Definitely Not a Game For Children
There’s something about the retro game aesthetic that is at once deliciously nostalgic and deliciously creepy. The 8bit tunes, cute and clunky graphics, and simple map layouts remind us of hours spent tapping away at Game Boy buttons in our childhood, but they also have a lot of opportunity for sudden swerves into a nightmare.
Retro horror game Pine Creek does an excellent job of taking advantage of both the inherent nostalgia and spookiness of retro gaming. In fact, it does such a good job that it’s getting a physical release–for Game Boy Color. If you’re a fan of horror, retro gaming, or both, now is the time to dig out your old handhelds and place a pre-order for this indie gem.
Just make sure you know what you’re getting into, because Pine Creek is aimed at an adult audience. If you’re under 18, maybe wait a few years before you shell out for this title.
Pine Creek started life as an indie browser game that could be played in any Game Boy emulator, including the original hardware via flashcart, so it’s not that odd that it could get a physical Game Boy Color release. In this game, players take on the role of a boy whose best friend has disappeared under mysterious circumstances–and by mysterious circumstances, we mean the room where she vanished seems to have been the site of an occult ritual.
Rumors around town suggest that a cult was responsible for her death and several other ritualistic murders. The boy, called Adso in the trailer, is determined to figure out what happened to her, who was behind it, and why this had to occur. The developers describe Pine Creek as an exploration and story-heavy adventure game about following clues, making friends, eating tasty food, and thinking about death. Sounds like fun to us.
The standard edition of the Pine Creek physical cartridge will include:
- Sealed box
- Black game cartridge
- Cartridge protector
- Game manual
- Pre-sale versions include a limited edition Pine Creek stickers sheet
- Sealed box
- Limited red game cartridge
- Cartridge protector
- Game manual
- Genesis stickers sheet
- Game soundtrack on CD and digital download
- Pine Creek enameled pin
- Game poster
- Numbered certificate of authenticity
- Limited to 200 numbered copies
Pine Creek will be available for pre-order until August 9th, 2021 at 2PM EST. It will ship in October 2021.
What’s your favorite retro game? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.