Hello Neighbor Review

Hello Neighbor is a horror adventure game that landed on mobile devices. A young boy hears screams while passing his neighbor's house and decides to save the victim. Smart AI controls the villain and it will try to catch you.

The Premise

Hello Neighbor lets you play as a suburban kid in a cartoony neighborhood where something scary lurks beneath bright visuals. At the beginning of the game, you see your neighbor behaving strangely. You should discover his dark secret using trickery and stealth to evade a very unpredictable opponent.

This sounds like a great idea with a lot of promise. However, the game doesn't live up to expectations. The initial charm gives way to trial-and-error gameplay, and the atmosphere is quickly punctured as the game's imperfections are exposed.

The AI is very inconsistent. Your opponent has no routine to outsmart and you never know what triggers certain actions.

Gameplay

The gameplay revolves around collecting items, unlocking doors, and getting access to the basement. There are many ways to get there, all with trials and frustration awaiting you. The neighbor will set traps in order to prevent you from using the same strategy twice.

There are several levels to beat and each one has a fixed solution. Once you've found the correct sequence of items and locks, there is nothing else to discover. Sometimes you want to get caught and be reset back to the start of the level. Since engaging with the neighbor is boring, this can't be called a stealth game. It's more of a puzzle.

Storytelling

If you love to piece together tiny clues, you may find Hello Neighbor quite enjoyable. The neighbor is clearly a troubled man weighed down by his dark secrets. He patrols the gardens, smashes through windows, and fortifies his basement. 

We'd like to avoid explicit spoilers, but we can say that there are some controversial topics and imagery lurking within the game. It is for those who like to pin pieces of a concept onto a corkboard and twine from pin to pin.

For Fans of

• Five Nights at Freddy’s
• Into the Dead 2
• Slayaway Camp