Beacon Pines
- Hiding Spot Games, 2022 -

Storybook Ending(s)

This video game storybook brings alive the once-bustling town of Beacon Pines that has fallen on hard times since the "Foul Harvest"—a particularly-devastating, growing season that brought ruin to the local crops and economy, and put its once-thriving Valentine Fertilizer Company out of business. Now—some years later—at the site of the old factory, a few, strange events are spotted, stirring young Luka and his friends to investigate. Will this captivating tale of twists and turns bring our cute cast of animals a bad ending or will they live happily-ever-after?

It's a nightly ritual for many: after a soothing bath to help settle down those rambunctious nerves and wash the busy day's dirt away and after everyone's teeth are brushed, it's finally bedtime! Time to tuck in the kiddos, plug in the comforting nightlight and whisk them off to a peaceful voyage into Dreamland. Don't forget to grab their favorite storybook—lovingly, worn edges from the countless readings... retellings of fairy tales or animal tales in faraway lands that gently reinforce invaluable lessons that will last a lifetime.

Just don't grab this storybook by mistake.

Okay. Maybe that is not possible. This "storybook" was never actually published as a paperback or hard cover. But, as a limited pressing, there were physical copies produced and distributed.

Beacon Pines... a wonderful storybook of whimsy and twists that you—the gamer—get to help write.

If you were, or are, one of the fortunate ones to have this item on hand—and every sleepy head is snug (or if you do not have children and, simply, you are ready to unwind and relax)—find a cozy nook or cranny, brew a nice cup of your favorite tea, wrap up in a blanket and grab your copy of Beacon Pines from your personal bookshelf (or more than likely, from your game shelf or digital, game collection) and get ready to indulge yourself within its absorbing tale of mischief, mystery and menace.

Beacon Pines is a video game that was produced by small, independent game developer, Hiding Spot Games, and published by Fellow Traveller in 2022. According to the game's press release, this title began in infancy as a "rhythm-based RPG" (Role-Playing Game), but eventually matured into a point-and-click, narrative adventure! What a transformation!

The team tasked to create the game may have been tiny in size, but it provided a power-packed punch that delivered big, stellar results that would stagger some much larger (and envious), corporate entities. (The project consisted of three, key, vital members, multitasking with the best of them, wearing stacks of different caps and plenty of creative titles... while six, additional individuals rounded out the group and fine-tuned important details.)

And as is the case with so many other small, indie studios, a loyal legion of backers provided additional helping hands to ensure that the exciting project would get the financial push it needed to see the light of day. Through Kickstarter, 2,772 supporters pledged $84,548 to meet a number of stretch goals for the Hiding Spot Games team. (The original goal was $30,000!)

Their generosity would not be for naught; Beacon Pines would be fully-realized and would shine like that titular beacon, brightly burning through the thicket of pines in the quiet of night.

Do we? Is Beacon Pines such "a great town"???

So, what appealed to and nudged those 2,700+ gaming fans to invest? What exactly is Beacon Pines about and what kind of gaming experience does it present?

As was briefly mentioned earlier, Beacon Pines is a narrative-based game, propelled through point-and-click actions that plays like an interactive "choose your own adventure" book.

The game opens, metaphorically and literally, when a large, storybook swings open by candlelight. Empty pages begin to fill in magically, as a disembodied voice begins to read... and thus the tale of Beacon Pines springs to life.

Twelve-year-old Luka VanHorn is a young deer, errr... child, who lives with Gran, his grandmother (of course), in the rustic, farming town of Beacon Pines.

We quickly learn that behind those large, innocent, brown eyes and cheerful, cute, fluffy features, lies a heavy heart and tortured soul that has seen his unfair share of personal loss and tragedy. The opening scene sees him mourning, visiting his father's grave. Shortly after, we discover that his mother has gone missing for several months, as well. Luka is just trying to make sense of it all.

It is the first day of summer vacation (before the start of Middle School), and to help keep his mind off of his troubles, he is excited to spend time with his best friend, Rolo Cotter.

Rolo is good at cheering his friend up. He has a big imagination and is inspired to have adventures like the hero of his favorite comic, Hank Atomic.

But, this time, Rolo is especially excited. Recently, he stumbled upon a bewildering discovery. At the abandoned warehouse past the edge of town in Weep Wood, he spied a mysterious glow... and he wants to find out what is causing it.

