Hands-On Preview: Hello Neighbor 3, Prototype 2

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As a devoted fan of the intriguing series, Hello Neighbor, I can’t help but acknowledge the elephant in the room. Despite the first two installments in the Mr. Peterson-centric puzzle/horror/adventure/platformer/escape room saga resonating deeply with an enthusiastic fanbase, these games haven’t quite managed to secure widespread industry recognition yet.

Despite any prior ratings, let me assure you that there’s a lot more depth to Hello Neighbor than meets the eye at first glance. Contrary to popular belief, this is not merely a game about avoiding a psychopathic, homicidal neighbor.

As the games progress, they delve into unusual themes such as childhood trauma, grief, and remorse. Simultaneously, the visuals become increasingly surreal, unsettling, and warped.

Due to its past hype and buzz within certain communities, I’m eagerly anticipating what Hello Neighbor 3 might accomplish to truly establish itself as a significant player in the gaming industry. This upcoming installment appears to have the potential to make a substantial impact if it manages to combine all the strengths of the series into something innovative and intriguing.

Recently, I had the opportunity to test out the second preliminary version of Hello Neighbor 3 to catch a glimpse of their ongoing development efforts. While this prototype is clearly not yet finished, I can already sense where HN3 seems to be heading, and I’m eager to discover its final form once it’s completed.

Stranded In The Woods

The initial version of the construction immersed me straight into a fresh portrayal of Raven Brooks’ upcoming appearance. Although I understand that the ultimate build won’t literally resemble the game I played, the somewhat rough feel reminded me vividly of my first encounter with Slenderman in the past.

Indeed, it appears that Hello Neighbor 3 is leaning more towards the genre of survival-horror games, contrasting the experimental nature of its predecessors. Equipped with a flashlight and binoculars, I was tasked with an intriguing mission: to summon a bus in order to escape from this enigmatic town, as I found myself stranded without any personal possessions.

Among the trees, I walked along the road towards town to discover my exact location. A number of dilapidated houses dotted the neighborhood, allowing me to investigate them in search of additional tools such as crowbars, screwdrivers, plungers, and ladders, which would aid me in demolishing, fixing, or accessing new parts of the buildings and rooftops.

As I ventured beyond the town limits, I stumbled upon various neglected structures like an old gas station, which held treasures ripe for the taking and adding to my collection. While there wasn’t a massive utility for these items in this game version at present, it was intriguing to familiarize myself with their locations – a valuable piece of intel for future playthroughs when I might need them.

I had the ability to use tools such as a crowbar to force open locked doors, windows, and surveillance cameras on lawn mowers, enabling me to enter new parts of the houses or escape from potential perils.

If I’m spotted on camera in a building, the security systems would automatically secure the area by locking doors, barring windows, and raising staircases into the ceiling. This unexpected situation usually pushes me to find a clever way out, frequently leading me to discover hidden passages beneath beds or inside cabinets that I can squeeze through to make my escape.

What makes Hello Neighbor 3 exciting is that it appears as though the challenges and puzzles can be resolved in various manners, giving players the opportunity to think outside the box when dealing with each issue they’ll encounter within the game.

It appears that the game development might be moving towards a more flexible approach, allowing players to have a broader range of options for problem-solving, rather than restricting them to predetermined choices and actions to advance.

There were several methods available for receiving cell phone service and calling a bus to leave town in the prototype. One such method involved locating a lightning rod to generate power for a Ferris wheel, enabling me to ride it to the top and make a call from the higher altitude. To reach the amusement park where the Ferris wheel was situated, I needed to consume a cake, which enhanced my running speed, allowing me to bypass an obstacle in the forest.

This item is quite intriguing, hinting that the finished game version will incorporate challenges that demand both creativity and critical thinking to navigate through perilous situations and return to a secure location, which is not merely Mr. Peterson’s territory. It was indeed enjoyable discovering various tools in my inventory that could be utilized to solve puzzles effectively when I found myself in need of an escape route.

