House is a creepy game that leans into the RPG Maker horror aesthetic from games like Misao thrown in with a dash of old school cult hits like Maniac Mansion. Instead of a haunted school or mansion, you are exploring your home that gets darker and more monstrously aggressive as the day quickly turns on. And, oh, does the day move on, which each in-game second translating to rapidly increasing minutes inside the house.
The best parts about this game are the pixel art and the designs and the discoverability. As you begin to discover items and play around with them, you organically begin to find solutions to your problems. This type of logical reward for the player is one of House's strengths. The ghosts, monsters, demons, etc. are also well-drawn, creepy, and charming. The first time midnight approached, I seriously was filled with a deep dread as the father came home.
This is where my raving praise begins to slip though. I don't know of House fully uses the 'time loop' of being trapped in this Groundhog's Day-like setting to its fullest potential. To be honest, although I knew what I needed to do for certain tasks, some of the enemies can quickly end your run in what ends up being an ultimately frustrating experience. The first time you laugh about it and feel trolled. The second time you begin to wonder about hitboxes. I've had weird issue with the rat hit box, annoyed with how it feels like you have to get pixel-perfect to escape the rug in the hallway, and not to mention bad RNG with the shadow people. After 15-20 runs, it feels like certain obstacles should no longer be a run-ending issue.... yet they are. The tedium of repeating runs for dumb missed-by-a-pixel mistakes pushes up against the genuine joy of the game's surprises.
I also think I would like House more if I didn't feel like it was so "front-loaded" in terms of trying to rush to save my family members. Certain tasks feel like they have to be 'pixel perfect' or that I have to be conducting a speed run, which ruins some of the atmosphere for me. There are moments like uncovering the hatch in the mother's room that I wish felt a little slower and carried a deeper emotional gravitas. Even some lighter content feels rushed. An example: after befriending the rat I learned I could talk to him (and that he had dialogue for different items I was carrying), but I also had tasks to do & every spent with lore (which I would have liked!) meant another disaster was happening elsewhere in the house. So, I ran off.
The runs aren't that long, but even a quicksave option might make this game a little more enjoyable. At a certain point the tedium of having everything start over knowing the spike rug might get me again turned me off of House. Finally, I just ended up getting too frustrated that I couldn't accomplish what I set my mind to do and quit, instead watching a YT video of someone else's best runs.
The story, artwork, item/object interactions, and discoverability are worth the sticker price for an interesting, imaginative game, I only wish it was more fun to play and didn't feel like each run was a pixel-perfect speed run racing against the clock.
hi! i bought House 1.2 a little while ago- and i really wanna download the update. do i have to buy the game again, or is there a way to update the old version..?
This is absolutely amazing. Based off youtube videos i've seen, it's extremely creepy. And I don't normally get spooked easily. I'm gonna try to buy it tomorrow. Overall, amazing work. :)
This horror game is one of the most nerve-wrecking I have seen in a long while, this is further helped by the fact that everything happens in real time and there are monsters/hazards everywhere. Seriously, you did a good job on this game.
Hey! When I initiate what I think is the start of the new ending, the game seems to really freak out and drop frames heavily, screen goes black on and off too. I think this might be my PC reacting weird to post-process shenanigans because it's a little old, from 2016, but idk. Any ideas?
Hi there. We have seen this issue happen intermittently and are working on a fix. I would suggest in the interim try closing all other apps you have open and doing a fresh run of the game and go straight to initiating that ending.
This game is seriously dope. I played it as my first live stream and made a lil highlight reel. I still have to go back and figure out the correct series of events. But man..... It is so short for each playthrough, but still packed with so much stuff. It is freaking amazing. I want more lol
This game is tough! It's one of those games that is excruciating at first, but you learn, grow and come out the other end feeling smarter lol. I saved the sister, but I know I missed a few things and there's more to do. I'm excited to see what you do with House!
