Is it bad to stay in your comfort zone when your comfort zone is so damn good? Puppet Combo introduces nothing especially new to Stay Out of the House - you’ll find identical gameplay in Nun Massacre and a similar murder house in… well, Murder House. But by this point, Puppet is at the peak of his powers, his formula more refined than ever: the design of the house is delightfully grotty and labyrinthine, the puzzles are fun and fleshed out, the sound is suitably cursed. Most notably, the unhinged shriek of The Butcher when he pursues you, gives him creepiness as well as a certain vulnerability - it invites the player to want to fuck with him in his house; an appealing element of replayability lacking in the almost impenetrable horror of Killer Nun. Moreover, Stay Out of the House may not be Puppet Combo’s scariest game (it has its moments), but as a claustrophobic puzzle adventure, it’s certainly one of his most enjoyable.

Reviewed on Jul 07, 2023


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