Pine

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"Pine is a single-player open world action-adventure simulation game with a vibrant world filled with intelligent creatures. As you help your tribe find a new home, you must engage with the game's ecology, exploring, bartering, crafting, and fighting in six distinct biomes. The game's large-scale ecology is dynamic, with creatures fighting for survival and changing the world around you even when you're not involved."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 661 reviews

story111 positive mentions

optimization14 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and art style that create an immersive world.
Engaging story with interesting mechanics involving faction relationships and resource management.
Fun exploration and puzzle-solving elements that keep the gameplay fresh.

Combat mechanics are clunky and unresponsive, making battles frustrating.
Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and progress.
The game feels empty and lacks depth in certain areas, leading to a repetitive experience.

story
424 mentions
26 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic, linear, and at times disjointed. While some appreciate the engaging world and the potential for interesting faction dynamics, others criticize the narrative for being shallow and unsatisfying, particularly in its execution and conclusion. Overall, the story seems to serve more as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling driving force, leading to a sense of missed opportunities for deeper storytelling and character development.
- “I got lost in the world and story of the game, choosing which factions I'd support and warring against the others.”
- “Delving into the mysterious long-locked dungeons looking for clues about the story and old lost technology made me feel a way I haven't really felt in another game.”
- “The story is engaging and inspiring, and is definitely the strong point of this game.”
- “The story feels like more of an afterthought than anything meaningful or engaging for the player.”
- “The main story itself is quite short, with about a dozen or so main quests to complete.”
- “The story doesn't change based on which tribes you favor, and even worse than that - sometimes story events will destroy your gained reputation anyways with certain tribes!”
gameplay
198 mentions
28 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking depth, particularly after the initial charm wears off. While the faction mechanics and crafting systems offer some variety, they often feel underdeveloped and overshadowed by a simplistic combat system and clunky controls. Overall, the game presents interesting ideas but struggles with execution, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel tedious and unpolished.
- “The gameplay is entertaining and fluid, and the systems are really fun to engage with.”
- “The mechanics would jump out at me (cooking!) and I was constantly being happily surprised (I can burn the grass?!).”
- “Enjoyable relaxing gameplay overall with easy little puzzles here and there, adequately challenging enemies, and good overall game mechanics.”
- “The exploration and gameplay felt quite boring, without any meaningful payoffs.”
- “Unfortunately, aside from the faction wars system, the crafting component, and some collectibles to find, the game doesn't have a huge amount of gameplay depth.”
- “A pretty game with great music but tedious gameplay, ridiculous combat system, frustrating/pointless puzzles and little replay value.”
graphics
133 mentions
49 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming art style and beautiful visuals that evoke comparisons to titles like "Breath of the Wild." However, players also report significant performance issues, including lag, freezing, and graphical glitches, which detract from the overall experience. While some find the aesthetics engaging and immersive, others criticize the optimization and technical execution, suggesting that the graphics, though appealing, are marred by bugs and inconsistent performance.
- “The graphics are amazing, and the landscape looks fairly majestic for an indie open world title.”
- “Beautiful graphics, unique storyline that pushes you to really explore and interact with every part of the open world, playing with the concept of balancing social ecology.”
- “The atmosphere and visuals are gorgeous, the AI system is very in-depth and the world is intriguing to explore!”
- “This game freezes so much; it's just constant, even with low graphics settings.”
- “Riddled with graphical bugs, awkward movements, poor combat, and just an overall feeling of a very low-effort attempt to make a game.”
- “Graphically the game looks nice, sadly, it's made with the Unity engine and it shows; the game will often drop frames even on good machines.”
music
79 mentions
62 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the standout features. The soundtrack is described as masterfully composed, immersive, and fitting for the game's various environments, although some players noted its limited variety. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and atmosphere, making exploration enjoyable and memorable.
- “The music is on a whole other level completely.”
- “The exploration and music alone have made this game well worth the purchase, to me anyways.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and one of the best parts of the game, the music changes depending on your scenario.”
- “It doesn't help that there is a limited soundtrack, so you always hear the harmonious drop of a thousand instruments having a fit at once when you are just casually walking in between towns.”
- “I would never trust these developers because they prioritize making a cute world with a cutesy soundtrack but leave you with absolute mush for gameplay.”
- “Music is pretty neat, but overall forgettable.”
optimization
42 mentions
12 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting significant performance issues such as low and inconsistent frame rates, lag spikes, and long load times, even on high-end systems. While some users noted that lowering graphic settings can improve playability, many expressed frustration with the game's overall stability and the need for urgent optimization patches. Overall, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and requires substantial improvements to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The performance is a bit of a bummer but it is certainly playable with decent framerates.”
- “Could definitely use some optimization, which seems likely since they delayed the switch version for that reason, so whatever improvements they make should hopefully find their way to the PC version.”
- “Alas, I feel there could have been more to the game, and it needs to be polished and optimized quite a bit, but otherwise a good experience.”
- “Load times are atrocious, performance is atrocious, and the game keeps bugging out where I can't even swing my weapon.”
- “Oh and also the game performance is really bad, I'm playing this on a 9900k and 2080ti, a $3000 super computer, and I was seeing regular frame drops below 60fps and stuttering fairly frequently when turning around.”
