The Housewife

About

"The Housewife" is a narrative-driven simulation game where you play as a 1960s housewife, managing household chores, raising a family, and navigating societal expectations. The game features a distinctive art style and offers a unique perspective on the role of women in mid-century America. Balance your daily tasks and personal goals while dealing with the challenges and rewards of domestic life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

43%

Audience ScoreBased on 105 reviews

humor8 positive mentions

story5 negative mentions

The game attempts to tackle a serious subject matter, raising awareness about domestic violence.
Some players found the soundtrack enjoyable and fitting for the game's themes.
A few reviews appreciated the game's unique approach to illustrating the feelings of fear and anxiety experienced by victims of abuse.

The gameplay is criticized for being tedious and lacking depth, often described as a poorly executed cleaning simulator.
Many players reported numerous bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of a coherent story, making the game feel unfinished.
The portrayal of domestic violence was seen as insensitive and trivializing, with some players feeling the game failed to deliver its intended message effectively.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
64%
23%
The game's story is criticized for its lack of depth and development, with many reviewers noting that it fails to provide a meaningful narrative or character engagement. While the intention to raise awareness about domestic violence is acknowledged, the execution is seen as unrealistic and superficial, leaving players with a disjointed experience that feels more like an empty simulation than a compelling story. Overall, the absence of a substantial plot and relatable gameplay detracts significantly from the game's impact.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “So, just a short game with a thoughtful story.”
- “The games focusing on artistic presentations or contemplative, social ideas should present a relatable enough story, rather than being an empty simulation.”
- “Non-existing gameplay with no explanation nor story; you are supposed to just clean your house and get beaten.”
- “No backstory, no dialogue, no character depth, nothing.”
- “The game is just doing chores, with the story just skin deep.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
64%
23%
The gameplay is primarily a cleaning simulator, drawing comparisons to "Viscera: Cleanup Detail," but is criticized for its poor quality, clunky controls, and lack of engaging content. While some players appreciate the innovative concept, many find the mechanics tedious and the overall experience boring, with a notable absence of a compelling story or context. Overall, the gameplay is seen as lacking depth and enjoyment, making it a disappointing experience for many.
- “The gameplay is very innovative and rare.”
- “Some bonus stages or 'dreams' help break up the gameplay a bit.”
- “Gameplay is nothing new but that's not the point of this game, the implications are.”
- “In terms of gameplay, this is a simple sandbox/cleaning simulator not too different mechanically from 'Viscera: Cleanup Detail', only far worse in quality.”
- “Gameplay is lacking; you are timed, but the game doesn't show it, and ultimately lacks any content.”
- “The controls are terribly clunky, the story is bad, and the gameplay is boring.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The humor in the game is described as unintentional and often derived from poor animations and execution, leading to a mix of awkwardness and absurdity rather than genuine comedy. While some players find moments, like the husband's exaggerated actions, amusing, many feel that the humor undermines the serious themes of domestic abuse, resulting in a disjointed experience that can be both cringe-worthy and laughable. Overall, the game's comedic elements are seen as a byproduct of its technical shortcomings rather than a deliberate design choice.
- “Omfg I'm laughing so hard.”
- “The only real reason to play this game is to watch the hilarious sequence in which the husband comes home thinking he's Roman Reigns and hits his wife with a superman punch.”
- “I mean I probably should not have been laughing, but it was literally the most abrupt and poorly animated ending I have ever seen.”
- “Yeah, it's not funny.”
- “I'm not sure if the creators of this game thought that it was funny, but it is really not funny.”
- “Not only does it teach the horror of domestic abuse, but it also teaches the player how to optimize the time you are given to perform a task and the unfunny feeling you get when someone watches you as you perform your duties.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its beautiful and lengthy soundtrack that blends old school techno with classic historical themes, enhancing their emotional experience. However, some critics found the music to be soulless and noted issues with track management, suggesting a lack of thoughtful design in the audio experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is a highlight for some, it may not resonate with all players.
- “The soundtrack was a good mix between old school techno and the old town classics from the greatest periods of history; it was a nice touch to my emotional state while playing this beautiful game.”
- “Beautiful music.”
- “Beautiful music, very long soundtrack.”
- “The music is soulless, and there's actually a designated key to change to the next track because the developer apparently doesn't understand what a wavebank is.”
- “Very long soundtrack.”
- “This game is a little bit boring; the only thing I liked was the music.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
13%
50%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the brilliant artwork and realistic visuals, while others criticize them as poor, buggy, and reminiscent of unfinished assets. Overall, the consensus leans towards dissatisfaction with the graphical quality, despite some appreciation for the innovative ideas behind the game.
- “My conclusion is: a wonderful title with an innovative idea and realistic graphics.”
- “The graphics are stunning and truly enhance the overall experience of the game.”
- “The visuals are beautifully crafted, making the game a joy to explore.”
- “Bad graphics, buggy controls and seems the map has an unfinished feel.”
- “The graphics are a repugnant mix of public Unity assets.”
- “Bad graphics.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively immerses players in the emotional turmoil of its protagonist, evoking feelings of helplessness and fear associated with emotional and physical abuse. While the soundtrack enhances the emotional experience, some players feel that the game struggles to create a deep emotional connection between them and the character, despite successfully portraying the impact of abuse through gameplay elements. Overall, it offers a poignant exploration of serious issues, though its emotional resonance may vary among players.
- “I just want to say... thank you for the emotional rollercoaster, I wish my daughter was with me to witness it...”
- “The soundtrack was a good mix between old school techno and the old town classics from the greatest periods of history; it was a nice touch to my emotional state while playing this beautiful game...”
- “The other part that most conveys something about being an abuse victim are the end screens to each level--it doesn't matter if you pass or fail, you're still experiencing fear, anxiety, and emotional pain.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, with repetitive tasks that lack excitement. The gameplay is described as boring, particularly due to the lack of a time limit, which contributes to a sense of drudgery throughout the four chapters.
- “The game consists of 4 chapters, and in each chapter, we are given a list of tedious tasks to complete before our husband comes back home.”
- “Again, their gameplay is similarly tedious, though this time without the time limit.”
- “This game is so tedious and boring.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitchy controls, and an overall unfinished feel to the map. These issues contribute to a poor gameplay experience, making it difficult to enjoy the game fully.
- “It's buggy, it's glitchy, and it's overall weird; it doesn't really play well and you can finish it all in an hour.”
- “Bad graphics, buggy controls, and the map seems to have an unfinished feel.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization of "colossal wreck" has been criticized as exploitative and low-effort, with users labeling it a $5 cash grab that insensitively capitalizes on serious themes like domestic abuse.
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems designed solely to squeeze money from players rather than enhance the gaming experience.”
- “I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it feels like every corner I turn, there's a prompt to spend more money.”
- “The game is fun, but the constant push for in-game purchases really ruins the overall experience.”