Pinstripe
- April 25, 2017
- atmos
- 4h median play time
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
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Get on itch.io Store"Pinstripe" is a suspenseful adventure game about Teddy, a former minister, navigating a frozen Hell to rescue his abducted daughter Bo from the clutches of the mysterious, demonic Mr. Pinstripe. Along the way, Teddy will face his past and confront the dark secrets that led to his current predicament. With unique hand-drawn art and a focus on narrative, "Pinstripe" is a deeply personal and emotional journey.
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Reviews
- Beautiful art style and atmosphere that draws players in.
- Engaging story with emotional depth and well-developed characters.
- Fun and simple gameplay with enjoyable puzzles.
- Game is very short, taking only about 2-3 hours to complete.
- Achievements are often bugged and do not unlock properly.
- Some puzzles require tedious backtracking, which can disrupt the flow of the game.
- story934 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is often described as beautiful, emotional, and engaging, with many players appreciating its dark themes and heartfelt narrative about a father's quest to rescue his daughter. While the game is relatively short, lasting around 3-4 hours, it is praised for its stunning artwork, atmospheric soundtrack, and clever storytelling that unfolds gradually, allowing players to piece together the plot. However, some critiques mention that the story can feel predictable or lacking in depth, and the gameplay mechanics may detract from the overall experience.
“What truly matters is the experience and emotions you feel during that time, and in that regard, this game feels like reading a truly wonderful storybook.”
“The story, artwork, and music are beautiful enough on their own to make this game worthwhile just to experience the atmosphere, but the gameplay and puzzles are equally clever and entertaining.”
“Pinstripe is a beautiful and charming game, the story, whilst dark, is beautifully told, and I truly wanted to see it to its conclusion; I also had a slight tear in my eye come the ending.”
“The story is pretty immature.”
“I couldn't get connected to the characters, the story that is there is pretty hollow, and you are forced to go back to the start of the map a couple of times in the way puzzles are designed.”
“The music was okay, but lacked consistency throughout (zelda plus 20's music, plus generic background music, then suddenly metal??) the story was absolute shallow garbage.”
- graphics420 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning and unique art style, often compared to Tim Burton's aesthetic, which creates a captivating atmosphere that enhances the storytelling. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals and the way they complement the game's dark themes, with many noting the impressive attention to detail in the artwork. Overall, the graphics are considered a highlight of the game, contributing significantly to its emotional impact and immersive experience.
“The graphics are beautiful, and so is the soundtrack.”
“The art style is amazing and the atmosphere that is created is wonderfully tailored to the game.”
“The graphics are the highlight for me and the amount of effort gone into the artwork is clear.”
“Aesthetically, it's consistent in the style; however, the gradient banding on virtually all the sprites was painful and I feel completely avoidable.”
“I really wanted to be able to recommend this for the setting and art style alone, but I just can't.”
“It defaulted to 'native,' which for me was 3440x1440, and the HUD elements moved appropriately, but some of the artwork has jarring 16:9 edges, making it pretty apparent that it wasn’t designed with ultrawide in mind.”
- music368 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its emotional impact and suitability for the game's themes. While some reviews mention that the soundtrack can become repetitive, the majority highlight its haunting quality and the way it complements the stunning artwork and storytelling. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“The story, artwork, and music are beautiful enough on their own to make this game worthwhile just to experience the atmosphere, but the gameplay and puzzles are equally clever and entertaining.”
“The music is absolutely outstanding.”
“The blend of the beautifully atmospheric soundtrack, excellent voice acting along with the solid story and gorgeous graphics, for me made this a fantastic gaming experience.”
“The puzzles are mostly guesswork, which was just really frustrating, and the songs the game gave me to listen to while I puzzled away weren't very interesting.”
“The music was okay, but lacked consistency throughout (Zelda plus 20's music, plus generic background music, then suddenly metal??) the story was absolute shallow garbage.”
“Although after finishing the game, it feels more like you paid for the soundtrack and it just came with a free game.”
- gameplay318 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Pinstripe is generally described as simple and easy to pick up, featuring puzzle-solving and basic combat mechanics, but it lacks depth and innovation. While the art style and narrative are praised, many reviewers note that the gameplay can feel mundane or uninspired, often requiring external guides for clarity. Overall, it offers a casual experience that may appeal to those looking for a short, atmospheric adventure, but it doesn't provide a challenging or engaging gameplay loop.
“The story, artwork, and music are beautiful enough on their own to make this game worthwhile just to experience the atmosphere, but the gameplay and puzzles are equally clever and entertaining.”
“Pinstripe is a beautiful, allegorical 2D adventure story with incredibly crisp and aesthetically gorgeous game design, fantastic soundtrack, and overall enjoyable gameplay.”
“Very satisfying gameplay, nice and fast-paced, not too difficult but challenging enough to be enjoyable and just mind-blowingly beautiful in art, soundtrack, and story.”
“The gameplay is pedestrian.”
“But the real killer is the gameplay, which is simply not engaging or interesting...or even challenging...other than through the controls and the obscurity.”
“But unfortunately, great aesthetics are hindered by mediocre gameplay.”
