Press on, employee.
My friend Larry has been acting a little weird lately. He keeps standing in the corner staring at me, telling me we should play Home Safety Hotline in a voice that's not his, and there's this really horrible smell like rotten eggs that's been filling up my apartment. I don't know if it's related, but Larry - who has taken to crawling on the walls and ceiling - showed me the trailer and explained that it's created by Nick Lives, who previously worked on Hypno Space Outlaw. I was intrigued and then partook in a large feast of cornmeal that had been curiously laid out on the dining room table, as the voices in the walls demanded.
Home Safety Hotline sits the player down with a bestiary of common home hazards ranging from bees to Boggarts, house flies to Dorcha, which the player must refer to in order to properly diagnose the problems of callers who are currently in various states of duress. True to the real-world experience of working in a call center, the loop of taking a call and finding a solution can be a bit rote, and much of the challenge is borne from callers providing inaccurate or conflicting pieces of information. On some level, it almost feels like a Loveline simulator. Lot of calls about kids getting eaten tonight... Must be a full moon.
Caller: It... It... It stole me...! It stole me!! I'm not me anymore, I'm... it took me! I can't see myself anymore, I'm gone! Help me!! Help me get b--
Adam: Alright, I'm putting her on hold. Sick of her already... Drew, how many times do we get calls like this and the answer is always carpenter ants?
Drew: All the time.
Adam: Helen? Get yourself some Raid, babydoll.
Those expecting the heavy puzzle solving and obtuseness of Hypno Space Outlaw might then be a little disappointed with how straight-forward Hotline is, but it's really more a vehicle for some very imaginative and entertaining writing, and the excitement of seeing new entries in the bestiary unlock during each subsequent shift dulls how samey most nights are on a mechanical level. You won't hack into a bunch of weird databases or decipher codes here, and Hotline's central mystery doesn't leave many unanswered questions by the end of its short 3-4 hour run, but that's fine. In fact, after biting into several incredibly long games over the last couple of months, it's preferable.
My only real complaint is that the game only leverages audio queues once, and calls rarely share the same answer, which trivializes the late game through a simple process of elimination. Otherwise, I am so into what the game is going for that it feels like targeted content. It's hard to dig into specifics without spoiling some of the more inventive entries or giving away the plot, but I do appreciate how ranged and varied a lot of Hotline's creatures are. You'll frequently diagnose problems caused by benign beings like toilet Hobbs, which enjoy cleaning your bathroom and can be placated by providing them a single egg at night. You'll also have to deal with more abstract and frightening entities like memory wisps, which essentially give their victims Alzheimer's. No cure for that, you have to let them run their course. What can you say other than "good times?"
Maybe I'm predisposed to whatever kind of weird horror Nick Lives is putting out into the world (Night Signal looks interesting and I'm way into the premise of Please Insert Disc), reviews on here appear more mixed, but I do think this is worth checking out if you want something short, simple, and backed by some really fun writing. I have to go now, the soil is calling me...
My friend Larry has been acting a little weird lately. He keeps standing in the corner staring at me, telling me we should play Home Safety Hotline in a voice that's not his, and there's this really horrible smell like rotten eggs that's been filling up my apartment. I don't know if it's related, but Larry - who has taken to crawling on the walls and ceiling - showed me the trailer and explained that it's created by Nick Lives, who previously worked on Hypno Space Outlaw. I was intrigued and then partook in a large feast of cornmeal that had been curiously laid out on the dining room table, as the voices in the walls demanded.
Home Safety Hotline sits the player down with a bestiary of common home hazards ranging from bees to Boggarts, house flies to Dorcha, which the player must refer to in order to properly diagnose the problems of callers who are currently in various states of duress. True to the real-world experience of working in a call center, the loop of taking a call and finding a solution can be a bit rote, and much of the challenge is borne from callers providing inaccurate or conflicting pieces of information. On some level, it almost feels like a Loveline simulator. Lot of calls about kids getting eaten tonight... Must be a full moon.
Caller: It... It... It stole me...! It stole me!! I'm not me anymore, I'm... it took me! I can't see myself anymore, I'm gone! Help me!! Help me get b--
Adam: Alright, I'm putting her on hold. Sick of her already... Drew, how many times do we get calls like this and the answer is always carpenter ants?
