Pineview Drive

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In "Pineview Drive," you take on the role of a investigative journalist who must uncover the dark secrets of a haunted mansion. Using only a lantern and your wits, you'll explore the mansion and its overgrown grounds, avoiding various supernatural threats and piecing together clues to solve the mystery. With a focus on atmosphere and exploration over combat, this game offers a unique and suspenseful take on the horror genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

45%

Audience ScoreBased on 125 reviews

story17 positive mentions

gameplay8 negative mentions

The game has a genuinely creepy atmosphere that effectively builds tension and suspense.
There are some well-executed jump scares that can catch players off guard.
The sound design is excellent, contributing significantly to the overall horror experience.

The gameplay becomes repetitive, primarily revolving around finding keys and unlocking doors without much variation.
The lighting is often too dark, making it difficult to navigate and see important elements in the game.
The story is vague and lacks a satisfying conclusion, leaving players feeling unsatisfied with the overall narrative.

story
80 mentions
21 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its intriguing premise and atmosphere, while others criticize it for being weak, vague, and poorly executed. Many found the method of storytelling—through scattered notes and daily entries—tedious and lacking cohesion, leading to a disjointed experience that detracted from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while there are elements of a compelling narrative, the execution leaves much to be desired, resulting in a story that fails to engage players fully.
- “It was a really well put story, with simple to understand events and great scares and hidden gems (for Halloween, for example, the front porch of the house has pumpkins on it) for replay value.”
- “Overall, I enjoyed the story and I am definitely excited to play the next installments!”
- “The fear meter mechanic is unique, I really love the atmosphere, the mansion is insanely convoluted which is both a pro and a con, and the story is at least intriguing throughout the game.”
- “It fails as a horror, it fails as a story, it fails as a game.”
- “The story is reduced to the essentials, so don't expect a bestseller novel by Stephen King.”
- “You spend hours playing through all these clues and rooms and it's all about finding your lost wife, then you get to the end and it makes zero sense and ties in with the house and story in no way.”
atmosphere
58 mentions
53 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepiness and effective use of sound and visuals, creating a genuinely unsettling experience. However, many players note that the repetitive gameplay and lack of variety in scares detract from the overall impact, leading to a mixed reception. While some find the ambiance captivating and integral to the horror experience, others feel it cannot compensate for the game's shortcomings in gameplay and engagement.
- “If you are a horror fan, this game is more of an atmospheric horror than hack and slash.”
- “The atmosphere, building, music, and sounds fit the game.”
- “Pineview Drive, in its essence, is one of the most atmospherically frightening games I have ever had the pleasure of playing.”
- “Instead of relying on the honestly remarkably tense atmosphere of wandering an 'empty house', it throws repetitive jumpscares that do random amounts of damage at you constantly!”
- “Game doesn't run on new computers; every time I press play, it crashes without even loading the intro. Also tried all resolutions and nothing works. The game is dead and isn't worth buying. The atmosphere is repetitive, not scary, and all 5 sound effects are on repeat non-stop. All 30 days of the same boring gameplay - pass at all costs.”
- “After a few minutes, most players (like me) will get so frustrated by searching for the next key/note/door/whatever that they start running around, and the atmosphere dies completely.”
gameplay
43 mentions
16 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and tedious, primarily revolving around key-hunting and exploration in a convoluted mansion. While the unique fear mechanic adds an interesting twist, it is often criticized for being unreliable and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience. Despite its atmospheric setting and potential, the gameplay lacks depth and can feel monotonous, leaving some players disappointed.
- “The fear meter mechanic is unique; I really love the atmosphere. The mansion is insanely convoluted, which is both a pro and a con, and the story is at least intriguing throughout the game.”
- “The biggest asset of Pineview Drive is, as you might already know, the 'punished for panic' mechanic, that actually works quite nicely, especially since it also provides a 'reward for relax' function.”
- “The gameplay revolves around finding keys, unlocking rooms, and gathering small bits of information about the mystery engulfing this cursed building.”
- “The gameplay lacks a bit; you are always walking around, searching for the next key to open the next door, but if you want a game that gets you on your limit with its creepy atmosphere, get it!”
- “Only the gameplay itself is quite tedious, as you are running around in the mansion for so many days, getting key after key and then running down the entire building again to see which door you'll be able to open afterwards.”
- “But the tedious gameplay (plan to walk through pretty much every room in the house, multiple times, every day, looking for keys or journal entries), the overused scares, and the lack of a compelling story quickly drained both fear and enjoyment from my experience.”
graphics
22 mentions
41 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many players praising the atmospheric lighting, solid design, and effective use of horror elements. While some noted minor issues like low resolution and texture glitches, the visuals contribute significantly to the immersive experience, enhancing the suspense and emotional impact of the gameplay. The combination of good graphics and ambient sounds creates a compelling atmosphere, although expectations for AAA quality should be tempered.
