Hyper Luminal Games’ narrative adventure is a hopeful slice of blocky life, exploring how memory can help us process loss and overcome our fears – while keeping those we’ve lost close to our hearts.

Pine Hearts is a place steeped in memory for Tyke – it’s where he went on caravan adventures with his father as a child. His father has since passed away and Tyke has plucked up the courage to return to the park and revisit this chapter of his childhood. On this journey, Tyke must re-tread memories, conquer childhood fears, and work through his grief to reach the summit of Pine Hearts. Can he finish what he and his father started all those years ago?

In a recent interview with Creative Director, Rob Madden, he explained how Pine Hearts is inspired by his personal experiences with grief and that it “was all very much born out of this need to create something that felt safe and cosy.” This is a stress-free world to spend time in and explore; a place full of vibrancy, life, and comforting familiarity. It doesn’t shy away from it’s hard-hitting themes of love and loss, but is bursting at the seams with hope.

“Those we’ve lost are not forgotten and live on in us, as we learn from their guidance and build new memories.”

As you interact with the environment and its inhabitants, collectable memory droplets appear. From skimming a rock to petting dogs, these interactions hearken back to things Tyke did when he was there as a child; these smaller, seemingly inconsequential moments paint a picture of the inquisitive child Tyke was. Once you’ve gathered enough droplets to unlock a memory, you’re transported to a version of Pine Hearts bursting with childlike imagination, filled with cardboard creatures and scenery scribbled in crayon. In each of these clouded memories, you witness a moment with Tyke and his father that helps you progress further in the present.

It’s a hopeful way of showing us that the past can help Tyke grow and stand on his own two feet, while taking time to reflect and remember his father. It reminds us that those we’ve lost live on in us, as we learn from their guidance and build new memories.

Features:

• A slew of accessibility options, including simplified controls and alternate visual modes.
• 3-4 hours of gameplay.
• Seven areas to explore with metroidvania elements.
• Cute n’ cosy character interactions.
• Side quest mini-games.
• Calming soundtrack.
• Dog petting.