Homebody proves that friendship can be a tough relationship to manage. What’s more, it tastefully tackles the effects of anxiety and intertwines these issues with a touching and petrifying story. Alongside this, it focuses on old-school influences while delivering a polished but oppressive finish. Accordingly, fans of Silent Hill or 80s slasher movies will adore this step-down memory lane.
Developed by Game Grumps and published by Rogue Games Inc., this is a horror title. Moreover, it has some stealth mechanics and masses of puzzles that must be solved. Additionally, there is a cruel gameplay loop, a host of colourful characters, and litres of blood and masses of gore to enjoy. As such, this isn’t a game for the faint of heart.
Homebody will resonate with many people.
The sense of anxiety and its controlling nature can be debilitating. Accordingly, many people will resonate with Homebody’s cruel and tense plot. However, it is its uncomfortable gameplay loop that makes this horror title stand out from its peers. Think of Groundhog Day and then include a nameless killer and the death of your closest friends. This is Homebody in a nutshell!
You are Emily, a timid and anxious woman that suffers from agoraphobia. This condition forms the backbone of her mental state and this forces a wedge between herself and her friends. The action takes place in a rented house in the middle of nowhere. The group of college friends are gathering for an annual get-together to enjoy a meteor shower. However, anxiety and social awkwardness are the least of their concerns. Why? Well, this remote location hides a dark secret that will haunt the group. A mysterious murderer is on the loose, and only Emily can stop them. Yet, if she is killed, she must relive the evening again.
Puzzles and a sense of foreboding.
Homebody does an excellent job of creating a sense of foreboding. This cruel title lets you freely explore the dank and dangerous house. Furthermore, you are free to talk to any of your friends as long as the murderer hasn’t got to them first, that is. At first, everything is fine. You can talk to whomever you please, and there isn’t a sense of pressure or fear. Yet, once the power goes out, the atmosphere changes.
As you explore each creepy room, you’ll stumble across clues, puzzles, and hiding places. Each of these elements is key to progressing the action and, more importantly, you must hide to stay alive. The nameless killer is an intelligent beast that reacts to your movements. Accordingly, unlike other games and their poor AI, this brute is no pushover. Therefore, unless you escape their gaze, you have no chance of surviving.
This horrific sense of pressure creates an ominous atmosphere that is uncomfortable throughout. Moreover, there is no telling who the killer will target or when they will appear. Therefore, you can be talking to a friend, solving a puzzle, or exploring a new location, and all hell breaks loose. It was this randomness that worked brilliantly with the tense atmosphere. Consequently, you are kept on edge throughout, and playing is horrifically uncomfortable.
Challenging problems.
Homebody does a great job of balancing its difficulty. If you are a puzzle aficionado, you’ll enjoy the blend of simple and tough problems. However, if you are new to the genre, there is a wonderful hint system that keeps things ticking over. On top of this, your journal pieces together the clues to help you keep on top of each puzzle.
Alongside the excellent balanced approach, there is a fantastic mixture of problems to solve. Whether it was minesweeper, word problems, or mathematical challenges, they were interesting and well-conceived.
Homebody is understated and creepy to look at.
The understated but polished finish is wonderfully reminiscent of 90s gaming. What’s more, the slow movement of the killer and its horrific costume would work in an 80s slasher movie. Though this dated finish won’t appease everyone, I loved the blocky imagery and the grainy textures. What’s more, the grim colour palette adds to the ominous nature of the game. My only complaint is the fixed camera angle. Whenever you move through tight spaces or into new locations, the camera doesn’t quite work. Therefore, you’ll run into walls and waste valuable seconds.
The audio, on the other hand, was flawless. I loved the creepy and sinister soundtrack and the blend of silence and sound. Furthermore, the sound effects send shivers down your spine. I despised the noises that the killer made! The creepy asshat was cliched, but unbelievably horrible to listen to. Moreover, the classic jump scares caused by this brutal menace were terrifying.
Clunky controls.
When time is of the essence, you don’t want clunky controls. Sadly, this is exactly what you get with this title. As such, picking up items or selecting important goods was challenging. What’s more, when the killer is chasing you and you end up running into a wall, it is unfairly infuriating. Accordingly, this has to be the weakest element and one that could have easily been overcome.
A déjà vu gameplay loop enhances replay value and longevity. Moreover, each time you die, you are forced to redo the puzzles again. Now, this would be tedious had the developers not incorporated a shortcut system. With this in place, you can push past some tedious elements and keep the action flowing.
Homebody is a great homage to the horror genre.
Though I didn’t like the controls, I loved every other aspect of this haunting title. Homebody does a great job of pacing the action whilst dealing with the protagonist’s debilitating anxiety. Moreover, the excellent dialogue choices and amazing hint system keep things moving nicely. On top of this, the blend of puzzles and creepy atmosphere complete the package. Subsequently, I loved this homage to the horror genre and I recommend that you buy it here! Can you escape the killer and save the day? Solve the puzzles, explore the house, and get everyone out alive.
