Neighbours Back From Hell – Review
Our Rating: 6/10
Neighbours Back From Hell is the remaster of Neighbors From Hell and Neighbors From Hell 2. Putting both games together in the same package and with some changes, some for the better and others for the worse. For those unfamiliar with this series, Neighbors From Hell adapts the format of a TV show. The player has the duty to play pranks on his neighbor.
The first game focuses exclusively on the neighbor’s house. The second adopts the shape of a cruise that explores various locations around the world.
Game Overview
In the newly remastered game, you play Woody. He creeps around the Rottweiler’s house performing tricks upon the unsuspecting resident.
Woody is also the star of a new TV show with the same name. Cameras track his every move as he set up traps such as sawing the chair, banana peels/soap on the floor, smeared paintings, and messing with home equipment.
Gameplay
The objective is to play pranks and try to maintain a combo without the neighbor discovering the player. For that, it is necessary to go through the scene to find materials. Next, you use them on objects that are present and are interactive. Sometimes they will find not only the neighbor but also their dog, parrot, or even their mother. These can be obstacles for the player.
As the remaster presents both games together, the way the levels are organized has undergone some changes.
Previously, each game divided its levels between three seasons. Now, there are a total of four seasons that combine the levels of both games.
The format of the original games spread the levels in a thematic way and with an increase in difficulty. Here, the remaster shows levels that are mixed, or sometimes they reflect matches that were made in the previous games. Except that here, the player may not have done that mission yet.
The Good, the Bad, and the Overall Experience
This remaster features improved graphics and even animations with more fps, to keep the game’s appearance sharp. They also added some life qualities that were not present in the two original games.
The HUD of the game was also changed. Now it has a better look and even the option to change the type of camera. Giving the opportunity to see more of the scenery or even follow the neighbor.
In this remaster, every time one of the neighbors’ animals makes a noise, it searches the house for a little while instead of just shouting at the animal.
The option to have a time limit to perform all tasks has been removed. The player now has three lives, which ends up making the game much easier. On the other hand, the neighbor’s mother is now a threat to be taken into account.
Questionable Changes
Some levels were removed, all of which belong to the first game. Along with the progress bar that used to indicate how many seconds were left for each game that has now also disappeared. That was something that helped to plan the escape strategy if the neighbor was approaching.
A big problem is that sometimes the player’s actions are interrupted when he changes areas. In the original versions, it was possible to choose an item and use that item in another area that the protagonist moved there to carry it out.
Now there is an enormous probability that the action will be interrupted as soon as it changes areas, something that can sometimes cost the game.
As the remaster presents both games together, the way the levels were organized has also undergone some changes. Previously each game divided its levels between three seasons, but now there are a total of four seasons that combine the levels of both games.
The format of the original games spread the levels in a thematic way and with an increase in difficulty, whereas now that aspect is lost and this is seen especially in the second game where levels on the boat and in a country are mixed, or even in scenarios that sometimes they reflect matches that were made in the previous mission, except that here the player may not have done that mission yet.
Conclusion
Neighbors Back From Hell is a good return for those who no longer remembered the game or for those who never heard of it. The new additions improved the game, while other decisions were not the best. It is a pity the game did not receive any new content in terms of levels of difficulty to make it more challenging and long, as Neighbors From Hell is not as complicated.
In terms of the console, this is the best they can get. While on the PC you can always get the originals that include more levels, although without the life qualities that were added in this remaster. Whatever your choice is, both options will offer you a good time.