Welcome to Pine Hearts Caravan Park, a beautiful national park with everything you need for a relaxing stay in a natural beauty spot. Looking for somewhere to stay? No problem, as you can sleep under the stars in the well-kept campsite or stay in a caravan if you’re looking for something more homely. Check out the golf course, or if you just fancy a swim, then the beach will serve those needs, and of course, if you are after a challenging hike, then the mountain climb is a must. Whatever your needs, Pine Hearts will fulfil them all!
As you just read, Pine Hearts is set in a caravan park, a beauty spot for those who want to venture into nature, explore the areas of natural beauty, or stay, relax, and enjoy the many facilities of the park, beach, and golf course. This is exactly what Tyke and his dad would do when Tyke was a little boy, and they always had a wonderful time. Fast forward to now, and Tyke has returned as an adult to relive these experiences and tread the same footprints as he did with his now sadly deceased dad all those years ago.
And this rings true for Pine Hearts creative director Rob Madden, whose passing in 2019 inspired the creation of this game. Rob is quoted as saying, “I wanted to make a game that told a little bit of that story and could, in some small way, bring a little hope to people that may be going through or have gone through similar experiences.” And it’s this heartfelt message that Pine Hearts is littered with.
And you’d be forgiven for looking at this and thinking it is just another cutesy, wholesome game, but there’s more going on under its hood. It made me think about the times I had shared and still do share with my own dad, and it made me think of close friends who have sadly lost their fathers. Such is the power of its message. But considering the subject matter, it tells its message and story in such a strong positive way that when you finish this game, you don’t feel sad; you feel happy that you’ve gone through this journey with Tyke, and it gives you pause to reminisce about happy times with your dad, parent, or guardian.
The game succeeds in this in a few ways, the first being its wonderfully big, bright visuals. Everything is cheery and colourful; it’s hard not to smile. The many characters you meet are recognisable as people you’ve probably met in real life, all created in this “Fall Guys” style models. The details in the different environments are so well detailed that it made me feel like I was back in a caravan park, going to the little shop to buy an overpriced frisbee. The golf course had everything you’d expect and more, including a golf club and some pesky miles you’ll have to help remove. And it goes on, and I lapped it all up. I loved Tyke’s little walk too, where he seems so happy to be back here, finally reliving his childhood.
Of course, you are not just wondering about this park aimlessly, and your main objective in returning to Pine Hearts is to climb the mountain in honour of your dad. But the local ranger will not let you pass until she thinks you are ready, and so Tyke has to explore the park, make himself stronger, and be prepared so he can fulfil his wishes.
Doing this is just as much of a joy as the rest of the game, and the major tasks you have to complete involve helping others you talk to. Some examples involve helping someone who’s lost their tent pegs, gathering wood so people can have a fire and toast marshmallows, or gathering ingredients and cooking a burger so you can help lure out a mystical creature. There’s no combat, no violence, no swearing, and that is so refreshing for someone like me who hasn’t really delves into these types of games before.
Once you’ve completed a task, you are mostly rewarded with water drops or maybe tears (I’m not sure what they are, but that’s my hunch). These can also be found all over the place for you to collect, and when you’ve gained a certain amount, you unlock a memory of Tyke and his dad. These are not just cut scenes, but a playable part of the game, where you get to see Tyke and his dad in times of happiness and sadness. These memories are important, not only from understanding their relationship more, but also from the game itself.
Unfortunately, there are paths and whole sections of the park that are unreachable at the start of the game. These could be blocked by logs, rocks, or gaps that Tyke can’t jump over. You learn the skills in your memories to be able to remove these obstacles and explore more of the park. Tyke will learn how to climb and jump over bigger gaps and push trees over to create bridges. And you will be given tools by certain characters too, which will also help you remove certain obstacles.
Hyper Luminal Games are very passionate on accessibility in video games and it shows here with the wealth of options that are available within Pine Hearts, they have set a standard in which every game should strive for. Simplified controls, colour blocking, black and white mode, high contrast mode, visual FX toggles, font scaling, and full controller remapping are some examples of the ten options available in the full game. With these in place, Pine Hearts can be enjoyed by everyone.
And that’s it. You wonder the park, complete tasks by helping others, relive your memories, and tackle that mountain climb in honour of your dad. You can’t get much more wholesome than that, and it spreads such a positive message about helping others and helping people in the grief of a loved one. I think Rob’s dad will be looking down on him and his team with much pride in what they have created.
Pine Hearts will appeal to children and adults alike, thanks to its bright, vibrant graphics and its story about loving and helping others. In my three-hour playthrough, I was captivated by its exploration and its unique and varied tasks, and I just felt safe and cosy roaming the park. Some may want to give this a miss until they are ready, but if you are in need of a relaxed, heartfelt game that gives you a big hug, then Pine Hearts might just be the one for you.
Release Date: May 23rd, 2024
Platforms: Nintendo Switch & PC
Price: £15.99
Many thanks to Newfangled Games for supplying us with a review copy of the game.
Version Tested: PC (Steam Deck)
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