Mr. Hopp's Playhouse 2

Despite the 2 in the title, Mr. Hopp’s Playhouse 2 is actually a prequel game. The indie horror title is back with some more pixelated terror to get under your skin. This is a 2D horror game which is quite unusual these days and I would say that it leans more into survival horror than anything else. I thought that this was a very well-made game and if you have played the original game, you will appreciate the way that they have expanded the lore of this world.

The Backlands Manor Orphanage

As I said in the intro, Mr. Hopp’s Playhouse 2 is a prequel to the first game and it is actually set during the 50s. The setting of the game is the dark, mysterious, and pretty damn evil Backlands Manor Orphanage where three kids live called, Esther, Molly, and Isaac. One day three strange toys show up, one for each kid. There is Mr. Stripes, the tiger, Miss Bo the panda, and of course Mr. Hopp the rabbit. Molly and Isaac go missing and now Esther must try and find and save them along with discovering the evil mystery of what is really going on here.

Side Scrolling Terror

You may wonder just how scary can a 2D pixel art horror game really be, but Mr. Hopp’s Playhouse 2 is certainly going to creep you out and keep you on edge. You will have to explore the orphanage all the while trying to stay away from the people who work there and of course, Mr. Hopp himself. Hiding, running, using items, and the same kind of gameplay from the first game are here. You will also get to partake in mini-games, find coins and medallions. There is a lot of backtracking in the game and also, and the save system could do with some work, but they are the only two things that bother me.

Pixel Style And Substance

I really like the way that Mr. Hopp’s Playhouse 2 looks. The pixel art here is fantastic and it does manage to creep you out, actually, I think it is more the atmosphere that creeps you out than anything else. The orphanage setting is great and something else that adds a great deal to the creep factor. I was also very happy with the sound design in the game too with a very striking score and sound effects. There is also some voice acting, which can get a bit annoying if you have to hear the same thing over and over, but at least the quality is very well done.

Pros:

• I liked the setting of the game
• The pixel art is very well done
• The whole game has a real creepy vibe going on
• The way that it expanded the lore was pretty awesome

Cons:

• The backtracking can start to get a bit frustrating
• You cannot save your settings which is very annoying