A House of Many Doors

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 662 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
A House of Many Doors Game Cover
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"A House of Many Doors" is a literary, turn-based RPG set in a surreal, procedurally generated universe. As a newly inducted member of the House, a massive spider-like structure containing countless rooms, you'll explore alien landscapes, encounter bizarre creatures, and uncover the mysteries of this ever-expanding reality. Negotiate, steal, and fight your way through procedurally generated text adventures to survive in this unique, immersive indie game.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 662 reviews
story150 positive mentions
stability72 negative mentions
  • The writing is exceptional, with engaging and imaginative storytelling that captivates players.
  • The game features a vast and unique world filled with diverse locations and interesting characters.
  • The gameplay allows for a variety of choices and paths, making each playthrough feel distinct and rewarding.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, which can disrupt the gameplay experience.
  • Traveling between locations can become tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
  • The combat system is clunky and poorly explained, making it less enjoyable compared to other mechanics.
  • story498 mentions

    The story in "A House of Many Doors" is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and engaging world-building, often compared favorably to the narrative style of "Sunless Sea." Players appreciate the richly woven plots, diverse character arcs, and the impact of player choices on the unfolding narrative, although some note that the gameplay mechanics can detract from the storytelling experience. Overall, the game is celebrated as a unique and immersive narrative-driven experience, filled with intriguing lore and memorable characters.

    • “The writing, story, and world-building in this game are utterly fantastic.”
    • “This game’s story is the most engaging I’ve ever encountered, and the side stories (generally one for each officer, in addition to regional quests, and miscellaneous ones) are just as gripping.”
    • “The story is rich and engaging and funny, and it somehow takes a place with darkness that tries to eat you, giant bugs as pack animals, vampires, things with shark heads, sentient mushrooms, and a god slaughterhouse (that is, a place in which gods are slaughtered) and has gritty realism.”
    • “The travel using the train can be somewhat meh - there's a lot of repetition of the sorts of events you encounter while exploring, and there aren't too many of them, but I would still recommend it on the basis of the story if you can get past that.”
    • “It feels like this game has a very deep story, but the gameplay is too much of an obstacle to it.”
    • “Travel is irritating, and there are bugs, typos, and story holes.”
  • gameplay260 mentions

    The gameplay of "A House of Many Doors" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and mechanical similarities to "Sunless Sea." While the core loop involves navigating a giant mechanical centipede through a series of rooms to complete tasks, the experience can feel tedious and marred by bugs and clunky mechanics. However, the game's rich storytelling, unique world, and atmospheric writing often compensate for its gameplay shortcomings, making it more appealing to those who prioritize narrative over mechanics.

    • “The basic gameplay loop is pretty simple: you drive your train-on-legs through a series of rooms with randomly-generated obstacles, encounters, and/or enemies, and ferry goods between the various persistent locations (generally cities and the like).”
    • “Enriching story and a unique world, easily comprehensible gameplay make this worth your time.”
    • “The fundamentals are all there with A House of Many Doors - the story is unique and engaging (while allowing you to explore the world and other story options at your own pace), the gameplay is somewhat addictive and once you've gotten to grips with the controls, quite fun.”
    • “Many of the other reviews talk about buggy/poor gameplay, which was sort of true.”
    • “The gameplay itself is a bit of a drag at times, but the inclusion of fetch-mirrors makes the later game travel a lot less boring, and it's absolutely worth it for the visceral storytelling.”
    • “The actual mechanics do get boring though, fair warning (it's basically lots of travelling from point A to point B with some interactions thrown in, but these get repetitive pretty fast), and keeping track of quest requirements might get to be a drag.”
  • graphics88 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally considered subpar, with many reviewers noting the use of basic assets and a low-budget aesthetic that detracts from the overall experience. However, the artwork is praised for its creativity and mood, complementing the game's themes and narrative. While some visuals are appealing, the gameplay mechanics and navigation can feel tedious, overshadowing the artistic elements.

