Difference between revisions of "Pinstripe"

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(Bad)
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===Bad===
 
===Bad===
 
* The controls to shoot the slingshot with an analog joystick are quite cumbersome, using a mouse is much easier. When slingshot accuracy is necessary, you're much better off simply switching to your mouse and keyboard, unless you're playing on a video game console, in which case, you're out of luck! This hurts the game a second way because the designer no doubt had to make the game much easier for people using an analog joystick, so, if you're using the mouse, you'll have less of a challenge. For example, the red balloon race and the battle with Pinstripe are trivial with a mouse.
 
* The controls to shoot the slingshot with an analog joystick are quite cumbersome, using a mouse is much easier. When slingshot accuracy is necessary, you're much better off simply switching to your mouse and keyboard, unless you're playing on a video game console, in which case, you're out of luck! This hurts the game a second way because the designer no doubt had to make the game much easier for people using an analog joystick, so, if you're using the mouse, you'll have less of a challenge. For example, the red balloon race and the battle with Pinstripe are trivial with a mouse.
 +
* The game's story is about redemption: Ted the minister got drunk on Pinstripe whiskey, crashed his car, and killed himself and his daughter Bo. However, your actions in the afterlife aren't really redeeming. You rescue Birdie and Georgie from their cages, but that's about it. Since the game features other substance abusers, there could have been something in the game about helping them kick their habits, but you never do. In fact, you supply Mr. Happy with lots of drugs.
 
* The designer could have taken advantage of a random number generator for the three combination locks. This would have made the game more realistic than simply preventing a player who already knows the correct answer from being able to open the locks until they find the necessary clues.
 
* The designer could have taken advantage of a random number generator for the three combination locks. This would have made the game more realistic than simply preventing a player who already knows the correct answer from being able to open the locks until they find the necessary clues.
 
* At about 2-hours for a new player, and 35 minutes for a speed runner, the game is a bit on the short side for its genre.
 
* At about 2-hours for a new player, and 35 minutes for a speed runner, the game is a bit on the short side for its genre.

Revision as of 11:13, 11 February 2020

Steam title card.

Pinstripe is a horror-themed Metroidvania developed by Atmos Games and published by Armor Games for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows on 2017-04-24, and then later ported to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch. The game uses a typical side-view platformer display and incorporates many action and puzzle elements. In the game's story, you play a minister in the early 1900s riding on a train with his daughter. However, you quickly realize that all your baggage has been thrown off the train and the only other passenger is a creepy man in a pinstripe suit who has a strange interest in your daughter. The strange man kidnaps your daughter and is more than he initially appears to be, having dark supernatural powers causing the train to crash. You are left alone in a cold wilderness looking for your daughter.

I bought this game as part of a Humble Bundle. I played it because the graphics looked really interesting. I first beat the game on 2020-02-09.

Status

I own this game on Steam and have beaten the regular game and the new game plus and unlocked 9 of the 12 achievements.

Review

Good

  • The game has enjoyable characters. George is a funny sidekick and Pinstripe is wonderful villain.
  • I enjoy the story. It's dark, mysterious, and has a good climax and ending.
  • The art style is fantastic, the graphics are beautiful, and the user interface is clean.
  • There is nice ambient music and sound effects throughout the game and the voice acting is really good.
  • The game includes a new game plus with unlocked content and multiple endings which makes a second play-through worthwhile.

Bad

  • The controls to shoot the slingshot with an analog joystick are quite cumbersome, using a mouse is much easier. When slingshot accuracy is necessary, you're much better off simply switching to your mouse and keyboard, unless you're playing on a video game console, in which case, you're out of luck! This hurts the game a second way because the designer no doubt had to make the game much easier for people using an analog joystick, so, if you're using the mouse, you'll have less of a challenge. For example, the red balloon race and the battle with Pinstripe are trivial with a mouse.
  • The game's story is about redemption: Ted the minister got drunk on Pinstripe whiskey, crashed his car, and killed himself and his daughter Bo. However, your actions in the afterlife aren't really redeeming. You rescue Birdie and Georgie from their cages, but that's about it. Since the game features other substance abusers, there could have been something in the game about helping them kick their habits, but you never do. In fact, you supply Mr. Happy with lots of drugs.
  • The designer could have taken advantage of a random number generator for the three combination locks. This would have made the game more realistic than simply preventing a player who already knows the correct answer from being able to open the locks until they find the necessary clues.
  • At about 2-hours for a new player, and 35 minutes for a speed runner, the game is a bit on the short side for its genre.

Ugly

  • When using the D-pad or analog joystick for left and right movement, you stop moving if you angle your direction up or down. This is especially annoying because it will often halt your momentum at very inopportune times, even mid-jump! I can only assume the game wasn't play-tested very well with a gamepad.

Media

Box Art

The game wasn't released on physical media. The digital covers have several variations on a common theme.

Videos

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-Official.png