(It is the site of the old Valentine Fertilizer Company, the once burgeoning factory that entrepreneur, Sharper Valentine, founded some 30 years prior. As the company flourished, so did Beacon Pines—the town's fate tightly tethered to that of the business. Many of its citizens' livelihoods were reliant upon and thrived on farming and crops. But, then, a phrase that still brings shudders to the townspeople struck: the Foul Harvest. In its wake, the once prosperous village was left reeling, still trying to rebound from the economic bust... and founder, Sharper Valentine, passed away as his business went under.)

"Every choice sets us on a path." This applies to life and Beacon Pines.

From this point, the game plays like a visual novel and the tale of Beacon Pines leaps off of the page.

Gameplay is propelled with a unique mechanic. You control Luka's movements and can explore across the compact expanse of Beacon Pines' town limits; travelling its dusty trails and cobbled footpaths, as you interact and have conversations with the townsfolk and visit places of interest—like the fishing pond, Library, Last Chance Diner and the Mission Control treehouse—where you can search for clues (in the form of speech bubbles, usually with images contained inside) that prompt you to "point and click" to learn more.

Being extra observant, inquisitive and patient, rewards Luka with Charms. These are keywords and actions that trigger new paths and plot changes for the story. After Luka finds or earns a new Charm, it will go into his collection, awaiting any one of the several Turning Points that will force you to make a decision that will ultimately change the direction the story will go in—some of which may bring an abrupt and less-than-desirable ending to this beast fable.

The paragraphs below (↓) better illustrate the point:

"The Chronicle is a record of the decisions you've made. You can see the Turning Point which has been revealed. At any time you can use The Chronicle to go back and invoke different Charms, creating new branches.

Luckily for us, this is the one and only Turning Point where the Charms won't dramatically alter fate. It's the perfect opportunity to experiment with rewriting things!"

Besides uncovering Charms, Luka will be assigned various tasks upon his encounters with the myriad of curious characters in his hometown. These errands are written upon scraps of notebook paper and stuffed within Luka's backpack. Upon completing these assignments and scratching them off from his to-do list, more events will open up the plotline.

The open book and these pages describe key terms and mechanics of Beacon Pines: The Chronicle, Turning Point and Charms.

As the game's storylines play out, the expressive, emotive narrator (exquisitely and enthusiastically performed by Kirsten Mize) will interject at timely intervals, injecting background material or punctuating comedic relief. Other times, she will read aloud the aftermath of each decision—many of which bring about different and unforeseeable endings. The good news is that the game grants you the ability to stop the current branch of the story that you are moving along—at any time—and return to The Chronicle (and a previous Chapter) to alter the flow of the story and shape its outcome differently!

(As an aside, it is interesting to note that while playing through Beacon Pines, you almost assume the role of two characters simultaneously, but in unique manners: that is, you control Luka's actions on screen and then you guide the role of Narrator, vocally assaying and editorializing your current iteration of the story and eventual ending!)

In typical reviews, it would be normal to reveal more of the plot, but for a game whose main mechanics center around the plot and changing its course, it would be sacrilege to reveal much more. This game begs to be played, if possible, with "no spoilers please"—ensuring a truly rewarding playthrough.

One thing that can be mentioned, however, is that as was alluded to at the beginning of this review, this lovely storybook is not really age-appropriate for youngsters, so it would not be advisable, adding it to their pile of bedtime books. (Don't let the bedbugs bite and don’t read them this children story: it’s more along the lines of rapping legend, Slick Rick’s classic, cautionary tale ("Children's Story" from the album, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick (1989)) than fairy tales. It may evoke some stuff of nightmares with some potentially-scary material and some mild language.)

On the surface—or to express it better, proverbially "judging this book by its cover"—Beacon Pines follows in the footsteps of other favorite, tried-and-true, anthropomorphic, animal tales, like Winnie-the-Pooh (A. A. Milne (1926)), Charlotte's Web (E. B. White (1952)) and Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIMH (Robert C. O'Brien (1971)).

