The Next Door
- March 21, 2016
- Labory
Get on Steam"The Next Door" is an artistic, surrealist adventure game that explores the boundary between dreams and reality. Through its beautiful graphics and intriguing puzzles, players will uncover the mysteries of the subconscious mind, while questioning the nature of existence and self. This immersive experience, part game and part journey, offers a fresh perspective on storytelling and gameplay.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and surreal experience that can evoke strong emotions and reflections on life.
- It has interesting artistic elements and environments that some players find immersive and engaging.
- Despite its flaws, the game can provide a brief escape and enjoyment, especially for fans of abstract and experimental games.
- The game suffers from poor optimization, with reports of lag and low frame rates, making it frustrating to play.
- Many puzzles are seen as overly difficult or lacking logic, leading to confusion and reliance on walkthroughs.
- The lack of a save system and menu options detracts from the overall experience, forcing players to restart frequently.
- graphics5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are criticized for being poorly optimized and lacking polish, leading to a floaty and laggy experience that detracts from immersion. While some users find the visuals appealing, the overall execution fails to meet expectations, particularly in relation to puzzle design, which feels uninspired and tedious.
“+ looks pretty good with graphics”
“No graphics options, it's badly optimized and lacks overall polish.”
“The graphics are very floaty and seem to have some lag; this isn't comfortable at all and sort of detaches me from the game. Maybe it's intentional, but I don't like it.”
- story3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's story is perceived as abstract and surreal, lacking a traditional narrative structure, which may leave players feeling disconnected from a cohesive storyline. However, some users find a moral lesson about perseverance and the unpredictability of life woven into the experience.
“The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“This is not a story-based game; it is very surreal and has no real storyline as far as I can tell.”
“This is not a story-based game; it is very surreal and has no real storyline as far as I can tell.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it relaxing and soothing, while others criticize it for being repetitive and irritating. Overall, it seems to contribute to a lackluster experience, overshadowed by other design flaws.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Listing the flaws of the next door could indeed be a game in and of itself; incredibly uncomplicated puzzles, nauseating music that resounds in cursory loops, terribly designed and piercingly bright areas that burn out your retinas, awful player movement and interaction, the worst optimization imaginable and it takes thirty minutes to complete, due to the harsh content however, this is a blessing.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game suffers from severe optimization issues, lacking graphics options and overall polish, which contributes to a frustrating experience. Players have noted poorly designed environments, problematic player movement, and a general lack of refinement that detracts from gameplay.
“No graphics options; it's badly optimized and lacks overall polish.”
“Incredibly uncomplicated puzzles, nauseating music that resounds in cursory loops, terribly designed and piercingly bright areas that burn out your retinas, awful player movement and interaction, the worst optimization imaginable.”
“It takes thirty minutes to complete, but due to the harsh content, this is a blessing.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players generally recommend grinding for effective farming in the game, suggesting that it enhances resource acquisition and overall progression.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, but the rewards just aren't worth the time invested.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding in this game quickly becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for being dull and lacking meaningful engagement, leading to a sense of senselessness in player actions.
“Dull and senseless gameplay.”
