is a standout 2023 indie survival horror title that subverts genre expectations by blending the nostalgic charm of children’s television with the tense mechanics of classic horror. Developed by brothers John and Evan Szymanski , the game trades traditional gore for a "mascot horror" experience featuring colorful, albeit hostile, puppets.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Piracy is illegal and harms developers. Always purchase games from official retailers. My Friendly Neighborhood-TENOKE
The game begins with a familiar trope: Gordon, a handyman, is tasked with investigating a dilapidated television studio to shut down a mysterious broadcast signal. The studio, home to the titular children’s show "My Friendly Neighborhood," is overrun by the puppet cast—Ricky, Pearl, and others—who have seemingly gone feral. In a lesser game, this setup would be a straightforward haunted house ride. The player would be expected to hide, run, or blast the monsters into pieces. However, My Friendly Neighborhood pivots immediately by equipping the player with a "Glob" shooter—a weapon that incapacitates the puppets by rolling them up into safe, harmless balls. is a standout 2023 indie survival horror title
Here’s a review for My Friendly Neighborhood (TENOKE release), written from a PC gamer’s perspective. Piracy is illegal and harms developers
The horror is not gore; it is wrongness . Seeing a friendly yellow puppet twitch violently while asking you to spell "CATASTROPHE" is deeply unsettling. The game’s lore, discovered through VHS tapes and memos, reveals a tragic backstory of corporate greed, failed experiments with AI, and the death of practical children's entertainment.
Diversity is part of Tenoke’s character. Families, students, retirees, and newcomers live side by side. Different languages are spoken on porches and at the grocery store; everyone brings a dish or a custom to the yearly festival, making the potluck table a map of the neighborhood’s origins. That variety doesn’t erase challenges — there are disagreements about development, debates over parking, and tensions when long-time residents face rising costs — but conversation and compromise are the usual responses. Civic meetings in the community center are well attended, because people care enough to show up.