Neighbours from Hell

Neighbours from Hell, known in the United States as Neighbors from Hell, is a puzzle strategy game for GameCube, Microsoft Windows, Xbox, Nintendo DS, Android, and iOS. In Europe, it was released for Windows on June 20, 2003, and the GameCube and Xbox on March 4, 2005. The game was released for Windows in the United States on September 22, 2003.

For the animated series, see Neighbors from Hell. For the American Horror Story: Cult episode, see Neighbors from Hell (American Horror Story).
Neighbours from Hell
Windows PAL region cover art
Developer(s)JoWooD Vienna
Big Moon Entertainment (iOS, Android)
Farbworks (Back from Hell compilation)
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Michael Paeck
Producer(s)Michael Paeck
Jurie Horneman
Designer(s)Michael Paeck
Gerhard E. Kodys
Programmer(s)Andreas Meissl
Bernhard Gruber
Artist(s)Stefan M. Halegger
Writer(s)Gerhard E. Kodys
Composer(s)Wolfgang Tockner
Robbie Ost
EngineUnity (remastered)
Platform(s)
ReleaseWindows
  • PAL: June 20, 2003
  • NA: September 22, 2003
GameCube & Xbox
  • PAL: March 4, 2005
Nintendo DS
  • EU: June 30, 2009
iOS, Android
  • WW: May 25, 2017
Mac
  • WW: June 22, 2017
Switch, PS4, Xbox One
  • WW: October 8, 2020
Genre(s)Puzzle, strategy
Mode(s)Single-player

On October 8, 2020, a remastered compilation of the first two games titled Neighbours Back from Hell was released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It features increased frame rate and HD visuals.

Gameplay

In Neighbours from Hell, the player take control of Woody, an average man who seeks revenge on his neighbour Mr Rottweiler by performing tricks on him, all of which is secretly caught on camera for a reality TV show of the same name. In each level, the aim is to complete a set amount of pranks on Rottweiler, whilst keep out of sight of him; if Rottweiler spots and catches Woody, the level ends in failure and the player must restart it. The game itself sees players moving between various rooms in the house, such as the kitchen and hallway, via their doors, with levels grouped into "seasons"; as the player progresses to new seasons, the player gains access to more rooms with more challenging prank puzzles to complete.

In order to prank Rottweiler, the player must interact with objects, some which Woody will sabotage, while others require him to find items that are appropriate for the object (i.e. using a saw to sabotage a chair). While moving around the house, players must observe the routine that Rottweiler undertakes between various objects in the level and the path he uses, in order to plan how to avoid being seen and when to set up a prank. His routine can be disrupted in different ways; two of these involve his pets, a parrot and a guard dog, which will make noise if Woody fails to sneak around them and cause Rottweiler to check on them. To hide out of sight, players can make use of a wardrobe, and later slip under a bed to avoid being seen by Rottweiler.

Once a level's required number of pranks is completed, the player can continue to complete any additional pranks available, and eventually they must finish the level by bringing Woody to the neighbour's front door, whereupon they are scored on their performance.

Plot

Woody is an average man who has a happy life, until his neighbor Mr. Rottweiler makes his life miserable. Woody decides to take full revenge on Mr. Rottweiler and calls up a TV crew, which produces the self-titled reality show that shows the neighbor's relations from worst sight.

Reception

The PC version received "average" reviews, while the GameCube and Xbox versions received "generally unfavorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[1][2][3]

Legacy

Ports and re-releases

The original Microsoft Windows version was digitally re-released on GOG.com with its sequel by JoWood on June 9, 2009.[18] It was released on Steam by Nordic Games on November 7, 2013 after successfully getting Greenlit by the community.[19][20]

A mobile port of the game was released worldwide by THQ Nordic for iOS and Android on May 25, 2017 on the App Store and Google Play, respectively.[21] A port for macOS was released on the App Store on June 22, 2017.[22]

Neighbours Back from Hell

A remaster, named Neighbours back From Hell, was released on October 8, 2020 for consoles and PC by Vienna-based developer FarbWorks and HandyGames (a publishing division owned by THQ Nordic), and contains both the first game and the sequel, remastered and reworked in HD and at high framerates. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics and fans.[23][24]

It includes overhauled control schemes and interface, tutorial episodes were changed to a tutorial tooltip system, and native controller support were added to the Windows version. Some object storage locations have received a minigame with matching 3 symbols in a slot machine-like window in certain episodes.

Episodes from On Vacation can not be started without prior "seasons" of the original Neighbors from Hell being completed.

Steam and GOG.com releases also include the original versions of the games as a free bonus.

Sequel
Main article: Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation

In 2004 a sequel was released, called Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation. In this game, instead of being in a house, the player travels to various locations around the world. This time the player must have their caution turned to the mom of the Neighbour as well, if they do not want to be caught.

Notes
  1. Android, iOS, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and Back from Hell.

References
  1. "Neighbors From Hell for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  2. "Neighbors from Hell for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  3. "Neighbours From Hell (xbx: 2005): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  4. "Review: Neighbors from Hell". Computer Games Magazine. No. 158. theGlobe.com. January 2004. p. 76.
  5. Del Sol, Arcadian (January 2004). "Neighbors From Hell" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 234. Ziff Davis. p. 114. Archived from the original on January 13, 2004. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  6. Taylor, Martin (July 30, 2003). "Neighbours From Hell (PC)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  7. Colayco, Bob (September 23, 2003). "Neighbors From Hell Review (PC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  8. Harker, Carla (October 23, 2003). "GameSpy: Neighbors From Hell (PC)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  9. Giacobbi, Kevin "BIFF" (August 13, 2003). "Neighbors from Hell - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  10. Blevins, Tal (October 1, 2003). "Neighbors from Hell Review (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  11. Dinowan (March 7, 2005). "Test: Un Voisin D'Enfer ! (NGC)". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  12. Jihem (June 18, 2003). "Test: Un Voisin D'Enfer ! (PC)". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  13. Dinowan (May 12, 2005). "Test: Un Voisin D'Enfer ! (Xbox)". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  14. Saltzman, Marc (November 2003). "Neighbors From Hell". PC Gamer. Vol. 10, no. 11. Imagine Media. p. 126. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  15. Hudak, Chris (October 23, 2003). "'Neighbors From Hell' (PC) Review". X-Play. TechTV. Archived from the original on October 23, 2003. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  16. Martin (April 2005). "Neighbours from Hell". Cube. No. 43. pp. 70–71. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  17. Saltzman, Marc (September 2, 2003). "Neighbors from Hell (PC)". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on March 30, 2006. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  18. "New release: Neighbours From Hell Compilation". GOG.com. CD Projekt. 9 June 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  19. "Now Available on Steam - Neighbours from Hell Compilation, 25% off!". Steam. Valve Corporation. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  20. Sykes, Tom (17 October 2013). "Steam Greenlight approves 37 more titles, including Ikaruga, TowerClimb, Steam Marines". PC Gamer. Future plc. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  21. Hodapp, Eli (May 30, 2017). "THQ Releases a Free 'Neighbours from Hell' Port on the App Store". TouchArcade. MacRumors.com, LLC. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  22. "Neighbors from Hell 1 and 2 out now on Mac App Store". THQ Nordic. 22 June 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  23. "Neighbours Back from Hell - PS4 Review". 25 October 2020.
  24. "Neighbours back from Hell". Metacritic.
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