Drew: All the time.
Adam: Helen? Get yourself some Raid, babydoll.
Those expecting the heavy puzzle solving and obtuseness of Hypno Space Outlaw might then be a little disappointed with how straight-forward Hotline is, but it's really more a vehicle for some very imaginative and entertaining writing, and the excitement of seeing new entries in the bestiary unlock during each subsequent shift dulls how samey most nights are on a mechanical level. You won't hack into a bunch of weird databases or decipher codes here, and Hotline's central mystery doesn't leave many unanswered questions by the end of its short 3-4 hour run, but that's fine. In fact, after biting into several incredibly long games over the last couple of months, it's preferable.
My only real complaint is that the game only leverages audio queues once, and calls rarely share the same answer, which trivializes the late game through a simple process of elimination. Otherwise, I am so into what the game is going for that it feels like targeted content. It's hard to dig into specifics without spoiling some of the more inventive entries or giving away the plot, but I do appreciate how ranged and varied a lot of Hotline's creatures are. You'll frequently diagnose problems caused by benign beings like toilet Hobbs, which enjoy cleaning your bathroom and can be placated by providing them a single egg at night. You'll also have to deal with more abstract and frightening entities like memory wisps, which essentially give their victims Alzheimer's. No cure for that, you have to let them run their course. What can you say other than "good times?"
Maybe I'm predisposed to whatever kind of weird horror Nick Lives is putting out into the world (Night Signal looks interesting and I'm way into the premise of Please Insert Disc), reviews on here appear more mixed, but I do think this is worth checking out if you want something short, simple, and backed by some really fun writing. I have to go now, the soil is calling me...
Analog horror is a huge fascination for me. After exploring this idea on YouTube and seeing Local 58 and Gemini Home Entertainment, I became hooked. It's a mix of 90's nostalgia, analog media, and that feeling of older technology being unclear and playing tricks on your senses. Home Safety Hotline tries its best to be the next analog horror viral sensation, but it doesn't quite hit the nail on the head like the above-mentioned videos. While this is a video game and not a series of videos, I will say that it captures the atmosphere well.
You are an employee, plopped down in front of a 90's beige box, and you are presented with a desktop. You will see exclamation marks on items that have new information. There are videos you can watch on the desktop as well as check your email, and then the main program is where you will spend most of your time. Once you launch this program, you clock in and are presented with a series of informational links. You are answering calls and have to prescribe the correct Home Safety Hotline information package to the caller regarding their problem. Entries are locked until you progress through the days of the week and give the correct answers.
It's incredibly important to read every single entry thoroughly and actually remember it. You want to remember the symptoms and signs these things cause people. At the beginning, you get basic information about things like ants, bats, moles, and flies. As the days move on, the analog horror part starts to come into play. Stranger and stranger entries for things like Spriggans, Hobbs, Cellar Grottos, and Reanimations. The artwork is superb and accompanies these entires as well as some audio entires. It's creepy for sure, but never quite the same. Turn on the lights and get goosebumps vibes. There's some cheese added to this game that takes away from the realism factor. Analog horror is so great because it seems like it could be real. Some of the drawings, while good, don't look like they were captured on video or with a crappy digital camera. They look drawn-in. The videos on the desktop are some of the best parts of the game that capture that analog horror atmosphere.
This is a riddle or puzzle game, so you have to guess the correct answers or get fired and have to restart the day. After each call, there is a ten-second pause until the phone rings again, but when you put the caller on hold, there is no time limit or penalty. You can take your time, read all of the entries, and make your decision. Some calls are obvious, while others are vague, and they can get quite tricky towards the end. There are anamalies and disturbances that accompany analog horror, such as weird phone calls, network interruptions, and strange messages. While I would have liked more of this, what's here is fine for a short horror game.
Overall, Home Safety Hotline starts out pretty disturbing and odd, but slowly evolves into cheese, and it kind of ruins the whole vibe. Being an employee at a mysterious hotline is fun, and there is a lot of potential for a sequel or something more. Solving the riddles is fun, and the artwork and entries created give a slow trickle of "what the hell is going on here?" vibes, but it never quite peaks like some of the classics in the genre.
