As I get older, it seems like the games I play are getting shorter. When I was in my 20s, I had all the patience (and ability) required to sink 100+ hours into a single title. Now, with 40 looming, I find solace in games that are less than ten hours long. I know I can complete them, and that helps, but I also love to watch a developer weave a full narrative into a few hours of gameplay. Pine: A Story of Loss is shaping up to be a game that fits into the small package, big punch to the gut category. It follows a woodworker grieving the loss of his wife and the story is told through wordless interactions. Today, Fellow Traveller announced it would be publishing Pine: A Story of Loss, the debut title from a new development studio, for iOS/Android, PC, and Nintendo Switch later this year.
The woodworker and his late wife built a home in the forest glade. Without her, he struggles to do even simple chores due to the cherished memories of a past life that come rushing back. But the world keeps going, even when we feel like we’ve been frozen in place. Each season will still change to the next, so the woodworker must be ready for what’s to come each time. Tasks like collecting water, repairing the roof, or planting crops all bring those vivid memories back.
The woodworker, desperate to keep his wife’s memory alive, decides to capture each moment in beautiful wood carvings. Each carving begins as a promise to her memory… but then soon becomes a dangerous obsession. A carving mechanic allows the player to create the carvings using the woodworker’s hands.
Pine: A Short Story is specifically designed to be played in one or two sittings. It promises to immerse the player in the world using environmental storytelling, ambient soundscapes, and an original score. Chores like gardening or gathering are represented through interactive puzzles and mini-games. The puzzles and mini-games celebrate happy memories, while the chores emphasize the woodworker’s challenges with moving on.
Brooklyn-based developer Made Up Games is led by two lifelong friends, professional illustrator Tom Booth and programmer Najati Imam. Following a tragic loss, Booth created a sketch of a grieving woodworker that he posted to social media. After receiving a lot of support from those who related to the image, Booth and Imam created Pine: A Story of Loss to examine the woodworker’s story and remind others that no one is alone in their loss.
Developed by Made Up Games and published by Fellow Traveller, Pine: A Story of Loss will be released for iOS/Android, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch in late 2024.
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