I'm kind of fascinated by what happened to Hello Neighbor. The original, a stealth horror game against a creepy AI that learned your likely movements, was hugely popular in alpha in 2016. The series was acquired by TinyBuild in 2020, and since then there has been a heroic number of spin-offs. There's one set in an amusement park, a multiplayer game called Secret Neighbor in which one small child is actually a large adult man in disguise, a direct sequel called Hello Neighbor 2, and a VR game called Search And Rescue. I think everyone got a bit of Neighbor fatigue there, lads.
This might include the original creator Nikita Kolesnikov, as (still under the auspices of TinyBuild) he's made a new thing. Currently on Steam for playtesting, the project currently known as RBO isn't falling far from the home invasion tree, as players will either be a home-owning Protector - a McCallister, if you will - or an Intruder, or Wet Bandit.
Here's a list of everything that's changed since the playtest began:
[h3]New Features & Improvements:[/h3]
- Direct Session Joining: You can now join a session directly using the Session ID.
- Hidden Sessions: Create sessions that are hidden from the main list but can be joined directly by Session ID.
- Esc-Menu Enhancements: The Esc-menu has been made clearer and easier to use.
- Graphic Settings Saving: Players can now save their graphic settings, including resolution, windowed mode, anti-aliasing options, motion blur, SSR, and Lumen (GI) toggles.
- Load-Out Management: Save up to three load-out setups for quick access before each game. Clothes bought or loaded are now automatically equipped at the start of the game.
- Improved Game Start Experience: Fixed the issue with the game failing to start if a person disconnects during the countdown.
- UI Optimizations: The UI has been reworked for better optimization.
[h3]Map & Gameplay Fixes:[/h3]
- Map Errors Resolved: Fixed map issues such as missing walls.
- Trunk Item Persistence: Items from the trunk no longer disappear when the intruder escapes.
- Main Menu Return Option: Added an option to return to the main menu.
- Login Screen Fix: Resolved the issue of getting stuck on the "Logging you in" screen.
- Player Connection Notifications: Added pop-up notifications for connected and disconnected players.
- Player Count Display: The current amount of players is now displayed in the Esc-menu.
- Improved Player Tracking: Enhanced tracking of connected and disconnected players.
[h3]Balance Adjustments:[/h3]
- Rifle Access: The rifle can now only be picked up in the Protector's start room.
- Vehicle Security: Increased the lockpicking time for cars, making them safer.
- Lawnmower Changes: Lawnmowers are now slower, have shorter sight, and take longer to recover from stun.
- Protector Gameplay: The Protector now starts with powerful pre-crafted clothes in the starting room. Protectors' items are better balanced, and they can hear sound highlights from a further distance.
[h3]Enhanced Interactions & Visuals:[/h3]
- Object and House Optimization: Multiple objects' appearance and logic have been reworked, and house geometry is now more optimized.
- Camera & Bot Detection: Cameras and Bots now show visual highlights when detecting intruders.
- Consistent Lighting: Improved lighting consistency between low and high settings.
- Map Hints: Added helpful hints to the map.
[h3]Bug Fixes:[/h3]
- Full Screen Toggle Fix: The game no longer jumps to full screen each time ESC is pressed.
- Game Stability: Fixed a bug that caused the game to crash on landing or getting into a bear trap.
- Fall Damage Prevention: Landing on boxes now prevents fall damage.
- Jumping Mechanics: Falling from great heights results in dropping items on landing.
- Movement and Collision Fixes: Fixed walking during the Load Out phase and doors breaking boards upon collision.
- Visual Glitches: Resolved issues with jars appearing incorrectly after camouflage.
[h3]Miscellaneous Fixes:[/h3]
- Crowbar, hammer, and car issues resolved.
- Map improvements for more consistent lighting and colors.
- Fixed various exploits related to movement and item interaction.