But, right when you think you have its scent and are off on another, familiar, beaten trail, it takes a leap (of faith) off into the deep end and totally catches you off-guard, upending your expectations, venturing off into the mystery and mild horror of things more akin to creepier, television series with cult-like followings, like The Twilight Zone (CBS (1959 - 1964)), Twin Peaks (ABC (1990-1991), Showtime (2017)) or Stranger Things (Netflix (2016 - present [2025 as of publication of this review]).

Normality lurches into the paranormal, and being that "this story is about change" (as the first sentence of CHAPTER 1 states), you serve as its agent, writing and rewriting the plot and ending, page after juicy page.

To fully pull off this feat, strong storytelling, brilliant illustration and an understated, yet memorable soundtrack unite to form a trifecta that yields fun, unique gameplay. If any one of these three components were lacking, the whole experience would falter and fall flat. Thankfully, they all excel.

Lead artist and illustrator, Ilse Harting's sweeping watercolors and beautiful characters breathe magic into the world of Beacon Pines.

Ilse Harting brings her artistry directly to Beacon Pines by way of the Netherlands. Her art direction is stunning. Detailed dioramas of the key places give a cozy, lived-in feel, while the nature scapes are breathtaking. Evocative, color choice in the clouded regions that border each scene telegraphs the mood of impending situations (for example, darker, ominous stormclouds).

And, of course, the portraiture and figure illustrations of the animal characters are—to take a word from one of the game's Charms—adorable. Our four-legged cast stands up proudly, assuming human-like characteristics, while holding on to charming degrees of cuddliness: each with his/her own distinct, fashion sense and expressive gestures, faces and poses.

Matt Meyer, who was a past Independent Games Festival (IGF) award winner for Excellence in Audio with the game, Ephemerid (SuperChop Games, 2015), serves as music composer—among other titles. His talents interpose a cohesive collection of soft piano- and guitar-centric pieces, filled out with moody, synth patterns; flavorful, yet appropriate, orchestral accompaniments and dreamy echoes.

The music masterfully practices restraint and subtlety, as it wafts throughout the game, playing the part of a strong supporting actor, knowing when to come to the forefront and when to fade into the background.

You can hear the mischief and trouble stirring, as the swaying, low, piano notes, feel like tiptoeing through the shadows of a forest, while tinkling highs raise goosebumps in "Up To No Good". "Hazardous" swells with ominous, buzz synths; chilling, bell tones and a chorale conveying the notion of something not quite right. "Pomp" comes forth like a light, military march: soft, waltz-like brass, snares pa-rum-pum-pum-pumming and fifes flitting above. "The Heist" sounds like a jazzed-out, film noir piece with splashes of cymbals and high hats riding, as a melodic, walking bass slinks with piano phrases skulking above. So many mood pieces for the highs and lows that Luka and friends face.

From the writing side, Matt Meyer—once again—pairs up with writer, Brent Calhoun, to use a "choose your adventure" model that is tightly-stitched with rich, character development and worldbuilding to fill out the lore of Beacon Pines. Just one decision, one Charm can create a butterfly effect that fans out into an array of possible endings... with one, ideal, happy ending being achievable after some trial-and-error.

For the sake of this review and the enjoyment of intrigued gamers, let's take heed of this request: No spoilers please.

The story has enough warmth and humor to make the characters endearing, while the inherent tension of something wicked or unnatural looming behind the scenes keeps the gamer invested.

The narration is delivered with emotion and an ideal balance and sense of phrasing, inflection, spacing and timing. Overall, great performance for a fun script.

Together, these three elements—the writing, the art direction and the audio design—complement one another and lift each other up.... much like the bond of our three, main protagonists in the game: Luka, Rolo and Beck.

                                                    

All good things must come to an end—and so, for a game about a story that has so many possible endings, it is time to bring this review to a close. Beacon Pines shines in so many ways, and shows what is possible when a dedicated, talented indie team gets greenlit by an equally passionate and avid group of gaming fans, who believe enough in an idea to feed and fuel it to fruition.