Is the Steam version of this game identical as the latest version on this site? (I'll try to say this spoilerfree) I've got a really hard time to fight the monster that comes out of the white machine that also delivers milk. Or should I just try again?
guys... i saw some youtubers playing this and i really want to buy it. but i don't really have money now so i'll be able to do it later. i mean, i really like 8 bit games. and i'm excited
Hello! I would like to suggest an idea for a new bad ending. How about the absolute extermination of all beings and people in the house, including the father of the family. To do this, you will have to add new weapons, because what is now is not enough for this
Hello! First of I wanted to say that you've made an amazing game. I've seen a few youtubers play it and it immediately caught my attention, so I bought it. I have two problems with the game tho, and i thought that maybe someone here knows how to fix them. So, everytime I open the folder I need to extract files to play and in the game, when I open the menu and go to options I can't choose save and data. I've tried every button on the keyboard, but it just doesn't work.I don't knowh if i'm doing something wrong or if that's an issue in the game. I hope someone here- the developers or one of the players could help me. Sorry if I'm asking in the wrong place.
I can't believe that I haven't noticed that before, thank you! I unfortunetely can't post screenshots here, but I thought that photo of the screen might work.
So, after downloading House folder looks like this:
I click on the folder House.zip and then 'extract files', so the files House.exe and icon.ico have main character's face on them and everything works. But right after I close the folder and open it up again, everything looks like in the photo. So I extract again and while extracting it seems like the files are already extracted, because while extracting it says that I'm just switching them with the same files.
It looks like you are just re-opening the zip folder, not the folder where you extracted the files. When you unzip it should tell you where the location is that it’s sending those files.
Just like you said, I extracted it and searched for it in the wrong folder. I'm sorry for taking your time, turns out it's not the game, I just don't know how stuff works xD. Now, when everything is fixed it promisses to be a sleepless night for me :) Thank you so much for helping me!
I know this may seem impossible but I realized that this would make for an amazing horror/puzzle game for the VR. The artistic style may be changed but the feeling of unease would translate well with the dark rooms and the many threats the house throws at you. The puzzle part would also translate well since you'd have to interact with your surroundings in order to stay alive. Just throwing out an idea for this awesome game.
Just wanted to say... Great game. I've been having fun working out everyone's routine, and trying to figure out how to save my family. (I only bought this a few hours ago, and am still trying to find a good ending without getting killed. XD)
The horror factor feels real. It doesn't just throw jumpscares at you like some other games do, but rather the game takes its time to make the atmosphere less settling (and more dangerous!). Another nice touch is the variety of traps, monsters, and of course death animations this game has. Keeps me on my toes, and surprises me each time I stumble.
To anyone else just discovering this, I can tell you that this is more than just a simple pixel-art game; it's a complex puzzle with a truly creepy atmosphere.
Hi! I'm absolutely loving the game so far but I have a question, when you release the game on Steam/Epic Store/GOG do you plan on giving out a key to the people who already purchased the game on Itch.io? Not that I'm unopposed to buying it again, I absolutely would!
I think this game is awesome, he has alternate endings so we never tire of it. The atmosphere and the sprites go well together and I really like these type of mysters. I recommend you to play this game. You do an excellent job Bark bark games. To thank you here is a little drawing. https://img.itch.zone/aW1nLzQ0NzgwNzYucG5n/original/297Dkq.png
Hope this isn't creepy to say but just wanted to say I love this so much. I've always been a huge fan for pattern based time management games like this and it totally hit an itch i haven't been able to scratch for a WHILE. Fantastic job, showing all my friends this and can't wait for the update next week!!
Hello dear developer, I am interested in your project, it has an unusual concept. At first glance it looks like a simple pixel game, but after a while you realize that this game has a lot of thoughtful details. I would like to see your project on mobile devices if this is possible.
Good projects don't always come out on android and ios, for example:Yuppie psycho. I believe that projects like yours should be ported to mobile devices. I understand perfectly well that this is difficult. I wish you the best of luck with bug fixes and further improvements to the game and its universe.)
