The review embargo has lifted on one of the year’s most intriguing small-team debuts, and the verdicts are unusually warm. Silver Pines, the horror Metroidvania from Scandinavian independent developer Wych Elm Games and publisher Team17, doesn’t launch until October 8 — but on October 6 more than a dozen outlets published reviews, with headlines across the board positioning it among 2026’s best-reviewed surprises. It arrives on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
A Detective Story in Survival Horror’s Coat
In Silver Pines you play Red Walker, a private investigator who travels to the titular sleepy American town in search of a missing musician named Eddie Velvet. As GameSpew puts it, just like in a Silent Hill game, the moment you step foot in the town things seem… off — it’s quiet, way too quiet, and the few people you do meet don’t seem quite right. There are also creepy humanoid monsters to deal with.
The twist is the format. This is survival horror delivered as a side-scrolling 2D Metroidvania: you gain new tools and mementos as you progress — a torch opens pitch-black areas, a crowbar breaks the boards off doorways — so backtracking through the town always uncovers something new. The Resident Evil DNA shows in the inventory juggling: tools have multiple uses (the crowbar doubles as a melee weapon), storage boxes let you swap loadouts, and gun upgrades shrink what you’re carrying. There’s even a camera system for photographing points of interest you can’t yet interact with — a mechanic GamesRadar notes builds on the now-beloved one from Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown — plus pay phones that serve as both save points and story devices, and item vending machines for extra polish.
What the Reviews Say
“Compelling, atmospheric, and brilliant, Silver Pines is a dive into mystery that’s hard to put down and even harder to let go,” writes GamesRadar’s Max Williams. “It makes you feel like a detective, an action hero, and a man on the brink of uncovering horrifying darkness all at once.” He rolled “from one ending right into the next and into the next” — the game has three — praising the “beautiful painterly visuals” and moody atmosphere, while wishing the storytelling stuck its landing: Silver Pines “can get in its own way with its storytelling,” and its endings stop just short of the sweet spot, leaving you feeling like you missed something rather than being haunted by forbidden discovery.
GameSpew goes further, calling it “a sensational debut from Wych Elm, an experience that grabs you from the outset and doesn’t let go” — an “impeccable survival horror experience” whose puzzles are “challenging but never too obtuse,” blending dark, foreboding environments with rotoscoped enemies and excellent soundtrack and voice acting. Its one complaint is shared: combat is “rather clunky,” with a dodge move that punishes mistimed reads in boss fights — softened by multiple difficulty options. The vibes, per GameSpew, are pure “Twin Peaks, Alan Wake and Silent Hill,” and the outlet calls it a must-play for fans of any of the three.
GamesRadar reviewed PC code via Steam Deck provided by the publisher. Between this, the Michael Myers DLC hitting Halloween: The Game on October 27, and Fortnitemares ramping up, spooky season is delivering on schedule.