Info about Secret Neighbor: Hello Neighbor Multiplayer:

Official game description:
Secret Neighbor is a multiplayer Social Horror game set in the Hello Neighbor universe. Explore the Hello Neighbor house with your friends, but beware - one of you is the Neighbor in disguise. Use teamwork and rescue your friend from the basement, or mess with everyone’s heads as the Neighbor!  
Your group has one goal - sneak around the house, collecting the keys in order to unlock the basement door. The only problem is - one of you is the Neighbor, a traitor in disguise!  
Cooperate with your teammates, stay together or tactically split up, use your perks and abilities, and drop those basement door locks one by one.  
Stop the intruders! Use your disguise to gain their trust, set up traps, and dispose of those pesky intruders one by one. Convince your friends someone else is the Neighbor and let the witch hunt begin. Your secret must remain safe!  
Experienced enough to navigate the official maps with your eyes closed? Jump into the Level Editor and build your own maze, then invite your friends over to play!

Release date: Oct 24, 2019

Categories: Social Deduction, Asymmetrical Multiplayer, Horror, Stealth Gameplay, Cooperative Multiplayer, Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer, Level Editor

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 30; verdict: Standard; summary: The game features cosmetic microtransactions and an item shop where players can purchase skins with real money. While these monetization strategies are present, they are not overly predatory as they do not affect gameplay and are purely cosmetic. The game does not exhibit pay-to-win mechanics, which is a positive aspect.
- Steam Deck: score 60; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The Steam Deck experience for this game is marred by significant stability issues, including frequent crashes and freezing. Additionally, connectivity problems and the need for a VPN to access the game, along with anti-cheat and hacking issues, further detract from the user experience. Performance issues, such as low FPS, also contribute to a less than optimal gaming experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $6.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community finds the game worthwhile primarily when it is on sale. Multiple reviews mention that the game is worth buying at a discounted price, with specific mentions of $6 and general references to sale prices being more reasonable. The general sentiment is that the full price of around $20 is considered too high by many users.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 45.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides some direct and indirect indications of playtime. The first two quotes give specific total playtime hours from beta testing, which can be used to estimate game completion time. The third quote mentions that after 2 hours, players needed new maps, indicating that sessions can last at least a couple of hours. The fourth quote suggests that players can spend a few hours in a single session with friends.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Secret Neighbor is a multiplayer game that is most enjoyable when played with friends, as it enhances the social and cooperative aspects of the game. Playing with random players or alone can lead to frustration and boredom.
  - Stance: Fun with friends
  - Anchor: Playing with friends
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: lack of communication with random players; repetitive gameplay; presence of hackers and annoying players
  - Unlock drivers: playing with friends; good community
  - Conditions: playing with friends; having a good community; using voice chat; playing during active community events
- Player Archetypes:
  - Franchise Fan (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of the Hello Neighbor franchise and multiplayer experience.
    - Playstyle: Cooperative and social, prefers playing with friends.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Hello Neighbor fan; Multiplayer enthusiast
    - Reference games: Hello Neighbor; Among Us
  - Social Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of social interaction and strategic gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Cooperative and strategic, enjoys the social dynamics and tension.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Social gamer; Strategy enthusiast
    - Reference games: Friday the 13th; Among Us
  - Competitive Veteran (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Mastery of game mechanics and competitive gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Competitive and strategic, enjoys mastering game mechanics and challenges.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: Veteran player; Competitive gamer
    - Reference games: Dead by Daylight; Among Us


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.41): Players consistently describe the game as fun and enjoyable, particularly when played with friends. The gameplay mechanics are highlighted as engaging and entertaining.
- Enhanced experience with friends (weight 0.21): The game is noted to be significantly more enjoyable when played with friends, making it a great multiplayer experience. Players appreciate the social aspect and the fun it brings.
- Interesting and varied characters (weight 0.16): The game features a variety of characters with unique abilities, which adds depth and interest to the gameplay. Players appreciate the character diversity and design.
- Unique mix of horror and strategy (weight 0.09): The game combines elements of horror, strategy, and social gameplay, creating a unique and suspenseful multiplayer experience. Players enjoy the blend of genres.
- Good value for money (weight 0.09): Players feel that the game offers good value for money, especially when purchased on sale. The pricing is considered fair and worth the investment.
- Teamwork and betrayal mechanics (weight 0.07): The game features a unique mix of teamwork and betrayal mechanics, adding a layer of complexity and intrigue to the gameplay.
- Recommended game (weight 0.07): Players highly recommend the game, especially when it is on sale. The overall consensus is that it is a worthwhile purchase.
- Unique and cozy vibe (weight 0.07): Players appreciate the unique experience and cozy vibe the game offers. The distinct atmosphere sets it apart from other games.
- Positive feedback in Russian (weight 0.07): Russian-speaking players describe the game as cool and interesting, indicating a positive reception among this group.
- Variety of maps (weight 0.07): The game offers a variety of maps, which players appreciate for adding diversity and replayability to the gameplay.

