Hollow Pines Expedition

Hollow Pines Expedition is a slow-burn adventure that trusts you to explore. You wander an eerie research station, examine objects, and piece together what happened through notes and small environmental puzzles. It never holds your hand, and it's better for it.

The puzzles are logical rather than obtuse. Most of them clicked once I stopped rushing and actually read the notes I'd been ignoring. The atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, with quiet sound design that made me lean in.

It's short, maybe three or four hours, but it's the kind of experience you remember. I'd rather have a tight adventure than a padded one, and this nails the length.

What we liked

• Strong, unsettling atmosphere
• Logical, satisfying puzzles
• A tight, memorable run time