You are an employee, plopped down in front of a 90's beige box, and you are presented with a desktop. You will see exclamation marks on items that have new information. There are videos you can watch on the desktop as well as check your email, and then the main program is where you will spend most of your time. Once you launch this program, you clock in and are presented with a series of informational links. You are answering calls and have to prescribe the correct Home Safety Hotline information package to the caller regarding their problem. Entries are locked until you progress through the days of the week and give the correct answers.
It's incredibly important to read every single entry thoroughly and actually remember it. You want to remember the symptoms and signs these things cause people. At the beginning, you get basic information about things like ants, bats, moles, and flies. As the days move on, the analog horror part starts to come into play. Stranger and stranger entries for things like Spriggans, Hobbs, Cellar Grottos, and Reanimations. The artwork is superb and accompanies these entires as well as some audio entires. It's creepy for sure, but never quite the same. Turn on the lights and get goosebumps vibes. There's some cheese added to this game that takes away from the realism factor. Analog horror is so great because it seems like it could be real. Some of the drawings, while good, don't look like they were captured on video or with a crappy digital camera. They look drawn-in. The videos on the desktop are some of the best parts of the game that capture that analog horror atmosphere.
This is a riddle or puzzle game, so you have to guess the correct answers or get fired and have to restart the day. After each call, there is a ten-second pause until the phone rings again, but when you put the caller on hold, there is no time limit or penalty. You can take your time, read all of the entries, and make your decision. Some calls are obvious, while others are vague, and they can get quite tricky towards the end. There are anamalies and disturbances that accompany analog horror, such as weird phone calls, network interruptions, and strange messages. While I would have liked more of this, what's here is fine for a short horror game.
Overall, Home Safety Hotline starts out pretty disturbing and odd, but slowly evolves into cheese, and it kind of ruins the whole vibe. Being an employee at a mysterious hotline is fun, and there is a lot of potential for a sequel or something more. Solving the riddles is fun, and the artwork and entries created give a slow trickle of "what the hell is going on here?" vibes, but it never quite peaks like some of the classics in the genre.
I never really understood these games where the horror is mostly present when you're NOT doing well. If you pay attention and are good at the game (I feel like I was, I mostly had perfect scores until the very end!) most of the horror is stuff you'll have to look up on YouTube. It seems common in this scene of games, what's up with that?
I'm fond of this game, though! The horror that is there is entertaining enough, there are some interesting ideas here. When you beat the game you get to see some developer artwork and commentary, and it's clear that this wasn't just some quick job to capitalize on what YouTubers would make a viral video on. It's funny, too. I also am realizing I'm a sucker for games that have interfaces that resemble older operating systems!
I'm fond of this game, though! The horror that is there is entertaining enough, there are some interesting ideas here. When you beat the game you get to see some developer artwork and commentary, and it's clear that this wasn't just some quick job to capitalize on what YouTubers would make a viral video on. It's funny, too. I also am realizing I'm a sucker for games that have interfaces that resemble older operating systems!
I followed this game for a while on Twitter. The premise seemed to promise a lot and the aesthetic was right up my alley. Sadly, the execution is kinda lackluster and the story winds up being way too predictable. It tries to fake depth by criptic messages and weird videos peppered throughout the story that ultimately don't add anything to the core experience and the ending is cringey at best.
The most horrid part is where they force to work on the weekend, can relate.
The most horrid part is where they force to work on the weekend, can relate.
"Ma'am, I'm afraid you've got a severe case of Neighbor Door. You're gonna want to see a doctor for that."
It's not the first game of its ilk but Home Safety Hotline makes pretty good use of its Windows 95 concept, and translates a niche concept into an enjoyable experience. Reading the unlockable art book after reaching the credits, the game's creator spells out his intent on basing an analog game around a Dungeons and Dragons style bestiary. Framing that around a pest control hotline works surprisingly well and I think will really please a certain blend of horror fans.
The gameplay is fairly simple as most of what you will be doing is reading about various creatures and phenomena, which start pretty grounded but grow increasingly fantastical as you go. It can go a little tiresome to pore over these descriptions and try to match the occasionally vague clues the callers will give with a guess to whatever pest is invading their house. It kind of feels like studying, and it could be a little frustrating and stressful when it feels like multiple descriptions match up with the caller's dialogue. I only hit the fail state once, though, so it isn't too obtuse and at least you're treated with a freaky cutscene if you do mess up an in-game day. The writing is pretty good and I don't have any doubt some of the more inventive pests drawing from everything from fairytale folklore horror to modern liminal horror is going to stick in my mind. From a gameplay perspective, I wish that the calls came in a little bit faster as sometimes I felt like I was just waiting around for the next call with nothing to do (and I get that's probably what they were going for but it slowed things down a bit).