Common complaints:
- Cheaters ruining gameplay experience (weight 0.36): Many players report encountering cheaters frequently, which significantly disrupts the gameplay experience. The presence of cheaters and hackers is widespread, making the game unplayable for some.
- Matchmaking and online issues (weight 0.24): Players experience long matchmaking times and have difficulty joining friends. There are also reports of network errors and authentication errors, leading to a poor online experience.
- Game lacks originality and popularity (weight 0.2): The game is criticized for being boring and repetitive, especially when played solo. It lacks originality and has a low player base, making it less enjoyable over time.
- Developers not addressing issues (weight 0.19): Players feel that the developers are not paying attention to the game, with no updates or fixes being released. This has led to a perception that the game is abandoned and the developers have forgotten about it.
- Updates negatively impacting the game (weight 0.18): Recent updates have made the game worse, according to several players. These updates have introduced negative changes and have not addressed the core issues affecting the gameplay.
- Game plagued by bugs (weight 0.17): There are numerous reports of bugs in the game, including wall and fog bugs, as well as issues specific to certain maps. These bugs can be annoying and affect the overall gameplay experience.
- Game balance issues (weight 0.14): There are significant balance issues in the game, leading to unbalanced gameplay and matchmaking. This makes the game less enjoyable and frustrating for many players.
- Low player base and high-level players (weight 0.09): The game has a low player base, with only a few players online at any given time. This, combined with the presence of high-level players, can make the game less accessible and enjoyable for new or casual players.
- Penalties for leaving matches (weight 0.07): There are penalties for leaving matches, which can last for an extended period. This can be frustrating for players who need to leave a match for legitimate reasons.
- Difficulty in earning achievements (weight 0.06): Some achievements in the game are very hard to earn, adding to the frustration of players. This difficulty can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

Gameplay feedback:
- Strategic and cooperative gameplay (weight 0.15): The game features strategic gameplay that emphasizes cooperation and deception, offering a mix of strategy and chaos.
- Neighbor's powers and abilities (weight 0.14): One player can take on the role of the Neighbor, who has a range of powers and abilities to sabotage others.
- Similar to Among Us (weight 0.12): The game blends gameplay similar to Among Us, with multiple reviews highlighting its resemblance to the popular social deduction game.
- Online multiplayer focus (weight 0.11): The game emphasizes online multiplayer mechanics, including cooperative gameplay and social deduction.
- Unique character abilities (weight 0.11): Players can choose from a variety of characters, each with unique roles and abilities, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Journalist game mode (weight 0.09): A new game mode or class allows players to take on the role of a journalist, adding a unique gameplay element.
- Hide and seek mechanics (weight 0.08): The gameplay involves hide and seek mechanics, adding a layer of tension and unpredictability to the matches.
- Tense and unpredictable gameplay (weight 0.06): The game offers tense and unpredictable matches, keeping players on edge and adding to the thrill.
- Stealth and exploration (weight 0.05): Gameplay involves stealth, exploration, and social deduction, blending multiple genres.
- Character selection and achievements (weight 0.05): The game features multiplayer with character selection and achievements, adding to the replayability.
- Easy difficulty (weight 0.05): The game is noted for its easy difficulty, making it accessible to a wide range of players.
- Grind for leaderboards (weight 0.04): Grinding is only necessary if players care about leaderboards, ranks, or in-game coins.

Performance notes:
- Game crashes frequently (weight 0.15): The game experiences frequent crashes, including on launch, during startup, and randomly during gameplay.
- Internet and authentication issues (weight 0.11): Players report crashes due to internet problems and authentication errors. Some reviews are in Russian and Turkish.
- Server and connectivity issues (weight 0.1): There are reports of server issues and disconnections. Some reviews are in Chinese and Turkish.
- PC requirements and hardware issues (weight 0.08): Players mention decent PC requirements and hardware issues, including GPU overheating and power supply problems.
- Long load times and optimization (weight 0.07): The game suffers from long load times and lacks optimization, affecting overall performance.
- Microphone recognition issues (weight 0.05): The game may not recognize the microphone, causing communication problems.
- Graphics and video settings (weight 0.03): Players request specific video and graphics settings, especially for laptops.
- Multiple launch attempts needed (weight 0.03): Players report needing multiple attempts to successfully launch the game.
- Cursor snapping back (weight 0.02): Players experience issues with the cursor snapping back, causing inconvenience.

