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| 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 |
| Engine | Unity (remastered) |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle, strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Neighbours from Hell, known in the United States as Neighbors from Hell, is a puzzle strategy game developed and published by JoWood Productions. It was originally released for Windows in 2003, with later releases for GameCube, Xbox, Nintendo DS, Android and iOS.
A remastered compilation of the first two games titled Neighbours Back from Hell was released on Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox OnebyTHQ Nordic in October 2020. It features increased frame rate and HD visuals.
InNeighbours 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.
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.
| Aggregator | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GC | PC | Xbox | |
| Metacritic | 41/100[1] | 69/100[2] | 49/100[3] |
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GC | PC | Xbox | |
| Computer Games Magazine | N/A |   [4] | N/A |
| Computer Gaming World | N/A |  [5] | N/A |
| Eurogamer | N/A | 6/10[6] | N/A |
| GameSpot | N/A | 6.7/10[7] | N/A |
| GameSpy | N/A | [8] | N/A |
| GameZone | N/A | 7/10[9] | N/A |
| IGN | N/A | 7/10[10] | N/A |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 11/20[11] | 13/20[12] | 11/20[13] |
| PC Gamer (US) | N/A | 70%[14] | N/A |
| X-Play | N/A | [15] | N/A |
| Cube | 8.2/10[16] | N/A | N/A |
| The Cincinnati Enquirer | N/A | [17] | N/A |
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]
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 SteambyNordic 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 of the same year.[22]
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]
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.
