Review: My Friendly Neighborhood

Developer – John Szymanski, Evan Szymanski

Publisher – DreadXP

Platforms – PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PS4, PS5 (Reviewed)

Review copy given by publisher

Indie survival horror games are a dime a dozen these days, so it really takes some effort for new indie titles to try and stand out. Well John and Evan Szymanski’s My Friendly Neighborhood delivers a refreshingly unique twist, channeling the iconic imagery of children’s puppet shows into an eerie and tense experience. The game released to overwhelmingly positive response on Steam back in 2023 and has finally made its way onto consoles after 2 long years!

The game begins with a small TV playing an ominous live-action interview, which is then abruptly interrupted by an episode of “The Friendly Neighborhood,” the in-universe children’s puppet show that was canceled years before. You play as Gordon, a repairman dispatched to shut down a mysterious broadcast from the defunct TV studio, only to stumble upon some creepy animatronics and a world of horror. The story teases dark themes while weaving in broader societal issues and emotional weight underneath a playful exterior. It’s like Sesame Street gone wrong because this neighborhood sure ain’t friendly.

Gameplay pays homage to classic Resident Evil and other survival horror giants, mixing in limited saves, inventory management, resource constraints, smart level design, puzzle solving, and light shooting mechanics. Instead of bullets, you get weapons that shoot out letters of the alphabet. Yup, you read that right. The creativity of your arsenal along with genuinely challenging puzzles makes for a satisfying gameplay loop. There are four main weapons to unlock including a wrench, a Rolodexer (pistol), Novelist (shotgun), and Punctuations. However, a handful of crucial objects are easy to overlook, which can lead to some excessive backtracking since you do not have a map and the melee wrench is practically useless.

That being said, sneaking around enemies can feel inconsistent and frustrating at times because it’s not clear what the puppet’s detection ranges are. The absence of a reticle during combat also feels a bit clunky and inaccurate. For some reason, this game seems to take the worst parts of the genre and not improve upon them, such as the inability to upgrade your inventory space, which means you always need to backtrack to storage cases to make more room. 

I was quite impressed with the notably diverse roster of enemy types and designs, especially when considering their mascot horror inspirations. Throughout the game, you’ll encounter at least twelve core enemy types, including named puppets and monstrous variants. Boss battles are unfortunately sparse and unremarkable, due to lackluster design and how little of a challenge they pose.

Exploration is mostly rewarding, thanks to hidden collectibles and meaningful worldbuilding. The environments are all interconnected, with each section offering its own set of challenges and secrets, encouraging thorough exploration to access new zones and shortcuts as you collect keys and crucial items. Your initial entry into the studio is the parking area, but you soon get to visit the hotel, offices, sewers, and even the basement! Just be wary that your saves are limited and can only be done at specific locations.

Replay value is a core part of any classic survival horror title, and My Friendly Neighborhood offers multiple endings, depending on your actions and how you treat the puppets you encounter. This non linear approach gives you reason to return for extra playthroughs in order to achieve the true ending. Additionally, there’s unlockable modes and new difficulty levels, such as cheats and New Game Plus. You are offered three difficulties from the start: Friendly, Normal, Survival, with two unlockable ones.

The main end-game activity that was added as a free update is the Neighborhorde Mode. It’s essentially a timed endless mode unlocked after beating the main game where you choose between one of four characters and face waves of oncoming puppets in combat arenas based on the main game’s environments. Think of it like Mercenaries mode from Resident Evil!

What’s great about My Friendly Neighborhood is that it approaches horror from a unique, more unconventional direction. Rather than relying on grotesque imagery or relentless jump scares, the game leans into a spooky, unsettling atmosphere that is more eerie than terrifying. Combat with the puppets, while sometimes abrupt and surprising, is portrayed in a non-violent, almost whimsical way.

While there are attempts at jump scares and certain sections can feel tense or creepy thanks to the surreal world and bizarre, aggressive puppets, the overall horror is intentionally toned down. The visual and audio presentation can come off as goofy and even childlike at times, which actually makes for an even more unsettling vibe. I think this title is great as an introduction to survival horror for those that don’t want excessive gore or terror.

On the technical side, the PS5 version benefits from snappy load times and mostly stable performance. There are some pretty bad frame drops in certain areas like the plaza buildings. The game clocks in at a small 7.71 GB and takes around 13-14 seconds to load in. The fantastic audio design deserves special mention. The jazzy soundtrack stands out as one of the game’s greatest pleasures, creating a blend of nostalgia, whimsy, and tension. Voice acting is consistently strong, lending the puppets both menace and hilarity, especially for an indie title.

My Friendly Neighborhood is a creative and memorable adventure that balances its kid friendly exterior with real depth, wit, and polish. While it doesn’t redefine survival horror, it stands as an example of what innovative ambition and personality can achieve in an oversaturated market. Not everything needs to be a P.T. walking simulator clone!