Hello Neighbor is a stealth horror indie game developed by tinyBuild. It was initially released in 2017 and is now available on most platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, and the consoles of the current generation.
Gameplay: Lots of Interactions
The core of the gameplay in Hello Neighbor is pretty typical to the genre of survival stealth horrors. You have an enemy that is chasing you in a locked building, and you have to silently find tools, keys, and correct interactions with other items to solve puzzles and discover new rooms. Hello Neighbor sticks to that formula and adds something new on the top.
First of all, it has a smart AI that recognizes your playstyle and adapts to your behavior, making it harder for you to explore. Second of all, there are some interesting interactions in this game involving physics: all interactive objects can be picked up and thrown, causing some damage to particular items.
Graphics: Not So Scary
The visuals are not really scary in Hello Neighbor. By the look of the game you can easily tell that it is an indie project as the graphics lack details, lots of work should be done with lighting, and the surroundings are always pretty empty. The game does not manage to actually scare you, but sometimes it succeeds in creating suspense.
The fact that the AI knows your moves and the odd style of the furniture in the house makes you feel a bit uncomfortable and feel the presence of the enemy.
Controls: Throw It
The controls are also very average for the genre. The only new thing is throwing, which pushes the player to use the items more actively. The rest is a typical stealth horror: you can move and interact with objects, and that’s it.
The interface, however, is pretty good, as it is comfortable and not distracting from the game. The buttons are not very big to overload the interface, and the game feels fine when played.
Pros:
- Smart AI recognizing your behavior;
- Feeling of the enemy’s presence;
- The puzzles are really hard to solve.
- Interesting interactions with physics.
Cons:
- The game is not really scary;
- The visuals are not quite impressive.
