Housing Crisis

Hello Neighbor feels destined for the bargain basement. 

- Chris Thursten

Hello Neighbor makes for a great elevator pitch. You play as a suburban kid in a Pixar-like neighbourhood where something sinister lurks beneath the bright colours and exaggerated lines. In the opening, you witness your middle-aged neighbour behaving strangely, shouting and boarding up his basement. Your task is to invade his house and discover his secret, using stealth and trickery to evade an ostensibly reactive opponent.

It’s an idea with a lot of promise: Alien: Isolation by way of The ’Burbs and Home Alone. Unfortunately, Hello Neighbor doesn’t deliver: after months in alpha, the launch version is buggy, inconsistent and frustrating. The initial charm of theart style and premise quickly gives way to trial-and-error drudgery.