Download Secret Neighbor
Josephine Heathershaw
Secret Neighbor is an evergrowing multiplayer Social Horror game set in the Hello Neighbor universe.
Your group has one goal - sneak around the house, collecting the keys in order to unlock the basement door. The only problem is - one of you is the Neighbor, a traitor in disguise!
PLAY AS THE INTRUDERS:
Cooperate with your teammates, stay together or tactically split up, use your perks and abilities, and drop those basement door locks one by one.
PLAY AS THE NEIGHBOR:
Stop the intruders! Use your disguise to gain their trust, set up traps, and dispose of those pesky intruders one by one. Convince your friends someone else is the Neighbor and let the witch hunt begin. Your secret must remain safe!
Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required for online play. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/switch-online
Hello Neighbor was one of my favorite games of 2017, mostly because it tortured its audience with bizarre visual lore and then wrecked beta players and reviewers alike with its surprise use of act structure to include three different games in one. I also got to chat with the devs about how you make such a terrifying A.I. to hunt players, and all the errors they ran into along the way. So finding out that there's a new game set in the Hello Neighbor universe featuring asymmetrical multiplayer and betrayal... well, I'm making a face that would frighten you if you saw it. Just gimmie Secret Neighbor already.
Set in the gap between the first and second chapters of the main game, Secret Neighbor sees a group of kids attempting to rescue their friend. However, one or more of those friends will actually be a secret betrayer in disguise who can influence their surroundings and hide in plain sight to dispose of the children one by one. Billed as one of the first "social horror" titles, Secret Neighbor features proximity-based voice chat as its weapon of choice. And yes, someone does indeed play as the titular Neighbor.
There's a lot going on here, but overwhelmingly I'm excited to see how the original title's borderline experimental adventure game logic plays out in a group setting. And, of course, how much new weirdo backstory allegory they're going to sneak in for this new title. Growing the Neighborverse is something I'm absolutely stoked to see.
You can follow the game on Steam by clicking where these words are different colors. The game is available "2018-ish" and you can sign up for the Alpha at the official site. (Note: it looks like this is going to be a completely new game but there's a bit of ambiguity about whether it might be an additional mode. Feels like a new game to me.)
The Secret Neighbor Party Game is published by Arcane Wonders and designed by Wild Optimists. Art by Stephen Gibson and it is based in the world of Hello Neighbor designed by Tiny Build and Dynamic Pixels. It plays 5-10 players.
In The Secret Neighbor, you and your friends are competing against the Neighbors. The kids are trying to figure out who to trust and get them keys to unlock the basement. If the kids use the keys, they win! The Neighbors are trying to avoid detection and get others to vote them to open doors. If a Neighbor uses a key, they win!
The game is started with a Leader who will give out cards, moderate discussion, etc during the game. Basically they help the game runs smooth. The roles are passed secretly to each player and they will either be a Kid or a Neighbor. Then Object cards are passed to players based on player count. The keys are set aside based on number of players.
This is where the game gets dynamic. Players will get up and walk around to trade Object cards. P{layers ultimately are trying to get a set of three cards. Trades are done quickly, as a 2 minute timer might be helpful here as well. Once all players are done, they sit down. Phase 1 is over when everyone is seated or the timer is done if you choose to go with the timer.
Here players that have collected 3 matching Object cards can use them. they can be used against other players or for collecting info. Players announce they want to use them, Leader decides order if multiple people want to use them at once. Players may also discard their hand to gain new cards. Once everyone has played their cards that want to and all hands are back to 4 cards, Phase 1 restarts and the Trading Phase begins again!
Depending on the number of players, keys are kept in the middle of the play area until a player uses the Magnet to obtain a key. Once all keys are found a player can call for an Unlock vote anytime during the Powers Phase. Once a player has been nominated or seconded, a vote is placed for them to use the key. if the majority vote unlock, the player either opens one of the locks on the door if they are a Kid or refuse to if they are a Neighbor. If a Neighbor is voted, they win and if all the locks are opened by kids they win!
