Pine: A Story of Loss is here to rip up your heart in a tragic story about overcoming grief

• Pine: A Story of Loss is a new narrative-driven game from developer Made Up Games
• It follows a story of a lone woodsman overcoming the loss of his wife
• You'll solve interactive puzzles and grapple with an emotional storyline

When it comes to grappling with complex themes, games are still often left out of the discussion in media. But there's an important place for interactive media in these conversations, as they let players put themselves in another person's shoes more than perhaps anything else. And developer Made Up Games has sought to show that with the upcoming Pine: A Story of Loss.

Pine does not follow a particularly complex story, plot-wise. You play as a lone woodsman inhabiting a remote forest, who has recently lost his wife. A Story of Loss focuses on him coming to terms with his grief throughout the daily chores that this kind of lifestyle requires, having players experience his memories and capture the sense of loss that comes with such a tragic event.

Pine: A Story of Loss is inspired by the life and work of illustrator Tom Booth, who worked on the game alongside co-founder Najati Imam. Inspired by Tom's own personal journey, it promises to tug profoundly at your heartstrings and will release in Q4 of this year for a number of platforms including iOS and Android.

Gone but not forgotten

Yes, Pine: A Story of Loss is certainly not for everyone. But for those who feel prepared to deal with the tragic yet important themes depicted here, I reckon it'll resonate with those who are receptive to it.

If you don't think that's for you, then don't worry, because there are plenty of games that are more on the exciting, escapist end of things out there. Why not check out our list of the best mobile games of 2024 (so far) for some of them?

And if that's not enough you can also dig into our other list of the top 25 free-to-play games on iOS and Android for even more titles to try!