If I may make suggestions for future content, have saving the cat be required to achieve any new "good ending". Also make its ghost a hazard (similar to the sister's) that only appears if the cat dies but the mother and sister are saved and the giant rat is befriended. Seeing videos where people get the good ending while intentionally killing the cat seems a tad silly and that would be a neat little nod to it.
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House is a creepy game that leans into the RPG Maker horror aesthetic from games like Misao thrown in with a dash of old school cult hits like Maniac Mansion. Instead of a haunted school or mansion, you are exploring your home that gets darker and more monstrously aggressive as the day quickly turns on. And, oh, does the day move on, which each in-game second translating to rapidly increasing minutes inside the house.
The best parts about this game are the pixel art and the designs and the discoverability. As you begin to discover items and play around with them, you organically begin to find solutions to your problems. This type of logical reward for the player is one of House's strengths. The ghosts, monsters, demons, etc. are also well-drawn, creepy, and charming. The first time midnight approached, I seriously was filled with a deep dread as the father came home.
This is where my raving praise begins to slip though. I don't know of House fully uses the 'time loop' of being trapped in this Groundhog's Day-like setting to its fullest potential. To be honest, although I knew what I needed to do for certain tasks, some of the enemies can quickly end your run in what ends up being an ultimately frustrating experience. The first time you laugh about it and feel trolled. The second time you begin to wonder about hitboxes. I've had weird issue with the rat hit box, annoyed with how it feels like you have to get pixel-perfect to escape the rug in the hallway, and not to mention bad RNG with the shadow people. After 15-20 runs, it feels like certain obstacles should no longer be a run-ending issue.... yet they are. The tedium of repeating runs for dumb missed-by-a-pixel mistakes pushes up against the genuine joy of the game's surprises.
I also think I would like House more if I didn't feel like it was so "front-loaded" in terms of trying to rush to save my family members. Certain tasks feel like they have to be 'pixel perfect' or that I have to be conducting a speed run, which ruins some of the atmosphere for me. There are moments like uncovering the hatch in the mother's room that I wish felt a little slower and carried a deeper emotional gravitas. Even some lighter content feels rushed. An example: after befriending the rat I learned I could talk to him (and that he had dialogue for different items I was carrying), but I also had tasks to do & every spent with lore (which I would have liked!) meant another disaster was happening elsewhere in the house. So, I ran off.
The runs aren't that long, but even a quicksave option might make this game a little more enjoyable. At a certain point the tedium of having everything start over knowing the spike rug might get me again turned me off of House. Finally, I just ended up getting too frustrated that I couldn't accomplish what I set my mind to do and quit, instead watching a YT video of someone else's best runs.
The story, artwork, item/object interactions, and discoverability are worth the sticker price for an interesting, imaginative game, I only wish it was more fun to play and didn't feel like each run was a pixel-perfect speed run racing against the clock.
Now that path 1.3 is out, is it fully finished, content-wise?
hi! i bought House 1.2 a little while ago- and i really wanna download the update. do i have to buy the game again, or is there a way to update the old version..?
hi there! If you just download it again it’s the current version!
it says i have to pay for it again- i will if i must, i love it!!
make sure this is the same account you originally purchased the game with.
If you still have issues you can email us at barkbarkgames@gmail.com
This is absolutely amazing. Based off youtube videos i've seen, it's extremely creepy. And I don't normally get spooked easily. I'm gonna try to buy it tomorrow. Overall, amazing work. :)
This horror game is one of the most nerve-wrecking I have seen in a long while, this is further helped by the fact that everything happens in real time and there are monsters/hazards everywhere. Seriously, you did a good job on this game.
Hey! When I initiate what I think is the start of the new ending, the game seems to really freak out and drop frames heavily, screen goes black on and off too. I think this might be my PC reacting weird to post-process shenanigans because it's a little old, from 2016, but idk. Any ideas?