I did enjoy the freaky surreal elements of the game that oozes through the bonus videos you can watch, and you're rewarded for your hard work with a wacky inexplicable narrative that goes totally off the rails in an entertaining way by the climax.
Home Safety Hotline is a little brief for its asking price but was a charming time that kept my interest and I could see its moments of unsettling writing will get into my dreams.
The gameplay is fairly simple as most of what you will be doing is reading about various creatures and phenomena, which start pretty grounded but grow increasingly fantastical as you go. It can go a little tiresome to pore over these descriptions and try to match the occasionally vague clues the callers will give with a guess to whatever pest is invading their house. It kind of feels like studying, and it could be a little frustrating and stressful when it feels like multiple descriptions match up with the caller's dialogue. I only hit the fail state once, though, so it isn't too obtuse and at least you're treated with a freaky cutscene if you do mess up an in-game day. The writing is pretty good and I don't have any doubt some of the more inventive pests drawing from everything from fairytale folklore horror to modern liminal horror is going to stick in my mind. From a gameplay perspective, I wish that the calls came in a little bit faster as sometimes I felt like I was just waiting around for the next call with nothing to do (and I get that's probably what they were going for but it slowed things down a bit).
I did enjoy the freaky surreal elements of the game that oozes through the bonus videos you can watch, and you're rewarded for your hard work with a wacky inexplicable narrative that goes totally off the rails in an entertaining way by the climax.
Home Safety Hotline is a little brief for its asking price but was a charming time that kept my interest and I could see its moments of unsettling writing will get into my dreams.
very very good game but the only problem is a lack of replay value. I did play it again right after i finished. I want to play it again but I want to forget the answers. Hoping for an update
This is a good puzzle game. You get calls from people describing what problem they are having, and you find the correct cause from a list to send to the people. As you progress through the days, more causes get unlocked for you to use. These causes get more fantastical and disturbing. It's not a scary game, but it's a silly, amusing one.
Very short and sweet little game. I feel like it's at its best when not taken seriously due to the fact that while there are some creepy instances, there's lots of other silly fantastical occurrences as well to offset it. The aesthetic of the game is very nice too.
The art book available at the end is what really pulled it all together for me. I love seeing what creative processes go on behind the scenes and especially adored seeing creature concepts!
It's cited in the art book that inspiration was taken from the webseries gemini home entertainment, which I suspected from the very beginning! The hiking video makes that inspiration very clear (and was also one of my favorite parts!)
The art book available at the end is what really pulled it all together for me. I love seeing what creative processes go on behind the scenes and especially adored seeing creature concepts!
It's cited in the art book that inspiration was taken from the webseries gemini home entertainment, which I suspected from the very beginning! The hiking video makes that inspiration very clear (and was also one of my favorite parts!)
I feel like this game was designed to appeal directly to me. A journal filled with weird monsters and blurbs about what they do? Analog horror? A horrible 9-5 job dealing with the public? I love it! I legitimately cant wait for more from this dev.
𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮
𝓤𝓝𝓔𝓜𝓟𝓛𝓞𝓨𝓔𝓓
𝓤𝓝𝓔𝓜𝓟𝓛𝓞𝓨𝓔𝓓
My spouse and I played this in the living room, and it was a great game for date night. They're legally blind, so I had to read the bestiary text aloud - I ended up with a super sore throat, but it was so worth it! Hanging out and trying to figure out which critter fit the caller's problem was a great time. We ended up finishing it in one sitting.
The silly little creatures are fun, and a lot of the callers call in with pretty ridiculous problems. Some are sad, but it wraps around into being funny when you remember they're just getting an info packet with the words "We can send over a memory wipe package" or "Just ignore your fake dog". I would NOT want to live in this universe. The ending song after you're promoted reminded me of something out of a Jim Henson company flick.
The price for how long the game is doesn't bother me. We've had more expensive dates, and fifteen is a cheap date.
