The House of E.

About

The House of E. is a single player puzzle game with a horror theme. It was developed by Gamenastica Studios and was released on March 23, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

The House of E. is a story-driven puzzle game with horror elements and a creepy atmosphere.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 48 reviews

story12 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The House of E offers a compelling storyline with engaging puzzles and multiple endings, providing a unique experience based on player choices.
The atmosphere is effectively creepy, enhanced by well-timed jump scares and a haunting soundtrack that keeps players on edge.
As a free game, it delivers impressive quality, with smooth gameplay mechanics and a well-designed environment that immerses players in the horror experience.

The game suffers from significant performance issues, including lag and a lack of graphics options, which detracts from the overall experience.
Some players found the puzzles to be unclear at times, leading to frustration and confusion about how to progress.
There is no save feature, requiring players to complete the game in one sitting, which can be inconvenient and may hinder enjoyment.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The game's story is widely praised for its compelling and immersive narrative, which revolves around a search for a missing sister in a haunted mansion filled with dark secrets. Players appreciate the well-developed plot, engaging puzzles, and atmospheric setting, although some note minor performance issues and occasional clarity problems in progressing the story. Overall, the narrative is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience significantly.
- “Absolutely outstanding game, throughout the entire gameplay I was fully immersed in the storyline.”
- “Providing a solid few hours of gameplay, replayability thanks to alternate endings, a compelling storyline, complex characters, and a spooky atmosphere throughout, this was easily one of the best free horror games I've downloaded from Steam recently and one I know I'll go back to in time.”
- “The story is well written, the gameplay was smooth, and the puzzles were challenging and fun!”
- “At times, the lead to the next clue to progress the story wasn't obvious.”
- “There exist a few typographical errors or issues in phrasing that overall do not affect story comprehension but could easily be revised.”
- “Some story is shown in pages of text.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as spooky, tense, and creepy, effectively enhancing the horror experience with well-executed jumpscares and immersive sound effects. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a lived-in mansion feel, contributing to a sense of unease and mystery throughout the gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, making it a memorable and engaging experience for players.
- “The puzzles are fun, the atmosphere is creepy, and you don't have to find batteries for your flashlight!”
- “The atmosphere is surprisingly scary and a few of the jumpscares really got me.”
- “Tense, creepy atmosphere throughout.”
- “Its gameplay is seamless, the storyline is mysterious and eerie, and the graphics, while not hyper-realistic, effectively convey a lived-in mansion atmosphere.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The gameplay is engaging and immersive, featuring a mix of exploration and puzzle-solving within a spooky mansion setting. Players appreciate the seamless mechanics and unique puzzles that enhance the horror experience, alongside a compelling storyline and complex characters. With solid replayability due to alternate endings, this free horror game stands out for its effective atmosphere and enjoyable controls.
- “Providing a solid few hours of gameplay, replayability thanks to alternate endings, a compelling storyline, complex characters, and a spooky atmosphere throughout, this was easily one of the best free horror games I've downloaded from Steam recently and one I know I'll go back to in time.”
- “Its gameplay is seamless, the storyline is mysterious and eerie, and the graphics, while not hyper-realistic, effectively convey a lived-in mansion atmosphere.”
- “The mechanics are simple and easy to use, and the puzzles are great because every item you can pick up, and almost everything you can interact with is part of a puzzle.”
- “Now let's talk about the mechanics and puzzles.”
- “The gameplay is mostly solving puzzles and exploring the mansion.”
- “An adventure horror game with the main mechanic being an item puzzler, of finding objects around a mansion and using them to advance the game.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are generally praised for effectively creating an immersive atmosphere, particularly in conveying a lived-in mansion feel, though some users noted a lack of resolution options and graphics tweaks. Overall, the visuals complement the gameplay and story well, enhancing the overall experience despite minor typographical issues.
- “The graphics were excellent.”
- “Its gameplay is seamless, the storyline is mysterious and eerie, and the graphics, while not hyper-realistic, effectively convey a lived-in mansion atmosphere.”
- “Graphics are nice and add to the game, as well as the sound design.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The graphics, while not hyper-realistic, effectively convey a lived-in mansion atmosphere.”
- “There are a few typographical errors or issues in phrasing that overall do not affect story comprehension that could easily be revised.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game suffers from significant performance issues, with many users noting poor graphics optimization that leads to lag. However, it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, suggesting that it may perform better on certain platforms. Overall, while the story is intriguing, the optimization leaves much to be desired.
- “It runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, and I highly recommend giving it a shot, even though I haven't finished it yet.”
- “This game has massive performance issues. While the story sounds interesting and compelling, it is clear this was someone's short test of coding skills rather than an attempt at making an actual game.”
- “The graphics aren't optimized, so the game lags terribly.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional atmosphere of the game to be unsettling and immersive, effectively conveying a sense of unease as they navigate the mansion. This emotional tension enhances the overall experience, making it memorable and impactful.
- “Honestly, I did enjoy the game. The atmosphere of being in the mansion with you made me feel very uneasy; it created a great sense of tension.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me, making their struggles feel personal and impactful.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the storyline; it evoked a range of emotions that stayed with me long after I finished playing.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be effective, particularly noting that the newspaper ads add an amusing touch to the overall experience.
- “The newspaper ads are hilarious!”
- “The humor in the game is spot on and keeps me laughing.”
- “I love the witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music and ambient sounds in the game effectively enhance the tension and atmosphere, particularly during jump scares and exploration of the creepy mansion, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
- “I loved the jump scares, the tension the music sets, the storyline, and the puzzles I needed to solve to reach the end.”
- “Loved the music and ambient sound while exploring the creepy mansion.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers high replayability due to its alternate endings, compelling storyline, and complex characters, making it a standout free horror title on Steam that players are likely to revisit.
- “Providing a solid few hours of gameplay, replayability thanks to alternate endings, a compelling storyline, complex characters, and a spooky atmosphere throughout, this was easily one of the best free horror games I've downloaded from Steam recently and one I know I'll go back to in time.”
- “High replayability with alternate endings.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the mansion's size, noting that it enhances exploration without feeling tedious, making the grinding aspect more enjoyable.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is highlighted by humorous newspaper ads, which add a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.