- “The game uses many references from well-known horror movies, and the graphics as well as the music are fantastic.”
- “Finding keys, turning the corner and being spooked by ghosts or inanimate objects; all these things plus a great selection of sounds really paired well with the graphics of the house and yard to give you suspense each time you opened a new door.”
- “While the game had beautiful graphics for the most part, it was a bit lacking in other parts; the lighting and the atmosphere during the night was great, and the transition between day and night was beautiful to watch.”
- “Adjusting the various graphic options doesn't appear to have any noticeable effect on performance.”
- “The graphic is not the finest and slightly low-res in places, although the lighting and weather effects are solid work.”
- “There was so much texture tearing and glitchy shadows, but that might be because I had to play with PS2 graphics.”
music
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music and sound design in the game are generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere and creating tension, with references to well-known horror films adding to the experience. However, some players feel that the music can be repetitive and occasionally mismatched with in-game events, leading to moments where it feels out of place. Overall, while the sound contributes significantly to the game's creepy ambiance, its effectiveness diminishes over time due to a lack of variety and narrative depth.
- “The atmosphere, building, music, and sounds fit the game.”
- “The game uses many references from well-known horror movies, and the graphics as well as the music are fantastic.”
- “A creepy background soundtrack also helps to create the tense atmosphere that empowers the basic 'don't get scared' catch of the game.”
- “However, the music is constantly there and it feels out of place at most times.”
- “At times, the music will get intense as well, and loud noises will come out of nowhere, which again feels out of place most of the time and is overused in my opinion.”
- “However, after the first 15 days the game becomes very repetitive and the lack of storyline or variety of sound and music as well as the jumpscares lose their effect.”
grinding
12 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, primarily involving the constant search for keys to unlock doors without a compelling plot to engage players. Many reviewers express frustration with the slow-paced gameplay, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and fear factor, leading to a monotonous experience as players navigate the same areas repeatedly. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as a significant flaw that overshadows any potential thrills.
- “It makes the game more tedious than enjoyable.”
- “But the tedious gameplay (plan to walk through pretty every room in the house, multiple times, every day, looking for keys or journal entries), the overused scares, and the lack of a compelling story quickly drained both fear and enjoyment from my experience.”
- “Running around trying to find keys and notes got tedious after day 6.”
optimization
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues such as low frame rates (10-15 fps) and a lack of noticeable improvement despite adjusting graphic settings. Many users experienced choppy gameplay on both PS4 and PC, indicating that significant optimization patches are needed to enhance the overall performance.
- “Some optimization might be needed or patched to solve the framerate issues.”
- “Cranking all details up to max might result in laggy performance, even if you have a powerful system.”
- “Adjusting the various graphic options doesn't appear to have any noticeable effect on performance.”
- “Absolutely atrocious performance...can't be more than 10-15 fps no matter what settings I use.”
- “Changing settings doesn't have any noticeable effect on performance.”
- “My first impression on the technical performance was slightly disappointing, since the game seems to have framerate issues due to its programming.”
replayability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game offers a compelling story with engaging elements that enhance replayability, such as hidden gems and seasonal decorations. However, some players feel that the lack of substantial replay value and technical issues detract from the overall experience.
- “It was a really well put together story, with simple to understand events and great scares, along with hidden gems (like the pumpkins on the front porch during Halloween) that enhance the replay value.”
- “The game offers a variety of choices that lead to different outcomes, making each playthrough feel unique and encouraging multiple runs.”
- “With its branching storylines and numerous collectibles, I found myself coming back for more, eager to explore every possible scenario.”
- “Twenty bucks isn't too bad, but there is no replay value, and the buggy fear can cause more frustration than enjoyment.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by a buggy fear mechanic that detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. While the price point is considered reasonable, the lack of replay value further diminishes its appeal.
- “The fear mechanic is incredibly buggy.”
- “Twenty bucks isn't too bad, but there is no replay value, and the buggy fear can cause more frustration than enjoyment.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of lighthearted elements, such as the cackling clown doll, and the tension of managing sanity during spooky encounters. Players appreciate the balance between comedic moments and the suspenseful atmosphere created by jumpscares and environmental lighting.
- “The humor in this game is spot on, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that keep you entertained throughout.”
- “I love how the game balances its spooky elements with hilarious moments that catch you off guard.”
- “The quirky characters and their funny interactions add a delightful twist to the gameplay experience.”