If you are a fan of good storytelling or reading, and you like a little suspense and mystery along with your video games, Beacon Pines would be an original, fairly short excursion and time well spent (a few hours of playtime). This storybook adventure awaits for you—as the game states in one of its passages—for "Dear Reader, ... Without you, there is no story."

b. jones © 2025

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1UP Ratings Scale for Beacon Pines
Presentation: 8	Under Ilse Harting's more-than-capable art direction, Beacon Pine's storybook aesthetic ... The cover art shows Luka, Rolo and Beck sneaking beneath the weatherworn, wooden Beacon Pines town sign. The moody presentation conveys mystery and a bit of the eerie and mischief, as the three friends huddle within the glow of a flashlight, illuminating an open storybook, interestingly enough. The only shame is that the game didn't have the resources of a major studio to produce a bound, hard cover storybook edition with "choose your adventure" choices... maybe with its success, there could, one day, be a sequel that is produced as a storybook pack-in (and maybe this tale could be produced and included, as well.). (Granted, this is wishful thinking and not a mark against the game's presentation.) In lieu of physical inserts such as a manual, Beacon Pines has received digital additions, like an Artbook (203 pages from early concepts through various stages of development with in-depth details), soundtrack (with limited vinyl pressings) and more items for higher-tier donors during its Kickstarter campaign.
Originality: 10	Hiding Spot Games' concept of an interactive storybook that has branching routes and multiple endings with cute, animal characters embroiled in a scary mystery was just the type of original, risk/reward take that seemingly only an indie would attempt and could pull off.
Creativity: 10	The idea of taking a storybook of cute animals and flipping expectations by presenting them in an adult tale with sinister undertones was fresh and ingenious. The wild imagination to not only conjure up a full, living, fictional town with beautiful, furry characters with unique personalities, issues, secrets and inner relationships and to create a compelling backstory with crazy predicaments and story arcs that produce such unexpected endings is mindboggling!
Programming/Debugging: 9	The story flow was exquisitely laid-out and edited with several branching paths leading to unexpected endings. The game's internal logic and worldbuilding made for a satisfactory, low amount of plotholes... which is crucial in the game design of a title of this genre. There were minimal grammatical, spelling or punctuation mistakes. As a matter of solid design, there were no game-breaking flaws or stalling or stutter for performance issues on the Switch. The nature of play in this game diverts focus on to minimal controller work, point-and-click interactivity and user interface, which were well-done, overall.
Challenge/Fairness: 5 (neutral)	This game is tougher to judge on challenge, due to its controls, mechanics and the pure nature of its design. There isn't any play that necessitates quick reflexes, finger dexterity or memorization of patterns. There are no tricky logic or spatial puzzles to solve. The visual novel aspects feel like a walking simulator in ways, but some participation is still essential. Finally, the game rewards you for having "bad" endings—multiple ones, in fact—and you can even safely retry different story branches without the consequence of a true game over... so challenge—in the traditional, gaming sense—is nonexistent. (Editor's Note: This game will receive a neutral score of 5 because it is hard to judge it up against many traditional game genres. It shouldn't be punished or rewarded for challenge because that is not really the main point of this title.)
Replayability: 2	Due to the nature of this kind of game, during the duration of play—with finding charms and altering story branches, replay value is high. However, after the game is completed and all of the endings are achieved, replayability may be low.
Controls: 7	The controls, overall, do not play a significant role in this style of game. They, chiefly, affect movement and prompts. But, during the fishing minigame, there is no clear explanation of how to reel in your cast.
Graphics: 10	The art direction of Ilse Harting's Beacon Pines' set pieces and characters is pixel-perfect and print-ready—they could conceivably and convincingly be made into a children's storybook and no one would ever suspect that they actually were created for a video game!
Music/Sound FX: 10	Matt Meyer's ear for music and talent for pairing the ideal instrumentation, direction and musical genre with the action in a particular Chapter or scene seamlessly set and appropriately magnified the mood. The sound effects added a depth and oomph to the tale. Finally, narrator, Kirsten Mize, captivated the gamer, keeping her/him hanging on her every line. Her delivery was exemplary.
Ending: 10	With a narrative game so masterfully-crafted with itsTurning Points (branches) leading to so many wild and unexpected endings—that can be rectified and replayed for an ultimate best ending, this game is a natural for a highly-rated ending score.
FINAL SCORE:	81 's out of a possible 100 This narrative, story-based point-and-click lures you in with its cute, storybook aesthetic, but very quickly draws you in with simmering undertones of mystery and sinister suspense. If you are fond of engaging stories, plots and reading, and don't mind a short game (a few hours to beat), Beacon Pines may be a great addition to your collection.

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© 2025 (mmxxv) b. jones