Homebody

Homebody is a psychological horror adventure game with roguelike elements. It was developed by the independent studio Game Grumps, previously responsible for the warmly received dating sim Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator. The creators were inspired by the defining games of the genre as well as 1980s slasher movies.

Plot

The main protagonist of Homebody is Emily, who, together with her college friends, rented a house in a remote area to watch the Perseids together. Although the meeting was intended as an opportunity to renew old bonds, it instead reopens old wounds and brings back repressed negative emotions. Ultimately, the electricity inside the building gets cut off, while the protagonist and her friends become targets of a mysterious killer who starts hunting them down, one by one. Emily must find a way to survive and escape the house back to safety.

Mechanics

The action in Homebody is viewed from different perspectives. Following the example set by the most iconic games of the genre, the game's events are usually viewed from set, "cinematic" angles, although in certain situations (such as Emily hiding in a closet) the camera changes to a first-person view (FPP). During the game Emily traverses the ghastly house, searches for shreds of information about the place, talks to her companions and solves environmental puzzles.

All the while she must deal with the murderer hunting her and her friends. Some of them are going to die - to avoid the same fate, Emily must avoid the killer, sneak behind their back, hide or run away if necessary. This is made more difficult by the pursuer's advanced AI, letting them learn and adapt to the player's behavior. If we fail, we must try again, hoping the experience and knowledge gained during our previous attempt will be enough to outwit the killer this time.

Technical aspects

Homebody has an old-school visual style, bringing to mind classic survival horrors from the first PlayStation.

Last updated on 01 June 2023