The analog horror growth has been happening for some time now, because of in style YouTube collection like “The Backrooms”, “The Mandela Catalogue”, and even “Local 58” which was maybe one of many first to popularize the model. Home Safety Hotline takes that aesthetic of outdated computer systems and locations us within the position of a cellphone operator working for an organization that isn’t fairly what it appears.
Home Safety Hotline
Developer: Night Signal Entertainment
Publisher: Night Signal Entertainment
Platforms: Windows PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: January 16, 2024
Price: $14.99 USD
Author’s Note: As a recreation that’s heavy on narrative, it’s unattainable to debate it with out spoilers. However, we’ll chorus from discussing the principle ending.
Home Safety Hotline is an easy puzzle recreation. During every work day, gamers will obtain cellphone calls from folks with issues, these issues vary in severity from squeaking within the partitions, to itchy bug bites, to having your very breath stolen by a creature residing beneath your mattress. Yeah, that final one might need thrown you for a loop.
Players start their work week at Home Safety Hotline coping with some mundane points, you have got a listing of knowledge at your fingertips. However most of it’s off limits for brand new staff, fortunately you recognize simply what to do if there’s cockroaches, black mould, or termites. From day two, your issues get fascinating.
On day two, your catalogue of data opens up, Toilet Hobbs, Lamp Sprites, False Beets (these are the worst), and extra. Thankfully your supervisor Carol is there that will help you and reward you on your efforts.
The recreation is fairly simple on the graphical facet of factor because it’s attempting to emulate a Nineteen Nineties CRT interface, which it fully nails. The display is sort of yellow, the light colours are a little bit of an uncommon selection however they promote the nostalgic aesthetic.
The entries in your work catalogue embody some unsettling art work, particularly the Boggart. There’s a number of different mysterious and eccentric creatures with their very own entries as nicely. While none of them are straight up scary, lots of them are unsettling.
The recreation can be totally voiced, every cellphone name may be heard by means of the simulated fuzziness of a ’90s cellphone name with a foul connection. Obviously the fuzziness of the tech is performed up for the aesthetic (or perhaps my reminiscence of the 90s is a bit rosy).
There are additionally no jumpscares in Home Safety Hotline, as a substitute counting on unsettling narration and art work to scare gamers. There’s a number of startling feels like when the cellphone rings, however nothing ever jumps out or yells at you.
One grievance I’ve is a bit meta, however I’m not a fan of the 100% Accuracy achievement for a number of causes. First, it’s unattainable to return and play particular person days; second, you get fascinating and scary calls again out of your clients when you misidentify their downside. So if you wish to hear somebody get spirited away by moles or attacked by a boggart, it’s important to surrender on the achievement for that playthrough.
Update: This evaluation was written earlier than the latest 1.1 patch which provides some Quality of Life adjustments like the flexibility to skip the decision wait interval for sooner playthroughs.
At the tip of the sport, you’re handled to an artbook with commentary by developer Nick Lives which explains his ideas behind Home Safety Hotline, it consists of some background for the sport (together with his previous employment at Evermore Park which I’ve at all times needed to go to), and a few uncooked art work and designs of the monsters.
Ultimately, Home Safety Hotline is a reasonably linear puzzle recreation however makes up for its depth of mechanics with its depth of lore. There’s a extreme lack of caprice in horror, and maybe it’s simply me however I really feel that fairies, hags, and comparable supernatural creatures haven’t but been given a good shake. This recreation is a whole lot of enjoyable when you’re not an achievement hunter, in any other case you’ll find yourself enjoying it twice with out actually seeing any new content material.
Home Safety Hotline was reviewed on Windows PC utilizing a private copy. Additional details about Niche Gamer’s evaluation/ethics coverage may be discovered right here
