The appreciation for retro games and consoles will probably never fade, fueled as it likely is by a mixture of nostalgia and an acknowledgment that games don’t need photorealistic graphics to be great. Publisher Incube8 Games, who aims to facilitate the continued release of retro video game cartridges, and developer Carmelo Electronics have announced that pre-orders for the physical release of its Game Boy Color title Pine Creek are now open.
A murder mystery adventure targeted for a mature audience due to its potentially gruesome subject matter, Pine Creek takes players to a small, quiet town where a cult is believed to be responsible for a number of ritual killings as well as the recent disappearance of a young girl. Players take on the role of the girl’s best friend as he sets out to find her and uncover the who, how, and why of the disturbing goings-on.
Pine Creek will be released in two editions—Standard for $59.99 and Collector’s for 89.99—and will be fully compatible with Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance handheld consoles. Both versions will come with the game cartridge in a plastic protector and a game manual in a retro-styled box. The cartridge in the Standard edition will be black, while the Collector’s Edition will come with a limited run red cartridge.
The Collector’s edition, which is limited to 200 copies, will also include a sticker sheet, the game soundtrack on CD and in downloadable digital format, a Pine Creek poster and enameled pin, as well as a certificate of authenticity. Pine Creek will be available for pre-order from July 2 through August 9, and the game will ship in October 2021.
While the theme is a murder mystery, Pine Creek is at its core an adventure game with a playtime of approximately three to four hours. Players will explore the small town and investigate for clues, while also making friends, riding on the tram, or playing games at the Pine Creek Arcade. For those players interested in trying out the game who don’t own a Game Boy console, Pine Creek is available for download on Itch.io and can be played in a web browser or on an emulator.
The developer of Pine Creek, Carmelo Electronics, is a small independent studio located in Mexico that focuses primarily on adventure and story-driven games. Carmelo’s other game currently available on Itch.io is A South Sea Tale, a graphic adventure told through dialogue options that takes players on an oceanic journey in a small sailboat.
Pine Creek is available on PC and will release for Game Boy Color in October 2021.
Source: Incube8 Games