Pine Harbor
- December 13, 2023
- Vision Forge Team
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Pine Harbor" , explore a misty town and its wilderness, gathering resources to craft survival equipment. Assist the city's survivors, revealing their secrets and stories, while investigating the dark forests to understand the results of a harrowing catastrophe. This immersive game offers an atmospheric, open-world experience.
Reviews
- The game has great graphics and a captivating atmosphere reminiscent of Silent Hill.
- There is potential for a compelling story and gameplay mechanics as the game develops.
- The crafting system and resource management elements add depth to the survival experience.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, crashes, and performance issues, making it frustrating to play.
- Combat mechanics are poorly implemented, with inconsistent hit detection and unresponsive enemy AI.
- The game lacks clear direction and objectives, leaving players wandering aimlessly without guidance.
- story46 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking in depth and coherence, often describing it as "meh" or filled with plot holes. While some appreciate the atmospheric setting and potential for future development, others criticize the simplistic fetch quests and underwhelming character interactions, leading to a sense of disconnection from the narrative. Overall, players express hope for improvements in storytelling and mission design in future updates.
“The map and atmosphere are great, and there are plans to open up a lot more of the buildings, add climbing, and additional areas and story.”
“End of part one: I really like the idea that the first part ended with, the lore dump and change of the plot was actually really good and makes me excited to see where the story goes.”
“At the moment, the gameplay loop consists of doing story missions, gathering resources for crafting, fighting creepy monsters, and hiding in your house when night comes; the story isn't complete though, only one chapter.”
“The script/story is pretty bad with not a whole lot of organic feeling dialogue; sometimes it feels like it was written by AI.”
“The story is very 'meh' and does not do much to help pull you in; there's really not much to say in that regard.”
“I'll just list the problems here: no story, no background, no nothing because there 'isn't' one.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere has received largely positive feedback, with many players noting its strong resemblance to classic survival horror titles like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. While the visuals and sound design contribute to a creepy and immersive experience, some reviewers expressed concerns about the lack of detail and interactivity in the environment, suggesting that further development could enhance the overall atmosphere. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a highlight, though it requires polishing and additional content to reach its full potential.
“The atmosphere is top-notch.”
“Oh yeah, for a survival horror game, its atmosphere definitely hit the spot, and the monster designs and the sound they make are creepy as heck.”
“That atmosphere is captivating; the game has a foundation that can really be built upon, and if the devs stick with it, this can be a solid experience worth getting into for fans of survival horror.”
“Do you want to play a first person version of Silent Hill with diminished atmosphere and terrible combat?”
“There was not much in place to help create and drive any tension or atmosphere, and it's noticed almost immediately.”
“The atmosphere is certainly there, but right now it's a little rough around the edges.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 79 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and atmospheric design, often compared to classic titles like Silent Hill and Resident Evil 7. While many players appreciate the high-quality graphics and immersive environments, some have noted issues with rendering and frame drops, suggesting that further optimization is needed. Despite these concerns, the graphics are generally considered a strong point of the game, contributing to its eerie and engaging atmosphere.
“Graphics are actually very stunning; does it need work? Sure, but I have seen indie games five years in fail to even make it this far.”
“The graphics are a marvel to look at; it feels like I am traveling through a town lost in time and haunted by total evil.”
“The visuals are excellent; the weapon sounds are great, and the inventory system is very recognizable.”
“Graphical/rendering issues mixed with random frame drops.”
“Graphics is...meh, compared to the demo.”
“It's a first person darkwood set in a Silent Hill kind of town and with the aesthetics of Resident Evil 7.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the improved combat mechanics and aiming system, while others criticize the lack of tutorials and repetitive gameplay loop. Many find the experience enjoyable during the day but frustrating at night due to relentless enemy attacks and minimal rewards for combat. Overall, while the game shows potential with its early access state, it suffers from a lack of polish, poor performance, and a need for more engaging mechanics and objectives.
“The aiming mechanics are interesting as rather than letting you use the relatively well-modeled iron sights, you are forced to use a reticle to aim that will tighten if you hold right-click and stop moving.”
“At the moment, the gameplay loop consists of doing story missions, gathering resources for crafting, fighting creepy monsters, and hiding in your house when night comes; the story isn't complete though, only one chapter.”
“For my time, I've spent about 7 hours in the game with two separate playthroughs of the main story, and I think the gameplay is pretty solid for the early state the game is in.”
“Wow, not a good game at all. There's no tutorial to teach any of the mechanics, and no information on how to actually survive. The game seems fun during the day, but then night hits and it never ends. Enemies keep coming non-stop, and you die over and over again. There is no point in killing enemies as you gain nothing from it, and all you have is a bat and a flashlight.”
“Spend the 17 CAD if you want to support the game, but don't expect much gameplay. I had pretty much completed the game in under 2 hours.”
“Actual gameplay is severely lacking here.”
- optimization17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 65 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting poor performance, frequent stuttering, and various technical issues such as rendering problems and clipping. While some users noted that performance improved with specific settings or on higher-end hardware, the consensus is that the game is currently poorly optimized, especially considering its early access status.
“The graphics and optimization are great.”
“On an end note, as far as optimization goes, the game runs great on a 3080 on 'epic' while streaming at the same time.”
“Performance-wise, there are stutters here and there but it's not all that bad.”
“The game itself is very poorly optimized with overall frame rate stability.”
“I know this is early access, so I'm being easy on it for now, but oh my god the optimization is so bad in this game.”
“There are also performance issues, such as rendering issues, weird stutters (film grain effect seemed to amplify this), and clipping of objects.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting a significant lack of in-game music that detracts from the overall atmosphere and tension, particularly during exploration and boss fights. Reviewers suggest that ambient sounds and subtle background music could enhance the horror experience, while also expressing a desire for more musical elements to accompany key moments and enrich the narrative. Overall, the sound design is seen as generic and in need of improvement, with a score of 7/10 reflecting these concerns.
“There should also be more music in the game, especially when exploring the town.”
“I do think the atmosphere could be set better if it has some ambiance or subtle background music.”
“The introduction was well done, and though it lacked music to set the mood, I am sure that is on the to-do list.”
“I think horror developers need to learn that less is more sometimes; different patterned footsteps in the distance, trees cracking, glass breaking, ambient sounds and music - all of these can create way more tension and horror than some mindless grunting in my opinion.”
“There should also be more music in the game as well such as when exploring the town.”
“This game gives me strong Silent Hill vibes which is a plus, I do think the atmosphere could be set better if it has some ambiance or subtle background music.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game suffers from numerous glitches, particularly with NPC behavior and character models, leading to inconsistent AI reactions. However, it performs well on high-end hardware, indicating good optimization despite the stability issues. Overall, players report a mixed experience regarding stability, with significant room for improvement.
“The game runs great on a 3080 on 'epic' while streaming at the same time.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs, which is impressive for a game of this scale.”
“The stability of the game allows me to fully immerse myself without worrying about technical issues.”
“The only issue I have is how many glitches there are.”
“The NPCs are very buggy.”
“Perhaps the AI is buggy, but at times when I am pretty sure I was in its vision cone, they would not react to me and just shamble past me, while at other times when I'm hiding behind a wall, they would aggro and charge at me.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, characterized by slow-paced and uneventful journeys across the expansive map.
“A series of extremely tedious and non-eventful treks across the expansive map at a snail's pace.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I spent hours doing the same tasks over and over, and it quickly became a chore rather than fun.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game for its strong character design and immersive environments, which contribute positively to the overall character development experience.
“The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The backstories and personal growth of each character add layers to the gameplay, making every decision feel impactful.”