By the way, wanted to say pre-update but this game is really fun and I've been obsessed over it for the last month and a half!!
Hi there. We have seen this issue happen intermittently and are working on a fix. I would suggest in the interim try closing all other apps you have open and doing a fresh run of the game and go straight to initiating that ending.
Is the update out now? :D
Yes it is!
Is the pt2 already out?
patch 1.3 is coming later this week!
I loved this! Its way more fast-pace then I thought it would be. I loved the background story too!
thanks for playing! the next update is coming soon :)
This game is tough! It's one of those games that is excruciating at first, but you learn, grow and come out the other end feeling smarter lol. I saved the sister, but I know I missed a few things and there's more to do. I'm excited to see what you do with House!
thanks for playing! the next update should be out in the next week or so! :)
Is the Steam version of this game identical as the latest version on this site? (I'll try to say this spoilerfree) I've got a really hard time to fight the monster that comes out of the white machine that also delivers milk. Or should I just try again?
they are both the same version.
quack
Really want to play but me broke
same
same
same
same
I bought the game but at the moment when it´s about to complete downloading it says that it couldn´t dowload
Hi there. Were you able to resolve this?
It might be an issue with your browser and/or itch.io. I can send you the game directly if you can provide me with your e-mail address.
barkbarkgames@gmail.com
Is the flute ending the best ending?
What do I do with the sandwich? Is the mother even real? TOO MANY QUESTIONS! AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
no there an other beutyful ending
Hey Bark Bark Games, you made an awesome game, I really enjoyed it so far. Sad thing is that I killed that cat. Thank God it respawned in the new run.
Poor kitty
Just bought it. Thank you for your work, you are legends!
thanks for playing!
Will there be Android version of the game?
Justo en la pobreza XD, a ahorrar se ha dicho uwu
I payed for the game twice, never got the downloa
I just noticed Melody’s Theme is actually a piano remix of the Main Theme from Hausu/House, you sly dog
Yes it's amazing.
this game is forgotten or something
guys... i saw some youtubers playing this and i really want to buy it. but i don't really have money now so i'll be able to do it later. i mean, i really like 8 bit games. and i'm excited
this is my favorite horror game of the season :) it's fantastic
bark bark games today will be the release of the game "house"? and at what time?
Hi there! It's available now on itch and the steam release will be midnight 10/30/2020 PST. (if everything goes according to plan.)
Thank you
Hello! I would like to suggest an idea for a new bad ending. How about the absolute extermination of all beings and people in the house, including the father of the family. To do this, you will have to add new weapons, because what is now is not enough for this
Hello! First of I wanted to say that you've made an amazing game. I've seen a few youtubers play it and it immediately caught my attention, so I bought it. I have two problems with the game tho, and i thought that maybe someone here knows how to fix them. So, everytime I open the folder I need to extract files to play and in the game, when I open the menu and go to options I can't choose save and data. I've tried every button on the keyboard, but it just doesn't work.I don't knowh if i'm doing something wrong or if that's an issue in the game. I hope someone here- the developers or one of the players could help me. Sorry if I'm asking in the wrong place.
Hi there! So the in game menu option for saving is just "clear save data" The game just auto-saves when you complete the different endings.
Would you mind sharing a screenshot of your issue?
I can't believe that I haven't noticed that before, thank you! I unfortunetely can't post screenshots here, but I thought that photo of the screen might work.
So, after downloading House folder looks like this:
I click on the folder House.zip and then 'extract files', so the files House.exe and icon.ico have main character's face on them and everything works. But right after I close the folder and open it up again, everything looks like in the photo. So I extract again and while extracting it seems like the files are already extracted, because while extracting it says that I'm just switching them with the same files.
It looks like you are just re-opening the zip folder, not the folder where you extracted the files. When you unzip it should tell you where the location is that it’s sending those files.
