Pineview Drive : Creepy Disappointment

Well, hello one and all, as the mouth of Halloween is upon us. And everyone knows what that means: SMASH BROS. And since I did my Smash Bros 3DS early, It's time to do some special Halloween reviews on horror theme games. One of the games on the chopping block is Pineview Drive, where one "play as a troubled man is standing at its gates, looking over the property. 20 years ago he had visited this estate with his wife Linda. During their stay his beloved vanished without a trace – her mysterious disappearance unresolved." And that's about it on the story...

From the start, the game dose show some promises as the player roams from room to room as the day quickly turns into night, where the majority of the game takes place. The only way to progress is to look for keys to open the next room while looking for more plot that is scattered about while facing many scary things such as, but not limited to, killer creepy clowns, a scarecrow, and a creepy ghost lady that might be after you for revenge.

The fun part is when the player roams within the dark, looking for batteries (which comes very often) for a flashlight, matches for candles for later on in the game. As the game quickly give and take away comfort within the home, as sudden changes occur within the house with either guide or scare the player as he or she explores the mason. As soon as anyone expect, creepy things like doors disappearing and reappearing will catch one off guard with...jump-scares....

However, this is where the game falls apart, as some of the jump-scares become predictable at times and are even required to continue within the game. While they are somewhat scary, it's wears out very quickly to the point of annoyance. Another issue is that the game's map is so big that most of the days are padded. It would have helped IF they would at least either provided a map within the game itself or if the house was smaller so getting lost would not be an issue.

Also, the sanity bar should have been shoved aside, as it is a useless indicator of your character's sanity as there is no real fail state within the game. It becomes a literal walking simulator that you often see within steam. It's easy to miss a scare because you get distracted looking for keys because of how too subtle it is...

But the worst offense of the game is it's ending, as the game just ends with more questions more than the proper answers.The thing about a good horror game is that there's a method to the madness that is occurring within a good storyline. For example, Silent Hill had a mad cult who made a personal hell trying to make a god, resident evil had an evil corporation, and amnesia has a man old men hungry for power.  Here, it just gives you the item in question...and fades to black. No real answers; Just questions and theories.

While this game has a nice, admirable start, the game then trips and flops into an average horror game with no real consequence, yet no real ending.   It works for a real good scare, but afterwards, there's no real replayiblity for the game is nonexistent.  If  anyone would like to look at it, feel happy to apply, but Steam Sales are the best time for fun times.