Every once in a while, a game sneaks onto the Xbox store with almost zero bombast, quietly plants its claws into your brain, and refuses to let go until credits roll. Wych Elm Games and Team17’s Silver Pines is exactly that kind of sleeper hit.

On paper, the pitch sounds like a recipe for tonal whiplash: take the claustrophobic dread, scarce ammo, and resource friction of classic Silent Hill and Resident Evil, then graft it onto the exploration loop of a 2.5D side-scrolling Metroidvania. It’s an unusual cocktail, but in execution, it hits with the unsettling force of a fever dream you can’t shake off.