Silver Pines Review: Survival Horror Meets Metroidvania in a Haunting Mystery

Ever woken up in a strange diner and had to fight for your life? That's the vibe Silver Pines nails, and it's a mystery you won't want to put down.

Silver Pines wears its influences proudly, fusing Silent Hill and Resident Evil with Metroidvania exploration. You play as Detective Walker, investigating a forgotten town while searching for a missing musician. The painterly visuals contrast beautifully with the grim setting, and the ambient music from jukeboxes or radios breaks up the eerie quiet. The dreamlike yet nightmarish atmosphere perfectly matches the investigative storyline where reality itself is questioned.

It's not just looks and sound—the game feels great thanks to excellent pacing in both narrative and progression. Unlocking new items lets Walker traverse new areas, making revisits exciting as you push into secret corners. The map unfolds like a Metroidvania, and inventory management plays a big role. Tools have multiple uses: the crowbar pulls down panels and doubles as a melee weapon, while the box cutter is smaller but less versatile. Key items often stick around, unlike in Resident Evil, and you can combine items, find upgrades to shrink gun sizes, and leave key components in puzzles to avoid carrying them. Storage boxes let you swap gear, but you'll constantly rotate and combine items to optimize your loadout.

The camera system is a brilliant way to track mysteries and areas, building on Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Snap photos of points of interest, signs with numbers, or anything suspicious—you never know what's important. Don't make the mistake of thinking you'll easily return to an item later; use your camera plenty.

Little touches like item vending machines and pay phones for saving and story add extra polish. You have to pay to use the phone, so rummage for coins. Saving also lets you check in with your client, Mr. Jackman, reminding you of your objective. Sometimes Jackman calls after big story moments, offering free save opportunities if you're short on coins.

Silver Pines sticks with you. I rolled from one ending into the next, scraping together clues and turning everything over in my mind even when not playing. I scoured the map for vents and ledges, often finding rewards. I even wiped out straggler enemies so I could safely pore over notes without a Silent Hill-esque monstrosity lurching after me.

The only issue is that the storytelling can get in its own way. Even with a strong idea of where it was heading, I was gripped to discover everything. The worldbuilding creates intrigue beyond Walker's objective, and three endings later I still have questions and wild theories. Loose ends feel off in such a well-choreographed game.

Will you be picking up Silver Pines when it launches on October 8, 2026? Let us know in the comments!