Developer: Atmos Games
Publisher: Armour Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 (reviewed)
Release: 25/04/17 (PC & Mac), 13/02/18 (PS4)
I've seen this game floating about for a while now. On PC though, which is why I haven't gone near it until now. From the little that I had seen of it, I thought I was going to be treated to a classic platformer with some puzzles thrown in to keep it interesting. (It turns out being wrong isn't always bad)
You open with you (Ted) and your daughter (Bo) travelling on a train late at night through a snowstorm. Bo wants to go a look around so you follow her through the train, each carriage acting as a short yet efficient tutorial in basic jumping, switch pushing and timing. So far, so pleasant. After a short time, you come across a mysterious, smoking stranger. Now, I'm not one to be commenting on another person's appearance but this new guy looks creepy as hell, and his voice very much matches the face producing it. (Think Tim Curry as Hexxus in Ferngully, but much worse) The man takes a very keen interest in Bo, going as far as offering her a balloon. (As if the first Tim Curry reference wasn't enough) As her father, you are given a couple of dialogue choices, one nice, one not so much. These are a thing in the game that doesn't really affect the story to any great degree, but choices have consequences. Chaos ensues when Bo runs off without you and it turns out the stranger, the titular Pinstripe, has kidnapped her. A call to adventure if ever there was one. Then the train crashes...
What follows is a game short enough to finish in one sitting easily. This is in no way a bad thing, however. If you're like me you'll not want to put the pad down until the credits start rolling and you've found out what kind of journey you've been on this whole time. As I've said, there are some light puzzling elements, mostly centred around using your trusty slingshot to hit switches, defeat enemies and generally just shoot stuff to see what will happen. I can't really think of a point the controls made any of these events unnecessarily tricky or frustrating, unlike a few games I've played of late. It all seemed to flow and escalate accordingly to the distance progressed through the game. Pinstripe is full of little secret spots that will reward the curious for playing about. Generally, you'll be rewarded with the currency of the game, frozen oil drops, that can be used to pay for various things. Some items are required, and therefore affordable in a single playthrough, others are clearly extra items that require a few playthroughs to get the dough for. (We'll get back to that)
While I've said that you use your slingshot to defeat enemies, combat isn't really a major concern in the game. Outside of the final boss, the only real adversary you have to face is the unsettling atmosphere and dark tones of the story. (Deep, I know) Every character you meet offers a glimpse into Ted's life, despite the fact that much like you, the player, Ted seems to be meeting them for the first time. This plays into the mystery of the game perfectly and was one of the reasons I couldn't put it down. Despite the dark tone and grim landscapes, the characters are actually quite funny. This is something that without, I probably would have had a few issues with the game. Mr Pinstripe, the antagonist, is especially enjoyable to interact with when he turns up to taunt Ted.
Getting back to the New Game Plus the game offers after the credits finish. This mode is an opportunity to collect more oil drops, on top of the ones you finished the game with, to purchase some of the extracurricular items on offer. I won't spoil what they are for two reasons. 1) Play this damn game yourself and 2) I haven't bought them yet anyway because I wanted to get this written up before I indulged in some gothic goodness again. Also, throughout the game, you'll come across (after some serious searching or dumb luck in my case) secret film strips, these unlock yet another mode and can be cashed in if you have five of them at the start of New Game Plus, so keep your eyes peeled. ( I currently have two)
Would I recommend this game to you? Yes, very much. This game caught me completely off guard. I picked it up thinking I would be in for a little light puzzling and a cheeky bit of platforming. What I got was a short, well-crafted, daunting story that has enough humour to make the journey more than worthwhile.
Currently, the Pinstripe is available on Steam for £7.14 and PlayStation Network for £11.59. (I bought it when it was on sale for under a tenner, but I think it's definitely worth your money if you decide to get it)
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