A Preview of ‘Hello Neighbor’

Discover the horrible secret hidden in the basement the mysterious neighbor

Stealth games in today’s world typically revolve around lingering in the shadows, tailing your target or climbing across rooftops to stay hidden from the enemy. Indie developers, tinyBuild and Dynamic Pixel, are dropping an interesting take on the stealth genre, by adding a few horror pieces to the formula in their upcoming release – Hello Neighbor.

A team of dedicated developers and publishers

Working on small early cellphone games in 2004, Dynamic Pixel has molded themselves into a skilled team of game developers with a slew of mobile releases under their belt in 2017. Dynamic Pixel has also engaged in a number of partnerships with other companies, such as Disney’s Chip and Dale, ZeptoLab on My Om Nom, and Intel putting out the ultra-popular – MewSim. Now partnered with tinyBuild, Hello Neighbor has become their next big project, branching them out into larger gaming platforms.

TinyBuild has developed a list of great indie titles throughout their short existence, and this year alone has shown some of their best releases yet. From The Final Station to Mr. Shifty or Phantom Trigger, tinyBuild is relentless on releasing fun, exciting and unique experiences to the gaming community.

Coming as an Xbox One and PC exclusive, Hello Neighbor will take the player into the house of the mysterious stranger who lives next door. Aimed at figuring out what lies in the basement, you’ll sneak into your shifty neighbor’s home, and be sure to stay clear out of sight of the unaware, and otherwise sketchy resident.

Tense stealth gameplay

From what appears to be influenced from the late 80s film, The Burbs, after moving into a new neighborhood, one resident seems to be hiding something suspicious in his basement. From that point on, you clearly take the next best course of action – which is obviously breaking into his house and sneaking into the mysterious home, headed toward the curious basement.

The game centers around stealth gameplay, exploring around your suspicious neighbor’s home. Discovering secret ways to infiltrate and make your way around the house, investigating whatever may set you off, you’ll need to be on constant alert for your fishy neighbor. Appearing in horror movie like fashion, the threat of you psychopathic neighbor haunts you around every turn.

The player has a handful of inventory slots used when discovering key items (like keys) around the neighbor’s house. If caught, the player will be transported back to their home, and have to break into the house all over again. Finding useful items aid in traversing deeper into the mysterious home of the peculiar resident.

Causing disturbances, chucking tomatoes at windows, or cowering in a number of gutsy hiding spots, finding your way around the house without being discovered is accomplished with some exceptionally crafty ways. Once inside his house, however, there’s no telling when he may suddenly appear directly behind, in front, or around the corner from you. You are obligated to stay on your toes the entire time you’re breaching the neighbor’s home.

Intelligent AI forces the player to think creatively

The one objective in Hello Neighbor may seem straightforward or unoriginal, but the suspenseful threat of being discovered, the many traps and alarms rigged throughout the home and his constant lurking through the house on the lookout for intruders will leave the player looking for the best possible route to the basement. Many locked by padlock or wooden barred doors, which lead to other rooms in your neighbor’s home, leading the player on a “search and find” objective throughout other areas of the house.

Throughout your experience in Hello Neighbor, the dastardly resident will begin to adapt to your previous failed attempts. Setting traps or alarms along your previous route, you’ll be forced to secure other routes, unblock barricades or unlock doors to continue forward. Of course, luring the neighbor into one area to open up another is always a possibility as well.

The game is presented in a cartoon-style artwork that adds a ton of color to the beautifully designed neighborhood. Little soundtrack score looks to add to the suspense, only picking up once discovered by your dreadful neighbor. Once his eyes are set on you, it’s a sudden chase to safety, or out of his eyesight, as the music picks up as he continues at your heels.

Early Access available now, Hitting stores soon

The game started in pre-alpha stage on the Dynamic Pixel website back in 2015, further increasing as a bonus for pre-paid buyers with the support of Steam Greenlight and Kickstarter backers. After tinyBuild joined as publishers, Hello Neighbor is now nearing full release.

Pre-paid editions are still live on Steam and offer the early access beta in the meantime before the official release. Get your hands on Hello Neighbor, which is set to release on the Xbox One, PC and Mac on December 8th for $29.99.