No Mr. Peterson… Yet

The game “Hello Neighbor” wouldn’t be the same without Mr. Peterson, but during my time with the prototype, I never had the chance to meet him. However, this doesn’t mean Raven Brooks was devoid of characters. My initial encounter was with a figure resembling a human, except it had a street sign for a face that came charging straight at me. Not exactly the warm reception I anticipated.

In this scenario, being spotted by him led to an instant reset, unfortunately I lost all the items I’d gathered prior to our odd encounter. I attempted to strike him with a crowbar, but it had no effect on him.

As for Hello Neighbor 3, I can’t say for certain if battles will be included in the final game, but it did feel like the game was subtly suggesting it during instances such as this one.

Additionally, I discovered that straying too deep into the unexplored parts of the forest would lead to an encounter with a peculiar character, often called the “woodland inhabitant.” The question arises if there was a human head beneath the traffic cone it wore. It’s hard to say for certain, but its demeanor certainly hinted at the possibility of more surreal representations similar to those we’ve encountered in earlier games.

Facing the forest inhabitant would permanently halt my journey, unlike other adversaries who would merely reappear elsewhere, stripping me of all my equipment. Consequently, venturing into the woods carried a significant risk because the forest inhabitant could suddenly appear from thin air and seize me the moment I strayed from the path.

It was intriguing to discover that this creature appeared to operate on a strict schedule before attempting capture, which necessitated my ingenuity in utilizing swiftness-enhancing items to dash through forest sections if the need arose. I found it satisfying to devise a clever solution for this challenge and felt intelligent when I solved it.

In addition to the menacing beings, there were also two human figures circulating around town. One was a woman with enormous blue locks, while the other individual had a habit of crashing cars, only to mysteriously vanish after an encounter in the woods with the forest inhabitant, never to be found again.

I trailed these non-player characters along their usual path, enabling me to watch their daily routines. This practice seems likely to be included in the finished game as well. The game’s Steam description suggests that the town’s inhabitants act based on their individual personalities and situations, hinting that our actions during Hello Neighbor 3 could affect the game’s outcome, possibly creating a cycle where each playthrough influences the next, suggesting a more run-based experience compared to the earlier games in the series.

Each Non-Player Character (NPC) I met had a marker above them indicating whether they were an enemy, stranger, neutral, or ally. These labels appear to influence the level of stealth required to engage with or avoid them. As one might anticipate, an adversary would aggressively attack me, whereas a stranger would provide space in the open world, but would still evict me from their home if I forced entry through a window or disrupted their security system. In all honesty, that’s a fair response.

I Need More

I find the latest addition to the series intriguing due to its apparent shift towards a more open-ended design, resembling a sandbox style, rather than the linear structure of previous games. To put it in perspective, the first Hello Neighbor game was largely confined to Mr. Peterson’s house, despite its growing complexity and surreal elements.

In Hello Neighbor 2, the gameplay is spread across various spots within Raven Brooks, with the main character, Quentin, spending considerable time exploring the town’s museum. This broadened perspective on the series is an interesting concept, but ultimately, it still felt somewhat isolated at its conclusion.

It’s exciting to notice Hello Neighbor 3 potentially expanding into a game that offers greater freedom to explore a larger, more dynamic environment. If the gameplay indeed leans towards a run-based approach where players can learn and adapt with each try, it could lead to a unique and engaging experience overall.

It’s fascinating to consider how the game is delving deeper into a survival-horror concept, and I’m eager to see how this theme unfolds as HN3 progresses. While the series has traditionally involved gathering various items to solve environmental puzzles and uncover hidden paths, it appears that this feature might be expanded upon significantly in the third installment.

It piques my interest to find out how Mr. Peterson, sporting his impressive mustache, will fit into the narrative and broader context of the game in this new installment.

To stay informed about upcoming details for Hello Neighbor 3, developers are consistently providing insightful and timely updates on the game’s Steam webpage. Additionally, you can add the game to your wishlist to receive notifications about future announcements.

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2025-06-04 03:09