Recommendations:
- Play with friends (weight 0.31): Playing with friends is highly recommended as it enhances the gaming experience. Some reviews specify playing with friends from the same country.
- Recommended with reservations (weight 0.27): Many players recommend the game, especially when playing with friends or purchasing it on sale. However, some suggest trying it out despite its issues.
- Technical and gameplay suggestions (weight 0.16): Players have various suggestions for improving the game, including updating hardware, adjusting settings, adding more emotes, and changing fighting mechanics.
- Buy only on sale (weight 0.16): Several reviews suggest that the game is worth buying only when it is discounted. Some even advise against buying it at all, even on sale.
- Good for specific audiences (weight 0.1): The game is recommended for fans of the Hello Neighbor franchise, those seeking something new and exciting, and players who enjoy tense games with stealth elements.
- Specific requests and warnings (weight 0.08): Some reviews include specific requests such as bringing back customizable characters and flashlight, and warnings about the online experience deteriorating.
- Mixed reviews in different languages (weight 0.06): There are mixed reviews in different languages, with some recommending the game and others discouraging it.
- Niche or low-quality feedback (weight 0.03): Some feedback is very niche or low quality, such as mentions of kids or specific character issues.

Other player notes:
- Console gaming preference (weight 0.03): Many players primarily use consoles for gaming. This indicates a significant user base that prefers console platforms over others.
- VPN activation suggestion (weight 0.03): Some feedback suggests enabling a VPN, possibly indicating issues with regional access or connectivity that players believe can be resolved using a VPN.
- Request for pumpkin hat (weight 0.02): There is a specific request for a pumpkin hat item for the journalist character. This suggests players are interested in customization options and seasonal items.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.34): Players are frustrated primarily due to technical issues such as game crashes, bugs, and frequent encounters with cheaters. Additionally, matchmaking problems, unbalanced gameplay, and issues with teammates contribute significantly to this frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.14): Disappointment stems from the game's decline in quality over time, lack of updates, and the presence of cheaters. Players also express dissatisfaction with changes made in updates, such as graphical and gameplay alterations, and the overall state of the game not meeting their expectations.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Players are satisfied with the game's graphics, gameplay mechanics, and overall performance. The ease of learning for new players and the suitability for various age groups also contribute to this positive sentiment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment comes from the tense and engaging gameplay, especially when playing with friends. The game's quality, variety of elements, and the fun atmosphere are also significant contributors to this emotion.
- Joy (weight 0.06): Joy is derived from the fun and unexpected moments experienced with friends. The unique charm of the game and the overall positive experiences, including high playtime and enjoyment, contribute to this feeling.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is generated by the engaging and intense gameplay, especially when playing with friends. The tense and unpredictable nature of the game, along with its unique concept and multiplayer features, adds to this excitement.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.05): Nostalgia is felt by players who have a history with the game, often reminiscing about childhood memories and preferring older versions of the game. The desire to revert to previous game styles and the comparison to past states evoke this sentiment.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger is primarily caused by encounters with cheaters and poor gameplay experiences. Issues such as game balance, toxic players, and the presence of hackers also contribute significantly to this emotion.
- Positive (weight 0.02): Positive feelings arise from enjoying the game's features and recommending it to others. Despite some flaws, players appreciate the game's qualities and have an overall positive evaluation.
- Sadness (weight 0.02): Sadness is felt due to the game's low player count and its failure despite its potential. The decline in the game's state and the lack of friends to play with also contribute to this emotion.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love for the game is expressed by players who appreciate the gameplay experience despite its problems. The overall enjoyment and attachment to the game contribute to this sentiment.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is derived from the expectation that developers will resume updates and improve the game. Players express optimism for future updates and suggestions for enhancement.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness comes from finally playing the game and finding it entertaining. The overall quality and tactical nature of the game, along with its fun and educational aspects, contribute to this emotion.
- Fear (weight 0.01): Fear is evoked by the game's atmosphere and level design, which create a scary and tense gameplay experience. The suspenseful elements and scary atmosphere contribute to this feeling.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement is derived from funny scenarios and interesting characters within the game. The game's concept and betrayal mechanics also contribute to this entertaining experience.}