Pine: A Story of Loss’ demo is a straightforward, but evocative, experience.
As soon as I saw the trailer for Pine: A Story of Loss, I remember thinking that this was exactly the type of game that I have a soft spot in my heart for. A relatively short, bite-sized experience meant to pull on your heartstrings with a bittersweet tale? What can I say? I find a good cry cathartic.
Pine: A Story of Loss wears it's (broken) heart on its sleeve, and it feels almost more like a graphic novel come to life than what I'd traditionally consider a video game. The majority of my approximate 30 minute time with the demo was spent watching the woodcutter go about his day, with light interaction in the form of clicks. This wasn't a negative element of the demo, to be clear, but one that I felt left more room for personal reflection because of the minimal interaction. In that way, in reminded me a bit of Florence or If...Found, although I did feel there was a sequence of scenes near the start, as you're going through the woodcutter's day, that could've been paced just a little bit more quickly to get us into the meat of the story.
When there were more gamified elements, they were quite straightforward yet pleasantly engaging: arranging a vegetable garden, attempting to un-stick the water pump, and - most notably - carving a wooden figure in the form of your lost loved one. Considering the inspiration for Pine – a piece of art that illustrator, Tom Booth, created in the wake of a deep loss – it was very fitting that the bulk of the time was spent on the carving and whittling, although I felt like it was quite sluggish feeling using the mouse, and about halfway through, switched to keyboard inputs instead.
Original Woodworker Sketch / Tom Booth via Kickstarter
The demo sets up the premise for the story through evocative imagery and poignant music, and doesn't provide too many surprises. The formula will feel quite familiar if you've seen any Pixar movie intro, or perhaps played other similar games about loss and grief. Did I cry while playing the demo? Not quite, although the potential is there!
What I'm looking forward to will likely come when the full game releases: an exploration of grief and it's facets, particularly as a character attempting to immortalize memories and feelings into his art. At what point does his work turn from honoring the memories of his love into a project trapping him in his loss? I didn't anticipate the demo getting to deeply into those questions quite yet, so I'm just ready for the full launch.
If you're similar to me, you may feel the same. Essentially, if you watch the trailer, or have even skimmed this post, and feel like the game speaks to you: it likely will. I don't anticipate huge surprises from Pine: A Story of Loss, but I am looking forward to another reflection on grief and what comes after you lose someone you love.
Pine: A Story of Loss
Made Up Games // Fellow Traveller
Release: Coming Soon
Platform(s): Steam (PC), Switch
Thanks to Fellow Traveler for providing an early access demo key to Pine: A Story of Loss. Pine: A Story of Loss was demoed via PC.
