Homebody is a horror puzzle/adventure in which you must escape a house filled not only with old friends and awkward conversations, but also a murderer. The combination of puzzle solving and detection avoidance combine for a tense but accessible—and surprisingly emotional—experience.
Homebody
Game Grumps · Jun 1, 2023
About
Homebody is a survival horror puzzle game where you catch up with old friends and try not to get murdered. Emily and her college buddies have gathered at a remote rental house to watch the Perseid meteor shower. They try to rekindle the bonds they once had, but lingering emotional wounds and social anxieties leave Emily feeling more alone than ever. When the power suddenly goes out, it’s almost a relief. But under the cover of darkness, a mysterious killer picks them off one by one. If Emily can’t find a way out, she’ll be trapped in this nightmare forever. Evade the killer, solve the house’s devious puzzles, and reconnect with your friends. Escaping the house may seem impossible at first, but with each attempt to put the pieces together, the bloodstained picture becomes more and more clear.
Trailers & screenshots
Scores by platform
Critic reviews
- 9.0Other than some awkward controls at times, Homebody has risen up the ranks to be one of my most enjoyable gaming experiences this year. The time loop/puzzle/survival horror combo is smartly put together, with a fantastic sense of progression constantly. Combined with the retro presentation and well written, engaging tale, Homebody is an easy recommendation to make.
- 7.5Homebody is unnerving. The puzzles are difficult, and it’s extremely rewarding when you slowly chip away at them as you uncover the secrets of the house. Equally, it’s immersive — you’ll slowly morph into the player character’s shoes and feel her fear of isolation. The only trouble with Homebody is it eventually feels less and less like a horror game, as you’ll eventually realize that it’s not all that scary — and quite forgiving.
- Homebody is a good mix of survival horror and challenging puzzles set against a backdrop of psychological themes. While the time loop mechanic can lead to repetitive moments, the engaging storytelling and puzzles make up for any shortcomings. The game's retro graphics combined with well-executed sound design create an atmosphere. This is a good "retro-horror", which is interesting to play not only for fans of retro, but also for all lovers of horror or puzzles.
- 8.0Homebody is truly a wonderful debut from the mind of Jory Griffis, with features reminiscent of notable classics such as The 7th Guest, Silent Hill, and Clock Tower, that are sure to leave devoted survival horror fans engaged and enthralled. As Emily progresses in the narrative, the killer will begin to appear earlier and earlier, creating a sense of urgency in the player that everything is about to come to a grand finale. With the world having collectively gone through its own period of isolation recently, Emily’s struggle with agoraphobia really drives home some feelings that many are sure to relate to and be moved by. The satisfying conclusion to Emily’s story is one that won’t soon be forgotten.
- 7.0Homebody may well take you by surprise. The writing and narrative are great, with some brilliant character creation dealing with a range of very real problems. The structure is interesting as well, even though at times you will feel at a bit of a loss for what to do. The puzzle designs are clever and varied with some treats for riddle fans out there, but ultimately it will be the basic visual designs which dictate the love.
Related games
Rate this game
Drag or use arrow keys to rate
to rate this game.