House of Rules
- December 17, 2021
- Chii the Cat
Get on Steam"House of Rules" is a horror puzzle game inspired by creepypastas, where you solve puzzles and follow unusual workplace protocols in a mansion to uncover the truth. With 20 collectible endings, shocking twists, and unique characters, the game offers a spooky and engaging experience. However, unpacking or modifying the game is strictly prohibited, while fan art and parodies are allowed under certain conditions.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features an engaging story with interesting characters and a unique art style that enhances the overall atmosphere.
- Puzzles are well-designed, providing a comfortable level of challenge without being overly frustrating, and the game includes multiple endings that encourage replayability.
- The soundtrack and sound design contribute significantly to the creepy ambiance, making for an immersive horror experience.
- Controls can be clunky and unresponsive, particularly during chase sequences, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The lack of an autosave feature and the inability to skip dialogue or cutscenes can make the game feel tedious, especially after repeated failures.
- Some puzzles may be overly obscure or poorly worded, leading to confusion and hindering the overall enjoyment of the game.
- story40 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and atmospheric depth, blending elements of mystery, tragedy, and love. While some players appreciate the classic storytelling and emotional resonance, others express a desire for more player agency and impactful choices. Overall, the story is considered a strong aspect of the game, with many finding it more compelling than expected, despite some critiques regarding pacing and direction.
“I won't spoil the story, but it's a nice combination of mystery, tragedy, and love that had more depth than I was expecting while going in blind.”
“The story is amazing; you can't help but love and feel sympathy for all the characters, and the sneaking around and solving the mystery is just so fun!”
“This is not a shallow horror game; the creator put a lot of thought and emotion into the narrative, which resulted in a beautiful story with rich characters and complex themes.”
“Stop holding my hand through every step; the player doesn't need a hint for every instruction or puzzle. Let me make my own decisions. I can see the makings of a game like Yuppie Psycho or The Count of Lucanor here, but the main thing holding it back is the railroading by the developers. Give me choices that seriously impact the game and its endings. Let me choose what I want to do, stop forcing me to go from A to B to complete my latest quest, and then reward or punish me for my decisions.”
“I personally get the moment when it's tense; why can't I skip the text to either continue the storyline faster or get to the action?”
“We (aka myself and future players) need more content to flesh out the story.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and thematic art style, which effectively contributes to the immersive atmosphere and storytelling. While some reviewers noted that the movement mechanics could be improved, the overall aesthetic, including character portraits and sound design, enhances the horror experience and captivates players. Despite minor polish issues, the visuals are considered a standout feature that complements the game's narrative and ambiance.
“The unique art style and character portraits were what drew me in at first, and the creepy atmosphere is well done; expect a few good scares and sudden noises in the first half of the game.”
“The art style and music both impressed me immediately when I started playing, and I found myself fully immersed in the story as it went along.”
“Damn that movement was some bullshit, but I loved the art style and story.”
“The unique art style and character portraits were what drew me in at first, and the creepy atmosphere is well done, expect a few good scares and sudden noises in the first half of the game.”
“The graphics and sound design form a cohesive atmosphere without any aspects that feel out of place or break the immersion.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stellar execution, featuring a unique art style, engaging story, and effective sound design that enhances immersion. Players appreciate the creepy ambiance and the well-crafted mystery, although some feel that pacing issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The atmosphere and story are engaging.”
“The unique art style and character portraits drew me in at first, and the creepy atmosphere is well done; expect a few good scares and sudden noises in the first half of the game.”
“The graphics and sound design form a cohesive atmosphere without any aspects that feel out of place or break the immersion.”
“The game has a horrible habit of making you watch every slow text output from the characters. I'm assuming this is to elicit the type of atmosphere for that moment, but that should be up to the person watching it.”
“Atmosphere in the game is lacking and fails to engage the player.”
“The atmosphere feels disjointed and doesn't draw you into the game world.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and immerse players in the story, with many noting its fitting and pleasant qualities. Reviewers highlighted how the soundtrack effectively complements the eerie tone of the game, contributing to moments of tension and overall enjoyment. The combination of music, art style, and narrative creates a cohesive experience that resonates well with players.
“The story is interesting, the art is cool, and the soundtrack is really good.”
“The art style and music both impressed me immediately when I started playing, and I found myself fully immersed in the story as it went along.”
“And the music fits the tone and atmosphere of the game perfectly, as well as being generally pleasant to listen to.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a while.”
“While the sound effects are decent, the music fails to leave a lasting impression and often feels forgettable.”
“The soundtrack is underwhelming and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience as much as I had hoped.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its clever puzzles and engaging mechanics, particularly the innovative 'hints' concept that keeps players challenged and interested. However, some users experienced technical issues, such as save file corruption, which detracted from their overall experience.
“I thought the puzzles were quite clever; the gameplay kept me interested and challenged.”
“Yes... I would've personally paid more for more story and gameplay.”
“My save files got corrupted halfway through gameplay, so I had to tweak them manually to recover my progress.”
“Yes... I would've personally paid more for more story and gameplay :)”
“I was not expecting to be as engrossed or excited by the gameplay.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to clunky controls that lead to repetitive gameplay and frustrating chases. Despite completing a significant portion of the game in a short time, the overall experience feels drawn out by the need to revisit scenes multiple times, which detracts from the enjoyment.
“And having completed 60% in a little over 2 hours (with at least some of that time being spent going through the same scenes for the 3rd or 4th time due to the clunky controls making chases tediously difficult), the game is very short.”
“I don't know if that was an oversight or on purpose, but there are some other small situations like that in the game that may make initial puzzle solving tedious.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its chilling moments and strong emotional engagement, leaving a lasting impression on players.
“It was quite chilling at moments, but above all, I was impressed by how emotionally engaging this was.”