    • “I could gush on for some time about the excellent artwork, the wonderful characters, and the frankly astounding writing, but I'd be here for several months.”
    • “Music and ambiance is creepy and fitting, graphic and style are complimentary as well: the perspective that you're a lone light in this vast and horrifying world is on-point.”
    • “The artwork is absolutely moody and gorgeous.”
    • “Rather than guiding a ship through an atmospheric continuous map, you're driving this kludgy tractor across individual map cells with crude graphics.”
    • “The graphics are pretty simple, making use of some very basic assets.”
    • “It has an interesting and imaginative setting and a creepy aesthetic both hamstrung by the lack of any familiar reference point, an ambitiously large map undone by brutally low-budget visuals and limited assets.”
  • music80 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric and immersive qualities, particularly its dark and gothic themes that enhance the overall experience. However, others find it repetitive and less impressive compared to other titles like "Sunless Sea," noting that certain tracks can be intrusive in specific areas. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated for its ambiance and emotional depth, it may not satisfy all players, especially those seeking a more varied or standout musical experience.

    • “The atmosphere and music are wonderful to fall into and just flirt with insanity as you explore.”
    • “Almost all of the music is dark, gothic and unsettling, but quite notably, it's all also low key and generally unintrusive, which means you never really get tired of it; this is quite important.”
    • “The background music in particular is wonderful at blending ambient noise into the BGM, as well as evoking emotion once you get near the end of the game and have really come to understand what it all means.”
    • “Only place it lags behind notably and disappointingly is the music: it pales in comparison to Sunless Sea's wonderful OST.”
    • “It's got a lot of problems like a laggy map, repetitive music, large amounts of boring travel with little variation in rooms, and terrible buggy combat, but the story is amazing.”
    • “The music, while I generally don't have a problem with it, is grating in some regions of the map-- too loud and intrusive (up by Chimer, for instance).”
  • atmosphere74 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and distinct qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the rich narrative, detailed artwork, and evocative soundtrack that enhance the overall experience. While some players note that the gameplay mechanics may not match the atmospheric depth, the writing and world-building create a captivating environment that draws players in, often compared to the acclaimed "Sunless Sea." Overall, the game is described as a beautifully atmospheric journey, filled with intriguing settings and a blend of humor and horror.

    • “Every corner, every nook and cranny of this game just exudes atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and music are wonderful to fall into and just flirt with insanity as you explore.”
    • “A fantastic, atmospheric experience that takes all the literary excellence of its inspirations and condenses it into a world unlike any other.”
    • “Absolutely mesmerizing writing and atmosphere wrapped up in sub-par code.”
    • “Get it for the weird, creepy atmosphere, not for polish.”
    • “Worse music, worse writing, worse balance, atmosphere, and worse everything.”
  • stability72 mentions

    The game is widely reported to be quite buggy, with frequent glitches affecting gameplay, combat, and user interface, leading to crashes and frustrating experiences. While some players find the writing and world-building exceptional enough to overlook these issues, many agree that the game's stability is a significant concern, especially at launch. However, there are indications that the developer is actively addressing these problems with timely updates.

    • “The combat part is so buggy that it's like half of the time something breaks and the only way to fix it is to reload.”
    • “The game is buggy as all hell, some storylines having progression stopping bugs, like crashing no matter what you choose at that point.”
    • “I like this in concept, but six months down the line and the game is buggy as an alpha release (though still better when it was first released), crashing randomly, quests looping and terrain glitching in travel.”
  • grinding56 mentions

    The aspect of grinding in "A House of Many Doors" receives mixed feedback, with some players finding the travel and exploration mechanics tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game. However, many appreciate the rich writing and world-building, noting that while there are grindy elements, they are less pronounced than in "Sunless Sea," allowing for a more enjoyable experience overall. Fast travel options help alleviate some of the tedium, making the game more accessible despite its occasional grindy moments.

    • “Fuel becomes cheap, money easy to come by, and so travels just become this tedious waiting game filled with randomly placed, repetitive sprites.”
    • “However, after several hours of encountering this design choice, travel becomes less of an aesthetic pleasure and more of a grinding chore.”
    • “Eventually exploring will become tedious, as the map is quite large and the fast travel only works between certain locations.”
  • humor28 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark, clever, and often silly elements, with players appreciating the witty dialogue and bizarre scenarios, such as geese mauling people and corgi-sized rhinoceroses. The writing is praised for its superb execution, balancing moments of horror with lightheartedness, creating an engaging atmosphere filled with likeable and eccentric characters. Overall, the humor adds depth to the rich narrative, making the experience both entertaining and thought-provoking.

