House of Velez

About

House of Velez is a single player survival survival game with horror, mystery and violence themes. It was developed by Dark Room Games and was released on October 24, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

House of Velez is a horror game based around stealth/puzzle elements. It emphasizes sneaking, running and hiding mechanics to surpass obstacles rather than combat. The game features a "Focus Mode" that allows you to see your pursuers' field of vision and hearing radius, while also monitoring your own noise levels. Another feature is "Heart Rate Suppression" that restricts movement, but allow…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 80 reviews

story7 positive mentions

gameplay10 negative mentions

The game features impressive and professional voice acting that enhances immersion.
It has a unique and disturbing retro horror art style reminiscent of classic survival horror games.
The brutal and creative death scenes are highly detailed and a standout feature appreciated by many players.

The stealth and heartbeat suppression mechanics are frustrating, clunky, and often overly difficult, leading to tedious gameplay.
The game is very short with limited content, and the episodic release structure leaves some players unsatisfied.
Technical issues such as awkward controls, lack of keyboard/mouse support, and some bugs negatively impact the experience.

gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
41%
45%
The gameplay of House of Velez is widely criticized for its clunky controls, tedious stealth, and frustrating breath-holding mechanic, which many players found detracted from the horror and suspense. While the game shows ambition and strong atmospheric elements, these flawed mechanics often overshadow the experience, leading to mixed reactions despite solid voice acting and visuals.
- “Mechanically, the game is ambitious for an indie project, though not without imperfections.”
- “With a playtime of roughly five hours, House of Velez – Part 1 feels like the opening act of a larger descent, introducing its world, mechanics, and conflicts while intentionally leaving numerous threads unanswered.”
- “I think the difficulty and awkwardness of the heartbeat mechanic actually add to the horror.”
- “The gameplay itself was incredibly tedious and removed the element of suspense and horror from the game entirely.”
- “It's a very short game that gets dragged out due to the insanely clunky controls and terrible game mechanics which are responsible for most of your unintended deaths.”
- “Sadly, what screwed me over was simply the god awful main gameplay mechanic and the controls of this game.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
37%
19%
The story is widely praised for its haunting, immersive, and emotionally deep narrative, effectively conveyed through notes, environmental storytelling, and strong voice acting. While some frustration arises due to game mechanics and an incomplete ending, players remain captivated by its unsettling atmosphere and intriguing, layered plot that promises more to come.
- “Notes, journals, and environmental storytelling reveal a fragmented but intriguing picture of what Victor uncovered—and what it cost him.”
- “Dark Room Games succeeds in crafting an experience that is haunting, oppressive, and unforgettable, marking the beginning of a story that promises even deeper horrors yet to come.”
- “It really gives a deep story of the torment the father has to go through.”
- “Also, the game ends right in the middle of the story and part 2 is not available as of writing this review.”
- “For the sake of the art and story, just save yourself the anguish of fighting with a clunky game that feels and looks like a PS2 title forced through a poor emulator and watch the walkthrough free on YouTube.”
- “Also, the father's voice acting feels like it breaks the seriousness of the story in the gameplay.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
House of Velez – Part 1 is widely praised for its bleak, suffocating, and haunting atmosphere that creates intense psychological pressure and immersion. Despite some frustrating gameplay mechanics, players consistently highlight the game's unique, high-quality design and storytelling as key factors that elevate its unsettling and memorable ambiance.
- “House of Velez – part 1, developed and published by Dark Room Games, is a bleak and uncompromising entry in the survival-horror genre that foregoes action-heavy conventions in favor of psychological pressure, strategic stealth, and a steadily suffocating atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is the game’s greatest accomplishment.”
- “The atmosphere is suffocating; the enemies are so brutal and voice acting so otherworldly that the game feels cursed.”
- “House of Velez – Part 1, developed and published by Dark Room Games, is a bleak and uncompromising entry in the survival-horror genre that forgoes action-heavy conventions in favor of psychological pressure, strategic stealth, and a steadily suffocating atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is suffocating. The enemies are so brutal and voice acting so otherworldly that the game feels cursed.”
- “The game has strong style and atmosphere despite some frustrating mechanics.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The graphics of House of Velez are widely praised for their retro, disturbing, and creative style reminiscent of classic horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, effectively enhancing the game's intense and graphic content. Despite some technical quirks and UI usability issues, the art style contributes significantly to the game's unique mood and atmosphere.
- “The visuals are disturbing and creative, which is nice to see.”
- “Has some technical jank, but it actually works ridiculously well with its graphics style.”
- “Overall, it's a good horror game; I especially enjoyed the mood given by the retro graphics.”
- “The visuals are disturbing and creative which is nice to see.”
- “House of Velez – part 1 has earned a reputation among players for its intensity and graphic content.”
- “Graphic and stomach churning, irritating puzzles and riddles.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is largely viewed as tedious and detracts from the overall suspense and horror experience, with repetitive stealth mechanics and pacing that can feel more like a chore than engaging gameplay. However, simpler puzzles and streamlined inventory management help mitigate some frustration.
- “While I enjoyed the impressive voice acting and retro Resident Evil-esque aesthetic of House of Velez, the gameplay itself was incredibly tedious and removed the element of suspense and horror from the game entirely.”
- “Shitty stealth mechanic that just became a tedious thing to do.”
- “I think the heartbeat system is a good idea but it sort of straddles the line between tension-inducing and tedious.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits notable stability issues, frequently encountering bugs that disrupt gameplay. Overall, players report a buggy experience that affects performance and enjoyment.
- “The game is extremely buggy, causing frequent crashes and glitches that disrupt gameplay.”
- “Stability is a major issue; the frequent freezes and errors make it frustrating to play.”
- “Numerous bugs and instability problems result in a poor and unreliable gaming experience.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music is praised for its beautiful, fitting soundtrack that complements the saddening story and serves as a great homage to Hellraiser. Voice acting, especially by the main character Lily Velez, is highly regarded. Some users feel the audio could benefit from slight polishing in production quality.
- “10/10, beautiful soundtrack, saddening story, and great homage to Hellraiser.”
- “Solid music and sounds, and the voice actress playing the main character Lily Velez did a great job.”
- “Good voice acting, music, and effects; though I think they could use some polish processing-wise.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's replayability is enhanced by multiple routes, hidden lore, and alternate endings, encouraging players to revisit and experience different aspects despite its short length.
- “Despite its relatively short length, its replay value comes from exploring different routes, uncovering hidden lore, and experiencing alternate outcomes.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact is heightened by realistic voice acting, making cut-scenes feel cinematic and immersive.
- “Her voice acting was so real that some cut-scenes made me feel like I was watching a film.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is highlighted through the main character's playful fashion-inspired attitude and amusing crouching pose, adding a lighthearted and entertaining touch to the game.