Party games can be a hit or miss experience depending on the game and the people you play it with. Some games are ideal at a certain player count as well to be the best experience. The Secret Neighbor Party Game hits the right spot on a lot of these areas. It is a solid game from an interactive party experience. It has been enjoyable with adults and younger players alike. And it played well at player counts 6-8 for us. I did not play it at the ends of 5, 9 or 10 players but I imagine it plays well there as well.
Gameplay-wise this is a solid choice for something a little different than the standard hidden role games as it offers players a chance to use objects that can affect the game throughout. I like that there is some randomization for them in players hands but that you also have to work hard to wheel and deal, making relationships and alliances that you may need to lean into later in the game.
Overall I have to recommend this one to gamers looking for a deduction game with a little more meat on the bone, giving players a chance to really interact and move around to solve the puzzle. Playing both the Kids and the Neighbors is a fun challenge and one I look forward to diving into a bit more. The Secret Neighbor Party Game has found a place on my shelf, and I recommend you check this one out as well!
Almost everyone has had a spooky house in their neighborhood. Whether it's abandoned or owned by mysterious occupants, many children fantasized about what could be inside those enigmatic homes. A new cooperative horror game, SecretNeighbor, finally lets players live out that dream.
The game is a spin-off of the popular Hello Neighbor franchise. The game is currently available on PC and the Xbox One family of consoles. In the style of other asymmetrical multiplayerhorror games, a group of players attempts to accomplish a goal while avoiding a villain that's controlled by another player. However, the twist in Secret Neighbor is that the antagonist disguises themselves as one of your allies. Even if everyone is together there's no guarantee of safety. To survive the night players will have to have absolute mastery of their character and know the right one to choose.
When going on an adventure its almost always a mistake to pack light. Objects are vital in Secret Neighbor since players will need for tasks as small as breaking a window or slowing down the Neighbor whose house their breaking into.
At the start, Bagger will be able to carry a third item (one more than the traditional two every other player is constricted to). Also, if his bag is full for two minutes he'll be able to carry a fourth item.
When the Neighbor grabs a player that usually means certain death. However, Brave can easily escape his clutches. If she's hit the Neighbor at least four times she can escape his grasp. It won't help much against sneak attacks, but it's an invaluable ability nonetheless.
In this game, The Neighbor can take the appearance of one of the kids and gain their trust. Before he strikes. He can also set a bear trap that can trap an unsuspecting player in its clutches. To make matters even worse, if a player is defeating him The Neighbor can use activate his "Rage" ability once he takes damage five times. Then he can move much more quickly and be invincible towards any attacks players might attempt to slow him down.
At the start of the match, he will have a hint towards where one of the six keys is located thanks to his "Field Intel" ability. It doesn't give the info immediately, but the player does get a picture of its location. However, if he can find two keys using this ability something more useful becomes available. He will then able to see a key through walls and eventually be able to nab it with ease.
While he's no Pennywise, The Clown is sure to make player's lives difficult. Introduced in a Halloween update, Clown is currently the only other option for players who want to play as The Neighbor. He comes with many abilities that are very different in comparison to his generic counterpart.
If it seems like the children are on to him, The Clown can use smoke bombs to escape. Also, he can even transform into objects to hide in plain sight. If a player does manage to escape his grasp, The Clown's "Confusion" ability will make them dazed for a few moments.
Her abilities are focused on helping others rather than herself. She inspires her teammates (literally with the "Inspire" ability) to move faster, heal any status damages, and even instantly revive downed players. She also can eventually unlock "Team Work" skill that can blind the Neighbor. Finally, her stun time is cut in half thanks to her "Stress Resistance".
While she has a great kit of abilities to work with since they are heavily reliant on helping other players her effectiveness can vary. If players don't have a microphone or don't care to keep together she won't be very useful on her own. Still, her inclusion can make a massive difference if the team can come together.
She comes equipped automatically with a slingshot that can easily slow down The Neighbor. Each shot will do five damage to him and when she hits him three times she can move 15% more quickly thanks to her "Evasive Maneuvers" passive ability. While Scout can run out of ammo, there are bags located throughout the house where she can reload. These are located near the door of the first floor of the basement, the kitchen, the garage, and the greenhouse.
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