    • “The writing is superb and the storylets themselves are full of both humor and darkness that I've not seen executed with as much confidence and flourish anywhere else.”
    • “The atmosphere is at once horrifying and humorous, the characters are delightful, and there are corgi-sized rhinoceroses!”
    • “Some moments are blood-curdling terrifying, some are sombre and filled with melancholy, and some are so bizarre and outlandish that they are downright hilarious (looking at you, Tybalt).”
  • emotional18 mentions

    Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, often experiencing profound feelings such as joy and sadness, particularly at the conclusion. While some narrative gaps weaken the emotional depth of certain NPCs, the overall content is praised for its detailed and engaging storytelling, reflecting the developers' passion. Many users appreciate the ability to become deeply invested in the characters and events, likening its emotional impact to other notable titles.

    • “I cried when I reached the end of the game, in a good way.”
    • “I rarely feel so attached to a game or character that I get emotionally involved in events to that degree, so I am overall pleased with that sort of connection.”
    • “For sheer gut-punch emotional impact, I'm going to put it up there with Personal 4, Fallen London, and a few other games.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    The game offers a substantial amount of content and features various character backgrounds and quest outcomes, enhancing its replayability. While some reviews suggest a slight edge in replay value compared to similar titles like "Sunless Sea," the potential for diverse experiences through different crew members and choices is highlighted as a key factor for its enduring appeal. With continued support, it could achieve a cult following largely due to its replayability.

    • “Different backgrounds on character creation and outcomes from quests, as well as being able to find different crew members gives some potential for replayability.”
    • “There is an extreme amount of content packed in, with a certain degree of replay value.”
    • “As far as replayability, maybe a slight advantage to Sunless Sea, but everything in the first sentence I mentioned goes to HOMD.”
    • “Different backgrounds on character creation and outcomes from quests, as well as being able to find different crew members, give some potential for replayability.”
    • “With the right support and backing, I can see this game reaching cult status, especially due to its replayability.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has faced significant criticism, with players reporting performance issues such as glitches, slowdowns, and crashes, particularly shortly after launch. Some users found that adjusting compatibility settings and power usage helped alleviate these problems, but the overall experience remains hampered by a lack of polish in the combat system and level design.

    • “I don't want to spend ages crawling through dark passages to get to anything interesting, running away from NPCs because the less-than-stellar combat system relies more on luck than skill, and I really don't want to be doing all that while the game mysteriously glitches and runs slowly, making the whole experience even more of a slog.”
    • “Some of the earlier reviews here, as well as other commentary I've seen online, seem to indicate that the game suffered from some performance issues shortly after launch, such as crashing and broken side quests.”
    • “Performance issues I found that changing compatibility to Windows 8 and switching power usage to high performance resolved the issue.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by a rich array of choices in design and narrative decisions, with impactful consequences that resonate throughout the game world. Players appreciate the engaging worldbuilding and artistic character designs, though some find the main gameplay mechanic of traveling to be tedious. Overall, the depth of character choices enhances the storytelling experience.

    • “You are offered a huge wealth of choice in your character design and your narrative decisions, and the consequences of those choices are constantly rippling through the house... and also occasionally your body, rip my character's entire heart, literally.”
    • “The character development feels shallow, as the choices I made didn't seem to have any real impact on the story or the characters' growth.”
    • “Despite the initial promise of deep character customization, I found that the characters lacked depth and complexity as the game progressed.”
    • “The narrative choices often felt forced, leading to a disconnect between my character's development and the overall storyline.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is viewed positively, especially in contrast to its cousin "Fallen London," which is criticized for its reliance on in-app purchases and mobile game mechanics. Players appreciate that this game does not adopt a similar monetization strategy, making it more appealing for those who prefer a complete experience without additional costs.

    • “I despise 'Fallen London' for being basically a half mobile/half MMO game with in-app purchases.”
    • “The monetization model feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience of the game.”
    • “It's frustrating to see a game that could be great hampered by aggressive monetization tactics.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Play time

48hMedian play time
45hAverage play time
23-75hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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