Lynchian noir mystery Silver Pines takes the best bits from horror, the middling bits from Metroidvanias, and the worst bits from adventure games
Silver Pines, the debut game from Wych Elm, is a Twin Peaks-inspired neo-noir detective mystery that evolves into survival horror as the narrative progresses. The title takes an unconventional approach by blending elements from multiple genres—horror, Metroidvania mechanics, and adventure game design—into a cohesive experience anchored by its expressively moody visual style and an intriguing missing-person investigation.
According to Rock Paper Shotgun’s review, the game presents an endearingly unusual premise that attempts to marry different genre staples into a coherent whole. The visual presentation plays a crucial role in maintaining narrative and atmospheric consistency throughout the genre shifts. However, the reviewer notes friction with the game’s adventure game components, specifically citing frustration with excessive backtracking, locked-door puzzles, and collection mechanics approximately three hours into the experience.
The game appears to succeed most with its horror and neo-noir detective elements while struggling with Metroidvania-style progression systems. This suggests Silver Pines may be strongest when focusing on its atmospheric mystery and survival horror aspects, but falters when relying on traditional adventure game conventions that can feel tedious. Despite these concerns, the underlying concept—combining noir detective work with incremental horror escalation—remains intriguing and positions the game as an ambitious genre experiment for a debut title.