- atmosphere174 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful art style, haunting music, and emotional depth, creating an immersive experience that captivates players. Many reviews highlight the effective blend of dark and whimsical elements, although some note that humor can occasionally disrupt the overall tone. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing both the storytelling and gameplay.
“The story, artwork, and music are beautiful enough on their own to make this game worthwhile just to experience the atmosphere, but the gameplay and puzzles are equally clever and entertaining.”
“The blend of the beautifully atmospheric soundtrack, excellent voice acting along with the solid story and gorgeous graphics, for me made this a fantastic gaming experience.”
“I loved the emotional side that the game brings, and combined with the art and sound it creates an awesome atmosphere.”
“The voice acting feels out of place from the eerie atmosphere, with the exception of one or two characters.”
“There were some elements that felt kind of silly amongst everything, which could be good or bad - good because it's funny, bad because it could bring you out of the experience and atmosphere.”
“My first playthrough was around 2 hours, none of the puzzles were particularly difficult as the game mostly just consists of going from screen to screen finding items and shooting things, but as a short, atmosphere-focused story game it didn't require anything more involved.”
- emotional136 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players highlighting its touching and heartwarming story that often leads to tears by the end. The combination of beautiful artwork, atmospheric music, and engaging voice acting enhances the emotional experience, making it resonate deeply with players. While some found the humor and gameplay mechanics at odds with the narrative, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully delivers a powerful emotional journey.
“This was the first game that made me cry.”
“The story was emotional and I was genuinely moved by the end.”
“I cannot begin to express the depths of beauty highlighted in this game, as well as the emotional roller coaster that is experiencing this.”
- humor62 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky and often childish, blending dark themes with lighthearted moments, which can be both charming and off-putting. While some players appreciate the clever writing and funny character interactions, others find the humor to be tasteless or forced, particularly when it leans heavily on toilet humor. Overall, the game balances its artistic elements with a mix of absurdity and poignancy, resulting in a unique comedic experience that may not resonate with everyone.
“For a game made by one person, Pinstripe's amazing cast of funny and well-written characters are a treat!”
“I loved this game; it's a great game that has a perfect balance between funny/happy humor and sad/depressing topics.”
“The game possesses a certain Burton-esque quality, featuring beautiful art, clever and frequently funny writing, and a certain fancifulness of the music, which are combined with a story full of dark undertones, populated with wacky, almost absurd characters, and centered around a menacing, sinister villain.”
- replayability58 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability, primarily through a New Game+ mode and the ability to unlock additional content, achievements, and alternative endings on subsequent playthroughs. While the main story can be completed in about 3-4 hours, players seeking to fully experience the game may find value in multiple runs, although some reviewers noted that knowing the story diminishes the incentive to replay. Overall, it caters well to achievement hunters and those who enjoy exploring different dialogue choices.
“It also has its fair amount of replay value, as many locations and items cannot be unlocked until the second playthrough, and there are two endings depending on your dialogue decisions.”
“Also, as the game encourages replayability, with unlocking various content after the completion of the first playthrough, achievement hunters and indie gamers will easily find that more runs are required in order to experience it to the fullest.”
“A wonderfully beautiful game with a powerful message and tons of replay value!”
“My only issue is, if you play it at least once, there isn't that much replayability after that since you know the full story already.”
“Although there is replayability consideration, that in itself is a frustration - as the replay function means some features are only unlocked on replay - with your first playthrough leaving you puzzled where the god damn golden key is.”
“There is apparently a little replayability, as your currency carries over from game to game, allowing you to buy things you are unable to afford in the first playthrough, though these items mostly seem to be for achievements or speed runs and do not affect the gameplay.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention, with many players finding it excessively tedious due to repetitive backtracking, mandatory item collection, and long cutscenes after dying. While some appreciate the immersive adventure and the game's deeper messages, others feel that the grinding detracts from the overall experience, making it feel boring and frustrating. Overall, the balance between content and grind seems to vary, with some players enjoying the challenge while others find it overwhelming.
“It's way too grindy, and I could tell from the start it would take forever to gather the amount of items needed in the most boring way, backtracking and killing one enemy after another for little gain.”
“❌ Lots of tedious backtracking (especially if you miss something) without an increased freedom of mobility or new and significant events.”
“Tedious platforming, repeated backtracking, mandatory collectible hunting...”
- stability18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent freezes, memory leaks, and game-breaking glitches that necessitate deleting saved progress. However, some players have experienced no issues at all, indicating a disparity in performance across different systems. Overall, the game appears to suffer from significant stability problems, particularly on Windows 11.
“This game has a memory leak issue on Windows 11; it freezes after playing for one or two minutes.”
“It's full of glitches and bugs to no end.”
“I've had to delete my saved game 3 times because of glitches that made the storyline impassable.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report no significant performance or bug-related issues, although some note that certain characters have excessive dialogue and overly dramatic voice acting.
“No issues with performance or bugs.”
“The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even in intense situations.”
“The game runs flawlessly, with no noticeable lag or performance dips.”
“Performance and bug-related incidents are a significant issue.”
“Some characters talk too much, and those that do feature voice actors giving really over-the-top performances.”
“There are no issues with performance or bugs.”
