New Xbox Game Pass Game Is Great For Fans Of Resident Evil & Five Nights At Freddy’s

Xbox Game Pass is a great service, filled with tons of games to play. However, it can sometimes be tough to find the gold in between everything else that drops on the service. There’s one recent release that might’ve missed many players’ eyes, but is worth checking out for fans of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil. Not only that, it stars horrifying puppets, giving it a bit of a Five Nights at Freddy’s vibe, and making it the perfect combination of the two fan-favorite series.

My Friendly Neighborhood has been out for two years, but it just launched on Xbox Game Pass earlier this month. It was developed by John and Evan Szymanski, the indie developers behind several exciting projects, though My Friendly Neighborhood is by far their most high-profile release. It’s published by DreadXP, which has quickly become one of the go-to indie horror publishers with hits like The Mortuary Assistant, Sucker4Love, and Amanda the Adventurer.

As for My Friendly Neighborhood, players find themselves in a world where sentient puppets run a Saturday morning show, which became a smash hit immediately after it started airing. However, it struggled to keep up with the times and was cancelled, but when the game begins, a signal is mysteriously emanating from the abandoned station. Playing as Handyman Gordon, you’re sent to investigate.

MFN takes the gore-soaked survival horror fans know and love, and gives it a more family-friendly look. Don’t take that to mean My Friendly Neighborhood isn’t scary. That’s far from the case. You just won’t see any puppets losing limbs and spewing blood.

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It really is a classic survival horror game in the guise of Resident Evil. From the limited weapons to the nonlinear map to the head-scratching puzzles, this is essentially The Muppets Take Resident Evil. Heck, there’s even a grid-based real-time inventory to manage, which should make Resident Evil 4 fans grin from ear to ear.

But instead of a dark, lifelike setting, My Friendly Neighborhood uses one of the things that made Five Nights at Freddy’s so popular. It trades the animatronics for muppets, but the premise is the same. There’s something truly terrifying about seeing something meant for children come alive and want to rip you to pieces. Like FNAF, MNF nails that gimmick, giving players an incredible new world to explore.

Here’s how the developers describe their approach to building a game that meshes spine-chilling scares with relatively cutesy enemies:

“If you’re tired of games that rely on gore more than solid scares, then come on over to the streets of MFN! Featuring a mix of action and adventure, MFN is the perfect game for horror fans looking for something a bit different. Sure, there might not be any dismemberment or decapitations. But that just means the puppets don’t stay down for good…”

And players agree that MFN is a game worth diving into. On Steam, where My Friendly Neighborhood originally launched, it enjoys “Overwhelmingly Positive” user reviews. Critically, it holds an 81 on Metacritic.

If you’re looking for something to hold you over until Resident Evil Requiem launches next year, My Friendly Neighborhood is the game to download, assuming you haven’t already played it. The developers did a phenomenal job building a world that you have to explore. The lore is dripping with juicy details, and you’ll definitely want to see where this one goes.

The constant tug of managing your limited inventory is classic survival horror, and it’s done so well here. And the devs introduce a few inventive weapons to stay in line with the story, including a Rolodexer that shoots out letters of the alphabet. It’s great! There are even multiple endings, giving you a reason to play through MFN if, like me, you fall in love with the tense gameplay.

While it’s not as spooky as horror staples like Resident Evil and Five Nights at Freddy’s, My Friendly Neighborhood is a unique concept executed well. It’s another great addition to the extensive Game Pass library, and something everyone should at least check out. After all, you’re already paying for the service.