The silly little creatures are fun, and a lot of the callers call in with pretty ridiculous problems. Some are sad, but it wraps around into being funny when you remember they're just getting an info packet with the words "We can send over a memory wipe package" or "Just ignore your fake dog". I would NOT want to live in this universe. The ending song after you're promoted reminded me of something out of a Jim Henson company flick.
The price for how long the game is doesn't bother me. We've had more expensive dates, and fifteen is a cheap date.
If you crave anything analog horror like Local58 or Gemni Home Entertainment, you'll love Home Safety Hotline. It starts with you picking up calls about a deceptively mundane collection of household critters and issues we're used to, but as each day passes you get introduced to the more occult, creepy, otherworldly, folklorical and sometimes whimsical "pests" that could potentially inhabit our home.
I, however would have loved an even bigger collection of creatures and phenomena to identify. As the game approaches its last day (disappointingly quickly, keep in mind), I'm left with a feeling of wanting more, especially since most of the entries are only featured once in calls and some of them are very straightforward.
The best calls are undoubtedly those where you're wondering if the customer is being plagued by an eldritch metamorphic being, a neat freak fairy that hides in your drain... or just a frozen pipe.
I can see where the dev was going with the ending, but the last riddles "puzzle" was just... terrible, both thematically and from a gameplay perspective.
I, however would have loved an even bigger collection of creatures and phenomena to identify. As the game approaches its last day (disappointingly quickly, keep in mind), I'm left with a feeling of wanting more, especially since most of the entries are only featured once in calls and some of them are very straightforward.
The best calls are undoubtedly those where you're wondering if the customer is being plagued by an eldritch metamorphic being, a neat freak fairy that hides in your drain... or just a frozen pipe.
I can see where the dev was going with the ending, but the last riddles "puzzle" was just... terrible, both thematically and from a gameplay perspective.
it's fine enough i guess? it's a cute concept that kind of gets dull by the end, though it's not long enough to really be anything more than a little tedious and mildly disappointing. very cheesy and campy.
A eerily captivating horror point-and-click. Distant cousin to Hypnospace Outlaw; more railroaded than the latter, but still clearly related. Its roots are firmly seated within internet horror. Gemini Home being the clear inspiration, though genre staples like SCP Foundation also came to mind throughout my playthrough. Yet despite its inspirations, Home Safety Hotline manages to maintain its own identity throughout.
I went into this excited to dig into some neat world-building, but wasn't expecting the game to actually scare me. Some of the phone calls, especially those resulting from fail-states, sent chills down my spine. Absolutely stellar voice-work elevates the experience. Wonderfully creepy cryptid illustrations leave a lot to the imagination. The retro-PC UI allows for a couple of creepy moments through the removal of player autonomy.
We aren't even a month into 2024, and it's already started off with a stellar horror experience. Home Safety Hotline is a chillingly delightful surprise that doesn't spoon-feed you scares. Absolutely worth checking out if you're enjoying the current wave of independent horror.
I went into this excited to dig into some neat world-building, but wasn't expecting the game to actually scare me. Some of the phone calls, especially those resulting from fail-states, sent chills down my spine. Absolutely stellar voice-work elevates the experience. Wonderfully creepy cryptid illustrations leave a lot to the imagination. The retro-PC UI allows for a couple of creepy moments through the removal of player autonomy.
We aren't even a month into 2024, and it's already started off with a stellar horror experience. Home Safety Hotline is a chillingly delightful surprise that doesn't spoon-feed you scares. Absolutely worth checking out if you're enjoying the current wave of independent horror.
Wow. Never have I been so compelled by an idea and so let down by the execution. Home Safety Hotline should be applauded for its creativity and spooky playfulness but I hate to say it, it's not fun or interesting to play. If you've done the first two days that's it. That's the game. No spoilers but the underlying mystery, and short runtime, is the only thing that made me see it through and god did it amount to nothing. This game starts out as "oh okay this is kinda cool!" and by the halfway point its at "i don't hate it!"
A pretty clever game, though I don't know if I would spend $15 on it again as it was only around 2 hours long and didn't have too much gameplay. Home Safety Hotline definitely comes off as a game that would be popular with streamers, and low and behold when I looked up the game on Youtube to see other people's experiences, the first thing I saw was Markiplier's face LOL.
