Silver Pines Is The Silent Hill Metroidvania Mash-Up I Never Knew I Needed

The newly released title Silver Pines attempts a unique genre fusion by bringing the tense atmosphere and mechanics of traditional survival horror into a 2.5D metroidvania framework. Developed by Wych Elm Games, the title translates the dread of classic franchises like Silent Hill and Resident Evil into a side-scrolling perspective. Players navigate a small American town that gradually expands as they acquire new tools and unlock previously inaccessible pathways, offering a fresh take on both genres.

According to an impressions report from IGN's Tristan Ogilvie, the game successfully retains the depth of classic survival horror despite its flattened perspective. Players must manage limited inventory space, engage in deliberate and tense combat, and face formidable boss encounters where ammunition scarcity creates constant panic. The game also features a diverse roster of enemies, ranging from four-legged ghouls to aggressive swarms of crows, which players must fend off using an expanding arsenal of firearms such as shotguns and rifles.

Progression in Silver Pines is heavily tied to solving intricate environmental puzzles and utilizing grounded, realistic tools rather than typical metroidvania upgrades like double-jumps. For example, a box cutter found in an office serves as both a melee weapon and a tool to slice through plastic sheets blocking construction zones. Similarly, a sledgehammer is used to break through weak concrete walls, a sewer key grants access to underground tunnels, and a pistol can shoot padlocks off gates to open new routes. These tools help players search for clues regarding Eddie Velvet, a missing singer.

The game's save system adds another layer of survival tension by requiring players to use payphones scattered across the map. To record their progress, players must manually dial numbers and spend precious coins. This mechanic forces a difficult choice, as the same coins are needed to purchase essential medical kits and ammunition from vending machines. If players run out of money, they are left to search the coin return slots of payphones in hopes of finding spare change.

Deliberate pacing defines the gameplay experience, with actions designed to feel slow and methodical. Players must chamber individual rounds into their revolvers during tense encounters, or wait for coffee to brew in a police station break room to boost their stamina bar. This slow tempo heightens the game's thick, gloomy atmosphere, which is further enriched by in-game television broadcasts playing in abandoned rooms, reminiscent of narrative techniques used in Alan Wake.

Representing the debut release from Wych Elm Games, a core team of just five people, Silver Pines is currently available across multiple platforms. Players can experience the horror title on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and the Nintendo Switch 2. While the campaign is estimated to take around 12 hours to complete, early impressions suggest the title stands out as a highly engrossing addition to the 2026 gaming landscape.