NextDoor
Rate itA short pixel-art tribute to Junji Ito about the woman next door.
What frightens: A young woman in a run-down apartment block deals with a neighbour on the other side of the wall, and the dim corridors, the lone lamps and the tall, masked figure on the cover build toward something wrong next door, in the style of a Junji Ito manga.
NextDoor is a short cinematic pixel-art horror game made as a fan tribute to Junji Ito's Mimi's Ghost Stories. You guide a young woman through her dim apartment building as trouble with a neighbour turns into something far stranger. It is played by walking and interacting, and leans on atmosphere and animation.
About NextDoor
NextDoor is a free, non-profit fan game by Broelbrak, yunmnmn and Volvaga, inspired by Junji Ito's manga. The makers say it is based on Mimi's Ghost Stories. Sijbren Schenkels did the design and animation, Yun Ying Hu the code, Bjorn Dingeldein the 3D and lighting, and Clement Panchout the music.
You play a young woman living in an old apartment block. Seen from the side, each room and corridor is a little stage: her flat with its desk and posters, a stairwell lit by a single bulb, a neighbour's door with rubbish piled outside. You walk left and right, examine things and talk to people, and the scenes play out like panels of a comic.
The fear builds slowly. Lamps throw narrow pools of light, the colour drains to grey and red, and the building feels more and more wrong as you get closer to whoever lives next door. It is closer to an animated horror short you take part in than to a game of puzzles or chases, and players describe it as like watching a short horror film.
The browser version can be played on this page; if there is no sound, click the screen. The makers recommend the free Windows download if the browser version has bugs. Fans of Junji Ito, and anyone who wants a short, well-drawn scare, are its audience.
How to play NextDoor
- Click the game to give it focus and turn on the sound.
- Walk left and right with the arrow keys through the rooms and corridors.
- Press Space to interact with doors, objects and people when you are close to them.
- Follow the story to its end; there are two endings to find.
Screenshots
Tips
- Play with headphones; much of the mood is in the sound and music.
- If the screen stops reacting, look for an object or doorway you have not used yet.
- At windows and other spots, try the up and down arrow keys as well as left and right.
- If the browser version crashes, the Windows download is the same game and the makers recommend it.
Questions
Is NextDoor based on a Junji Ito story?
Yes. It is a non-profit fan tribute based on Junji Ito's Mimi's Ghost Stories. Junji Ito is not involved with it.
How long is NextDoor?
It is short and is usually finished in one sitting, well under an hour.
Is NextDoor free?
Yes. It is free to play in the browser or to download for Windows.
Can I play NextDoor with a controller?
Yes. The makers say the game has controller support.
Ratings and reviews
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate NextDoor.
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