Home Safety Hotline is a fun idea for a game, and is done in a super aesthetically pleasing way, its just that the gameplay starts to get a bit monotonous, and around the 4th or 5th day I realized that this was just what the entire game would be. I thought there would be more of a twist with the ending, and instead found you just watch what looks like a film some college students put together and then the credits roll. Don't get me wrong, it was cute/silly, but I couldn't tell if the game was trying to do an actual horror-kinda thing or something goofier. Oh well, it's not that serious. I would recommend Home Safety Hotline if you're looking for a short, creative, spooky game to play in one night!
3/5
Home Safety Hotline is a fun idea for a game, and is done in a super aesthetically pleasing way, its just that the gameplay starts to get a bit monotonous, and around the 4th or 5th day I realized that this was just what the entire game would be. I thought there would be more of a twist with the ending, and instead found you just watch what looks like a film some college students put together and then the credits roll. Don't get me wrong, it was cute/silly, but I couldn't tell if the game was trying to do an actual horror-kinda thing or something goofier. Oh well, it's not that serious. I would recommend Home Safety Hotline if you're looking for a short, creative, spooky game to play in one night!
3/5
I tried this totally on a whim and was pleasantly surprised with how incredibly well put together it was! There's about nothing more I could really ask from this. I'd like to say more but honestly I'd have to recommend picking it up with as little knowledge as possible.
A fun, mechanically simple creepypasta-themed horror game. The systems slightly outstay their welcome by the end, but the worldbuilding and writing is top notch and I can't wait for the inevitable follow-up in the same bestiary.
I cannot get over the fact that each database entry takes three seconds to load every time (because it's set in the nineties) in a game where all you do is click through all the entries to find the correct one. The creatures and calls are nothing special either. Tedious all around.
A man died because he turned off his lamp and it's my fault
This is really fucking good, man. I love it when otherworldly creatures are just animals/pests in everyday life and you'll just have to deal with. I would love to see more media like this in the future. I wish it was longer though.
What the fuck... That feast on my dining room table looking kinda crazy right now especially with the voices telling me to eat it... Feast 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
Really liked this. It's good to see a complete thought worked out that doesn't require elaboration. The lo-fi folk horror aesthetics I found really appealing.
It's a cute, short game, but the experience didn't come without frustrations.
Firstly, the price is a HUGE detriment when considering the length and quality of the game. Only takes about 2-3 hours maximum with very, VERY little replay value, but prices itself at $15. Compare that to Hollow Knight, a game with the same price, but 3x the development time, over 10x the playtime, and infinitely more replayability-- it's easy to see why this could seem a bit greedy.
The gameplay itself was engaging, but turned frustrating when you found out that the only way to get additional content in the form of follow-up calls was by FAILING to provide an accurate answer. This really disincentivizes players from trying their best, as even when they get 100% accuracy all they receive is a joke coupon for a joke item that doesn't exist. You get a less enriching experience by doing well, which to me felt extremely counterintuitive.
All this wrapped up with an ending that gives the player almost zero closure or answers about the HSH organization, it ended up making me feel very dissatisfied. While this was a fun game to try and I don't regret my time spent (as it wasn't much time at all), I do regret the money spent and would not recommend others to spend theirs on this experience either, unless you can purchase on a DEEP, DEEP sale.
Firstly, the price is a HUGE detriment when considering the length and quality of the game. Only takes about 2-3 hours maximum with very, VERY little replay value, but prices itself at $15. Compare that to Hollow Knight, a game with the same price, but 3x the development time, over 10x the playtime, and infinitely more replayability-- it's easy to see why this could seem a bit greedy.
The gameplay itself was engaging, but turned frustrating when you found out that the only way to get additional content in the form of follow-up calls was by FAILING to provide an accurate answer. This really disincentivizes players from trying their best, as even when they get 100% accuracy all they receive is a joke coupon for a joke item that doesn't exist. You get a less enriching experience by doing well, which to me felt extremely counterintuitive.
All this wrapped up with an ending that gives the player almost zero closure or answers about the HSH organization, it ended up making me feel very dissatisfied. While this was a fun game to try and I don't regret my time spent (as it wasn't much time at all), I do regret the money spent and would not recommend others to spend theirs on this experience either, unless you can purchase on a DEEP, DEEP sale.