Just like you said, I extracted it and searched for it in the wrong folder. I'm sorry for taking your time, turns out it's not the game, I just don't know how stuff works xD. Now, when everything is fixed it promisses to be a sleepless night for me :) Thank you so much for helping me!
I know this may seem impossible but I realized that this would make for an amazing horror/puzzle game for the VR. The artistic style may be changed but the feeling of unease would translate well with the dark rooms and the many threats the house throws at you. The puzzle part would also translate well since you'd have to interact with your surroundings in order to stay alive. Just throwing out an idea for this awesome game.
Just wanted to say... Great game. I've been having fun working out everyone's routine, and trying to figure out how to save my family. (I only bought this a few hours ago, and am still trying to find a good ending without getting killed. XD)
The horror factor feels real. It doesn't just throw jumpscares at you like some other games do, but rather the game takes its time to make the atmosphere less settling (and more dangerous!). Another nice touch is the variety of traps, monsters, and of course death animations this game has. Keeps me on my toes, and surprises me each time I stumble.
To anyone else just discovering this, I can tell you that this is more than just a simple pixel-art game; it's a complex puzzle with a truly creepy atmosphere.
Thank you so much!
ZA EBENGRAD
I really love this game, I think there's really not enough games in this type of style. I'll definitely be recommending it to others!
I especially appreciate a horror game without jumpscares!
Do you have anywhere to report bugs? I've noticed some that I think would be easy to miss.
Thank you for playing! We just made a devlog where you can post any bugs you find! :o
Looks awesome
Hi! I'm absolutely loving the game so far but I have a question, when you release the game on Steam/Epic Store/GOG do you plan on giving out a key to the people who already purchased the game on Itch.io? Not that I'm unopposed to buying it again, I absolutely would!
That red background makes everything else look green when I gaze away from the screen.
I think this game is awesome, he has alternate endings so we never tire of it. The atmosphere and the sprites go well together and I really like these type of mysters. I recommend you to play this game. You do an excellent job Bark bark games. To thank you here is a little drawing. https://img.itch.zone/aW1nLzQ0NzgwNzYucG5n/original/297Dkq.png
Hope this isn't creepy to say but just wanted to say I love this so much. I've always been a huge fan for pattern based time management games like this and it totally hit an itch i haven't been able to scratch for a WHILE. Fantastic job, showing all my friends this and can't wait for the update next week!!
thanks so much!!!
Not everything in life is free dude
Hello dear developer, I am interested in your project, it has an unusual concept. At first glance it looks like a simple pixel game, but after a while you realize that this game has a lot of thoughtful details. I would like to see your project on mobile devices if this is possible.
Good projects don't always come out on android and ios, for example:Yuppie psycho. I believe that projects like yours should be ported to mobile devices. I understand perfectly well that this is difficult.
I wish you the best of luck with bug fixes and further improvements to the game and its universe.)
Thanks for checking out HOUSE!
As of now we don't have any plans to release an iOS/Android version...but never say never. :)
I am glad to hear from you, thank you for your answer. I will be waiting for your future projects.
Good luck with your game development!
Hey just downloaded the game when trying to play theres no audio. Is there anyway to fix?
Make sure you have up-to-date audio drivers. Also check and see if you have Java updated as well.
Thanks its working now and we're LOVING the game
so glad to hear that!
If I may make suggestions for future content, have saving the cat be required to achieve any new "good ending". Also make its ghost a hazard (similar to the sister's) that only appears if the cat dies but the mother and sister are saved and the giant rat is befriended. Seeing videos where people get the good ending while intentionally killing the cat seems a tad silly and that would be a neat little nod to it.
Hi! We actually have a pacifist /pure ending planned where saving the cat is required. That will be a part of the update coming out for Halloween :)
Killing the cat / letting it die does cause a certain angry cat spirit to linger around the house ! :o
Nice to hear!
Hmm... never saw it. Guess I have to look harder.