New Face On The Block

About

New Face On The Block is a single player simulation game with horror, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Yellow Basement Games and was released on February 2, 2026. It received very positive reviews from players.

A psychological home-invasion horror set in the bleak year of 1992, focusing on tension, atmosphere, and an immersive soundtrack. The story involves elements of a cult, rituals meant to reach the dead, and the haunting presence of those who should have remained in the past.

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 41 reviews

story9 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game offers a genuinely scary and intense atmosphere with excellent sound design and tension that keeps players on edge.
Strong and well-written story with memorable moments and unexpected twists, supported by good mechanics and detailed NPC models.
Short but effective experience with a unique setting in a post-Soviet apartment block, providing immersive and creepy environmental details.

The narrative can feel fragmented and sometimes confusing, with a desire for deeper lore and more extended story development.
Graphical and gameplay bugs occasionally disrupt the experience, including collision issues and game glitches.
The ending feels rushed and abrupt, lacking a more climactic or extended finale that could enhance the overall impact.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
37%
16%
The story received mixed reviews, praised by many for its engaging, well-written narrative with unexpected twists and an immersive atmosphere, but criticized by others for cliche elements, shallow dialogue, and a lack of depth. While the psychological horror aspects and pacing of story reveals were appreciated, some felt the scares and lore were underdeveloped or disconnected from the narrative. Overall, the story effectively complemented the game's creepy ambiance but left certain players wanting more complexity and originality.
- “It quickly becomes clear that something isn’t right, and you find yourself pulled into a story you never intended to be part of.”
- “The story is delivered in small pieces — just enough to move you forward — but rarely enough to fully understand what is happening until the very end.”
- “Story is memorable and takes some unexpected twists and turns along the way.”
- “For what it aimed to encapsulate, striving for unexpected psychological horror inducing shiver while harnessing the peculiar charm of post-Soviet atmosphere, the game seemed to leave its aims half-baked, while nailing down the cold, yet nostalgic, environment of the misty evenings in eastern European countries, yet failing to build up any sense of danger with rather lackluster scares that sometimes seemed way too dependent on sounds that didn't seem to correlate with the story in any sense.”
- “This, unfortunately, went hand in hand with the game's cliche storytelling, dialogues and writing which seemed diluted and more or less surface-level - the lore went way too into a straightforward direction, leaving little space to ponder about any of the underlying details that could've been hidden in-between, and for a game that made its narrative rely on 'dead ladies in white gowns, residents talking about death, and a (not so) hidden neighborhood cult', this made any of the interest that could've been built up dissipate in seconds.”
- “While for eastern Europeans the game might inflict some heart-warming nostalgia, subtly inflicting reminiscence on the grandma's apartment you used to once visit, 'New Face on the Block' falls flat as a psychological horror media first and foremost, not really bringing anything new with its storytelling or the supposed heebie-jeebies that were promised to the table.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
29%
18%
The game excels in creating a dense, creepy, and immersive atmosphere that effectively builds tension without overusing jump scares. Its sound design and detailed setting, particularly the post-Soviet environment, enhance the unsettling mood and keep players on edge throughout. While the narrative and scare elements may feel uneven at times, the overall atmospheric experience is consistently praised.
- “The atmosphere is great and it really keeps you on edge all the way through.”
- “The atmosphere does a great job of making you feel uncomfortable without relying on cheap jumpscares, and the tension builds naturally as you explore.”
- “The atmosphere is crazy and I had a knot in my stomach the whole time.”
- “For what it aimed to encapsulate—striving for unexpected psychological horror and capturing the peculiar charm of post-Soviet atmosphere—the game left its aims half-baked. While nailing the cold, nostalgic environment of misty evenings in Eastern European countries, it failed to build any real sense of danger, with lackluster scares that often relied on sounds unrelated to the story.”
- “The atmosphere is consistently creepy, though the narrative can feel fragmented at times.”
- “The atmosphere is so dense you can cut it with a knife; the sound design is so creepy I had to take off my headphones at times.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics and immersive storytelling, offering a fun and content-rich experience as players explore different realms and uncover mysteries. It combines enjoyable gameplay with a thrilling, scary atmosphere.
- “Great story, nice mechanics.”
- “Enter different realms throughout the house and uncover its mysteries within, a super fun game with tons of content and scary gameplay, phenomenal!”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics are praised for creating a creepy and unsettling atmosphere, contributing to an excellent visual experience that enhances the overall pacing and immersion, especially in a walking simulator horror game.
- “Soundtrack, visuals, and pacing are excellent... highly recommended for walking simulator horror games!”
- “Creepy and unsettling atmosphere throughout with great graphics.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the horror atmosphere, with a well-crafted soundtrack that effectively builds tension and fear. Its pacing and intensity, especially during jumpscares, contribute significantly to the immersive and suspenseful experience.
- “Soundtrack, visuals, and pacing are excellent... highly recommended for walking simulator horror games!”
- “The music and jumpscares really had me scared to look around corners.”
- “Music was frenetic at certain points.”
- “The music was frenetic at certain points.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is generally stable with well-implemented autosave, though users report occasional minor glitches like falling through the map. Overall, it is praised for a smooth, glitch-free experience with no major sound or stability issues.
- “Well done devs, nice to see this was not a 5-minute game which is always good. I'll score this game as first played 10/10. No glitches, no sound breaks, all well made.”
- “A teeny bit buggy (I fell through the map once and almost did it a second time), but not a big deal thanks to autosave.”
- “Had encounter with a couple of glitches but still not bad.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a strong emotional response through its heavy horror elements and nostalgic references, especially for Eastern European players. However, it falls short as a psychological horror, offering little innovation in storytelling or genuinely unsettling moments.
- “Strong horror presence, emotionally heavy.”
- “For Eastern Europeans, the game might inflict some heart-warming nostalgia, subtly invoking reminiscence of the grandma's apartment you once used to visit.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is highly demanding and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort and persistence to progress.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well optimized, providing smooth performance and a variety of setting options to customize the experience.
- “Fun game, well optimized, lots of setting options.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is light and mildly amusing, providing occasional laughs without being particularly memorable or impactful.