Home Safety Hotline

Home Safety Hotline is a thoughtful and imaginative interactive story, where corporate meets supernatural at a call centre, but never quite seems to reach its final form.

Home Safety Hotline is a unique game in both the adventure genre and the horror genre, using deduction-based gameplay to great effect as folks attempt to decipher just what kind of gnome or fantastical fungus is plaguing each caller. While it could have been tougher, the cleverly-designed blend of supernatural phenomena and sharp comedic writing with a nicely dark edge will keep players hooked until the end. The prospect of working at a call center for things that go bump in the night sure is terrifying (although that goes for any job at a call center, period), but here, it's a job worth tackling.

I loved every moment that I shared with Home Safety Hotline; it is amazing throughout. I’m going to add massively to global warming with just how much of a light I want to shine on developers Night Signal Entertainment. If you are a fan of horror - or just amazing things in general - you should play this, and even if you’re not you should still play it anyway.

The novel premise is executed as well as it possibly could have been. The imagery is haunting, the flavor text is creepy and Home Safety Hotline will make you chuckle when you least expect it.

Home Safety Hotline delivers a unique, compelling experience, smartly combining daily life situations with supernatural events. With a simple and pleasant gameplay, a well-built mythology, and a precise recreation of the 90's atmosphere, the game stands out as an excellent example of horror.

Is Home Safety Hotline worth adding to your game library? I think it is, most definitely. Because despite its significant flaws, this is a title that not only looks good, but also offers something new in the horror genre. And, most importantly, it brings a lot of fun.

I came away from Home Safety Hotline both pleasantly surprised with some aspects and disappointed with others, two contrasting tones can work together to create a compelling experience. However, Home Safety Hotline didn’t deliver on that for me. The captivating creature entries and engaging gameplay loop were highlights, showcasing the love poured into these creations, followed by the occasional fantastic performance. Beyond these aspects, the overall experience failed to resonate with me. That being said, there is an incredible amount of talent on display and I’m looking forward to seeing what the developer puts out next. Therefore, I am awarding Home Safety Hotline the Silver Thumb Culture Award.

As a whole, Home Safety Hotline doesn’t outstay its welcome, and it’s an absolute treat for lovers of folklore or fans of the uncanny. I never thought I’d say it, but this is one call centre I’ve absolutely loved clocking into.

While Home Safety Hotline does fumble with its gameplay somewhat, the journey from beginning to end is intriguing and fun. This accessible analog horror has an addicting gameplay loop that never gets tedious, excellent worldbuilding and writing, and a great atmosphere. Fans who love analog or supernatural horror should definitely pick up this game.

Night Signal Entertainment packed this game with a genuine love for the craft. They hand-made props, recruited their acting friends from a past life, used old photos of themselves to craft monsters. This is horror straight from the heart. That makes Home Safety Hotline a special game — one of the better analog horror experiences we've played — and it certainly showcases the potential of what Night Signal Entertainment's mixed media efforts may achieve in the years to come. If you're up for the kind of horror that crawls under your skin and has you rethinking what the rustling in the corner of your room could be, this game is 100% for you.