Game Review #376: Hello Neighbor (Nintendo Switch)

Reviewer: The Waffinator

Developer: Dynamic Pixels

Publisher: tinyBuild Games

Genre: Action, Puzzle, Adventure, First Person

Release Date: 7/27/2018

Price (at time of review): $39.99 (digital) | $25.99 (physical)

Buy Hello Neighbor from the Nintendo Switch eShop here.

Buy Hello Neighbor from Amazon here.

Hello, Challenge

I want to start this off by asking a question. I want to see how many people can honestly relate to this. Who reading this has a family member that just no matter what keeps taking the wrong path? You know they have potential and you know they can be so much more, but they just keep letting you down. You love them though because they are family, and keep giving them chances. I ask this for a reason. I ask because I find when you are passionate about something that can be easily turned into what you are passionate about. Like video games for example.

Sometimes you come across a game or two that no matter how many times you pick up the controller you find yourself putting it down and walking away, just to go back to giving the game another chance. You are passionate about games and you know that all games can offer something, even if you can’t get into it. That's where I am with Hello Neighbor. For those who don’t know what Hello Neighbor is - even though it has been out for a while - it is a first-person horror puzzle and action game. You play as a kid named Nick and are trying to sneak around Mr. Peterson's (The Neighbor) house without getting caught. Mr. Peterson is the AI and is always learning and adapting to your gameplay making the game progressively more puzzling and challenging.

You are trying to sneak around his house to find the secrets he is hiding. See, this game has a great plot and overall the gameplay offers a lot to all kinds of players but I just couldn't get into it. I love suspense and puzzle style games and games that offer a challenge but when I have to go on YouTube and watch walkthroughs and little kids are beating the game and I cant even get through the first act I dont rage quit, I walk away. That's right; I couldn't even get past the 1st Act and there's 3 acts with a Finale Chapter, so 4 Acts total. The part that I found really frustrating is I literally was doing what they did in the walkthroughs but for some reason I just couldn't pull it off. But no matter how frustrated I get I keep going back and once again it's because overall the game has a good plot and a lot to offer.

Hello, Input

Being a puzzler action game Hello Neighbor has a few commands and uses a good amount of the buttons the controller offers. Don't worry though, in the settings you can get a good snapshot of what each button does. And if you find yourself putting down the game and coming back to it you can always just pause the game and check the button layout all over again. I played the whole time in portable mode with the Joy-cons attached and overall I was very pleased with the smoothness and overall flow of the commands. You would think with being able to do a lot the controls would be overwhelming and that is not the case. In fact the overall default command/button layout is very user friendly and easy to grasp.

Hello, Atmosphere

This is what draws me into the game the most. I’m so used to suspense and/or scary parts and/or games being dark and very mysterious and this game shows that you can be cartoony and colorful and still have the same effect. The only thing that boggled my mind was when Mr. Peterson was on to you and chasing you sometimes there’s something that will just splatter on the screen (in your eyes) and I couldn't figure out what it is or was. My guess was spit which would be funny and nasty all at once. I only guess spit because right before it happens you almost hear what sounds like someone prepping for a nasty snot spit.

I really like when the neighbor is onto you and how the outer edges of the screen grow dark and the screen gets darker as he gets closer. The music that plays is very suspenseful when he is chasing you as well and for some odd reason it reminded me of the theme from JAWS as the shark is going in for the kill. Maybe it was influenced by the movie? Overall I feel that the overall display and sounds of the game are very well-executed and really set the mood when playing.

Goodbye, Neighbor

Overall Hello Neighbor has some cool mechanics to it and can easily be enjoyed by many gamers. Personally I really can’t get into it, however. I like that you can hide in objects (like stand up closets) or throw objects at the Neighbor and either slow him down or temporarily stun him. You also don’t need to worry about dying. Every time the Neighbor captures you, you go back to a checkpoint. And if you get caught several times, you go to this creepy purgatory type place and must come back to the real world.

I have started the game from the beginning several times and just keep giving up. But it keeps drawing me right back in. Maybe it's because I deep down want to know what secrets Mr.Peterson is hiding. Or maybe it's because I know it's a well-made game and I’m just frustrated with that one part of the game and know once I get past that one part it will get better. Either way this is a good suspense/puzzle style game that will test you again and again and give you your money's worth while playing.