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Writer's pictureJonathan Ribarro

Bughouse

Updated: Jul 21, 2023



At A Glance

  • Released on: 7/14/22

  • Reviews:115, net very positive, as of 7/2023

  • English Reviews: 78

  • Localized in: English

  • Had Publisher: No

  • Majority of reviews:

    • English ~59%

    • Portugese ~16%

    • Russian ~7%

  • Price: $1.99

  • Review report:

    • Negatives: poor graphics, audio was too loud, Steam page promised more than it delivered

    • Positives: Even though the enemy never appears until the scripted timer, a large portion of reviewers state they were scared (No danger present), PSX graphics hit, music was good



Gameplay

  • Can walk and run

  • Tutorial states light switches can be used, but too many on at once can cause a power failure

  • MC has a closet hole that is safe

    • From enemies maybe

  • Stayed in closet for awhile and lights went out

    • Can hear doors open and close nearby

  • Flashlight battery depletes during pause menu, not exactly fair

    • Also could not find batteries in the entire playthrough or any way to recharge the light

  • Cannot exit or interact with the front door

  • Harder without a flashlight, and didn’t find any batteries once the charge was depleted

  • Sanity drains while in the dark, but never discovered how this affects gameplay

  • Goal is to complete a bunch of chores, maybe avoid an enemy?

    • Haven’t seen anything by this point

  • Took me awhile to find pills

  • Chore says to clean up dirt, took me awhile to find all spots

    • Started wondering if I was the one leaving spots (because I was sprinting)

  • Running to the closet during the hide and seek sequence doesn’t seem to do anything, I got there in time and waited

    • Nothing happened

    • Eric got to me, not sure if mandatory for story progression

  • After reading the final note a chase sequence begins, barely enough time to process what was going on before getting caught

    • Ran upstairs from the basement, there is a light in the front door and escaping is a good? ending

Music

  • Really good music, even in main menu

    • Thematically appropriate, creepy, ‘crunchy’ just like PSX

    • Music matches the era

  • Scary music started when the lights in the house went off

  • Heavy industrial grunge music plays when ‘sanity’ gets low

    • Raises tension, not sure if it does anything


Sounds

  • Audio source near window in the bedroom, gets louder on approach

  • Thunder also cracks sometimes, very loud

  • Woman crying in the Silent hill world, leads to clues

Art

  • Yellow, Red, and black color scheme

  • Crusty PSX textures and art

  • After Eric, MC is transported to a Silent Hill-esque version of the house

    • Chains, rust, gross stuff everywhere

UI

  • Pause menu doesn’t pause game actions

    • Time still moves, power still goes out, even after turning the fuse box on

Writing

  • MC diary mentions ‘Eric’, seemed to be a real-life friend until pills were mentioned

    • Mother and father dont seem very supportive

    • MC is unlikeable at school

  • Indoor newspaper talks about a gruesome murder and weather that ‘may’ cause severe power outages

  • Takes place in the 80’s, mother leaves son home alone

  • Note on the fridge from Mother says if there is anyone in the house run to the closet and hide (Tried this later, didn’t lessen music so no indication that this actually works)

  • There is a chore to fill dog bowl with food, but where is dog?

  • Shadow outside the house is Eric and has a note

    • Says to play hide and seek and go to the closet

    • 30 second timer begins

  • After final diary entry Eric says he wants to take over

Scare Factor

  • Game is very good at making me think something is there in the dark

    • Power turns off again and sends a shiver down my spine, I knew it was coming

  • Completed all chores and a shadow appeared outside the kitchen window

    • Power goes out too (scripted?)

    • Thought the game would end if I ran back to the closet but didn’t

  • After picking up a note in the netherworld, soft breathing starts behind player

    • Shadow person standing right there, startling, but harmless

    • No audio cue or stinger, somehow that feels worse

Extra

  • Made with Unity

Overall

  • Game was very good at making me think danger was present when nothing was there

  • Music was top-notch

  • I don’t think the sanity functionality did anything besides change the music (And make me think an enemy was close)


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