- “The game suffers from optimization issues even on decent and high-end rigs.”
stability
40 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay, including freezing, camera issues, and quest-breaking errors. While some users noted that minor glitches could be managed by reloading saves, the overall experience remains marred by performance problems and unpolished mechanics. Despite these issues, there is hope among players for future updates to improve stability and gameplay.
- “This game freezes so much; it's just constant, even with low graphics settings.”
- “Unfortunately the bugs and glitches are many and game breaking.”
- “The camera glitches constantly, and makes getting around and being aware of your surroundings pretty annoying.”
grinding
28 mentions
11 % positive mentions
-7 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly during midgame where resource gathering and crafting dominate gameplay. While some appreciate the farming mechanics and the beautiful environments, others feel that the lack of meaningful rewards and shallow character development make the grinding experience frustrating and unenjoyable. Overall, the game's reliance on resource collection and back-and-forth travel can detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of monotony.
- “Crafting and gathering items plays a large role, but it isn't too tedious because they did a great job on the environment.”
- “The grind feels rewarding, as each level up brings a sense of accomplishment and progression.”
- “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it encourages exploration and keeps the gameplay engaging.”
- “A game with an interesting premise and great potential, that soon became a boring, illogical, grinding experience.”
- “It was simply too repetitive, too frustrating and too grinding, with too little reward.”
- “The game is riddled with back-and-forth traveling, resource grinding and really bad story progression.”
atmosphere
18 mentions
72 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charm, stunning visuals, and beautiful ambient music, creating an immersive experience reminiscent of classic RPGs. Players appreciate the intriguing world filled with puzzles and a compelling story, although some note minor issues that slightly detract from immersion. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “This is a game of hue and his quest... I love this game; it has a charm to it, the music, the atmosphere, everything.”
- “Good indie game, great atmosphere and stunning visuals accompanied by beautiful audio.”
- “It hurts the atmosphere and immersion a bit.”
- “The game's biggest strength is its artistic design and Ghibli-esque atmosphere.”
- “So kudos to that, games with a genuine atmosphere are getting tougher to find.”
character development
9 mentions
78 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its charming and varied character designs, which are often praised for their cuteness and attention to detail. While some users note technical issues like clunky controls and clipping problems, the overall aesthetic and atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like "Horizon Zero Dawn," contribute positively to the experience. The combination of solid combat mechanics and a beautiful world further enhances the appeal of the characters.
- “Pine takes what similar games have to offer and brings its own mechanics to the table alongside cute character design and beautiful landscapes.”
- “Combat is solid, the world is beautiful, and I absolutely adore the character design.”
- “All aspects of it shine with tasteful polish and detail, but the character design is especially nice.”
- “Clunky controls, floaty movement, dull character design, long loading screens.”
- “The style of the starting village and the character design feels a bit like 'Horizon Zero Dawn' but with a cute graphic.”
humor
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by unique NPCs and witty dialogue, providing a lighthearted experience suitable for all ages, as it avoids crude jokes. Players appreciate the cartoonish art style and find the interactions between factions and subplots, like the story of the two brothers, to be engaging and amusing. Overall, while the humor is well-received, some players feel that the gameplay mechanics could be more varied to enhance the comedic elements.
- “I also really like that it doesn't contain crude humor, making it suitable to play around or with my kids.”
- “The older brother who had wanted to map out the entire island but died before he could, and his younger brother finishes the job; it’s a funny little subplot.”
- “Very original and creative approach to content and story; refreshing, smart, and funny.”
replayability
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting that the forced narrative choices and lack of diplomatic options diminish the incentive to replay. While the initial experience is enjoyable and visually appealing, the gameplay is often described as tedious, leading to a consensus that the game offers limited replay value despite its engaging soundtrack and exploration elements.
- “I think this game just needs replay value.”
- “Not replayable but the ride was enjoyable, with exploration (albeit not at completionist level, just checking out all the locations, structures, and puzzles etc.) you are looking at 16ish hours of chilled out gameplay.”
- “Zero replayability.”
- “I started out loving this game, but have since realized that the game forces the player into genocide and removes diplomatic actions for all factions in order to 'increase replay value'.”
- “A pretty game with great music but tedious gameplay, ridiculous combat system, frustrating/pointless puzzles and little replay value.”
emotional
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of nostalgia and disappointment regarding the emotional aspect of the game. While the exploration and ambient music evoke strong feelings reminiscent of childhood gaming experiences, the lack of engaging characters and a compelling narrative ultimately detracts from the overall emotional impact, leading to a repetitive and uninspiring experience.
- “Delving into the mysterious long-locked dungeons looking for clues about the story and old lost technology made me feel a way I haven't really felt in another game.”
- “I wanted to say it made me feel like I was 11 exploring Skyrim for the first time, but it's not quite that.”
- “The ambient music really made me feel like I was part of the game.”
- “Boring story and lifeless world.”
- “The game very quickly becomes repetitive with a bleak and boring story.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Many users express frustration with the current trend of monetization in gaming, particularly criticizing the prevalence of "live service" models and microtransactions in triple-A titles, which they feel prioritize profit over quality and creativity.
- “I've become jaded over the past decade from all of the AAA cash grabs. Every day, more and more developers focus on the 'live service' model, microtransactions, and pushing out games that completely lack any semblance of heart or soul.”