This review contains spoilers
I'm now one of the elite employees
This review contains spoilers
interesting and fun for what it is, i really enjoyed watching wayne play this!! i like that it doesnt take itself too seriously either but the end credits definitely give u some whiplash even still LMAO
gameplay is easy, its all just the same thing but i like its format a lot
taking calls and having to figure things out from context clues......... like thats dope but i do wish there was a little more to it
it being short and the great ending trial segment makes it not be a slog, but its definitely not for everyone
and the slow reveal of a fantasy based world with little goblins and fairies being natural phenomena is so neat, i like the way it sets itself and its world apart from most other analog horror media. the way the dev injects this folklore with this creepy factor and puts his own spin on them (that i agree, has always been there) is really cool as well.
the part where he talks about struggling with making things that came from all over the world seem scary so he focused instead on things that could live inside your home was fascinating and resonated with me. there is nothing scarier to me than thinking youre safe in your home and youre just not for one reason or the other
left the wrong treat for my hobb now im doomed. LOL
i do feel it shows its hand a little early though with carol saying things like thee so quickly but thats negligible
its funny yet still creepy at the same time, i havent heard a lot of the failed calls yet but the ones wayne did get really put this sense of doom in u. definitely gets into the corny analog horror region a few times, especially with the videos, but thats ok. sincerely
music and aesthetic are nice, the voice acting work is great and outstanding at certain points, and obviously the art and writing add so much to the game, really impressive and immersive
i hope to see this sort of online horror concept a lot more in the future. my dream is something like hypnospace outlaw fully focused on horror
gameplay is easy, its all just the same thing but i like its format a lot
taking calls and having to figure things out from context clues......... like thats dope but i do wish there was a little more to it
it being short and the great ending trial segment makes it not be a slog, but its definitely not for everyone
and the slow reveal of a fantasy based world with little goblins and fairies being natural phenomena is so neat, i like the way it sets itself and its world apart from most other analog horror media. the way the dev injects this folklore with this creepy factor and puts his own spin on them (that i agree, has always been there) is really cool as well.
the part where he talks about struggling with making things that came from all over the world seem scary so he focused instead on things that could live inside your home was fascinating and resonated with me. there is nothing scarier to me than thinking youre safe in your home and youre just not for one reason or the other
left the wrong treat for my hobb now im doomed. LOL
i do feel it shows its hand a little early though with carol saying things like thee so quickly but thats negligible
its funny yet still creepy at the same time, i havent heard a lot of the failed calls yet but the ones wayne did get really put this sense of doom in u. definitely gets into the corny analog horror region a few times, especially with the videos, but thats ok. sincerely
music and aesthetic are nice, the voice acting work is great and outstanding at certain points, and obviously the art and writing add so much to the game, really impressive and immersive
i hope to see this sort of online horror concept a lot more in the future. my dream is something like hypnospace outlaw fully focused on horror
Reading the art book and finding out the lead dev used to work at Evermore Park makes this game make more sense. Not necessarily scary, but it feels more accurately like a weird FMV game from the mid-90s than people trying to do conscious parodies of the style. Nails that feel of a bunch of actors getting together and putting together a weird interactive project (see: MODE, Plumbers Don't Wear Ties, Night Trap).
Cool concept and well done while it lasted. Surprisingly well voice acted, with a few of the callers being actually distressing. Only real gripe is the total lack of replayability. The calls you get every playthrough are the same and in the same order, meaning once you know the answers you are set forever. Some sort of Infinite mode or similar would be pretty cool and be a fun way to keep replayability.
I adored this little gem. Just a fascinating little creation that dropped me straight into a perfect, lived in little world. No exposition dump, no reasoning, just 'do your job' and it's perfect for it.
I originally gave this 4 stars but as I think about it I've changed to 5 because I think it done everything it set out to do perfectly well. I love the Beastiary feel and the growing dread that comes with each day.
Highly recommend people spend the 2 or so hours checking this out
I originally gave this 4 stars but as I think about it I've changed to 5 because I think it done everything it set out to do perfectly well. I love the Beastiary feel and the growing dread that comes with each day.
Highly recommend people spend the 2 or so hours checking this out