presentation. Rather than pursuing conventional Metroidvania aesthetics, Wych Elm Games embraces a distinctive visual identity that combines two-dimensional environments with rotoscoped character animation and a deliberately unsettling noir aesthetic.

The environments frequently resemble illustrations pulled from a bleak detective novel. Muted colors, heavy shadows, and expressive shading give the town a worn, almost dreamlike appearance. The result is a world that feels simultaneously tangible and unreal, as though the player has stepped into a nightmare filtered through the pages of a graphic novel.

The character animation deserves particular recognition. Rotoscoping gives movements a more human, physical quality, but that realism also creates an uncanny effect when characters inhabit such an exaggerated and oppressive world. The contrast between recognizable human movement and the game's distorted atmosphere makes even relatively ordinary encounters feel faintly uncomfortable.

Lighting further strengthens the presentation. Darkened interiors, shadowy streets, and carefully composed environments help create a constant sense of uncertainty. The visual design doesn't need to reveal everything to the player; in many instances, the suggestion of something lurking beyond the immediate field of view is more effective than a clear look at the threat itself.

The audio in such an experience is as important as the gameplay itself. Ambient sounds, unsettling musical passages, and moments of relative quiet establish a rhythm that gives the town room to breathe. Music emerging from radios or jukeboxes can provide an oddly comforting contrast to the surrounding desolation, making the world feel more believable while simultaneously reinforcing its dreamlike quality.

There is a clear affection for classic psychological horror and noir storytelling throughout the presentation, with echoes of the unsettling atmosphere associated with works such as Silent Hill and Twin Peaks. However, Silver Pines doesn't depend entirely on those influences. Its combination of rotoscoped animation, painterly environments, and side-scrolling exploration gives it a recognizable identity.

The Verdict ...

Silver Pines is an ambitious combination of survival horror, Metroidvania exploration, and detective fiction that does well, because of its atmosphere and willingness to trust its players. The mystery surrounding Eddie Velvet gives the adventure a compelling starting point, while the interconnected town provides a satisfying space to explore, investigate, and gradually uncover its secrets.

Its peak qualities are difficult to separate from one another. The uniquely applied presentation reinforces the psychological horror, the exploration encourages players to investigate every suspicious corner, and the resource-management mechanics give dangerous encounters a welcome sense of consequence. Together, these elements create an experience that feels considerably more cohesive than its collection of genre influences might initially suggest.

There are, however, a few thorns among the pines. The narrative can lose momentum when exploration takes priority, some puzzles are more cryptic than satisfying, and combat doesn't always reach the same heights as the game's atmosphere and environmental design. Players who dislike backtracking or prefer a consistently fast-moving story may find certain stretches testing their patience.

Nevertheless, these shortcomings don't overshadow what the game accomplishes. Silver Pines delivers a memorable setting, an intriguing mystery, and a striking visual identity that help distinguish it from the crowded survival-horror landscape. It may not reinvent the genre, but it demonstrates how familiar mechanics can feel fresh when supported by thoughtful world design and a strong artistic vision.

For PS5 players who appreciate atmospheric horror, interconnected exploration, and mysteries that leave room for interpretation, Silver Pines is well worth investigating. Just don't expect the town to surrender its secrets without making you work for them.