Quick Links
If you’re wondering where to find and how to playThat’s Not My Neighbor, we’ve got you covered. That’s Not My Neighbor has done its rounds on the internet, with artwork of the Milkman, lore on the Neighbors, and theories circling the airwaves everywhere. As an indie game not on any major game or app store, it can bea little confusing to figure out how to start playing.
If you want to download or learn the rules of how to play, look no further. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about downloading, playing, and winning That’s Not My Neighbor.
You won’t find That’s Not My Neighbor on any app store or game launcher, as the release isentirely indie. Nacho Sama (Ignacio Alverado) released the game forpurchase on itch.io. You can buy the gamehere.
You can buy That’s Not My Neighbor for$2.99on itch.io, but there’s an option to pay more than that as adonation to the developer.
Before you commit to buying the game, Nacho Sama has released afree demo versionfor you to download and test with your computer specs. We recommendtrying the demo before buyingthe game, but we have a hunch you’ll like the real deal anyway.
There are someknock-off versionsof the game on the Apple app store and other websites claiming to have a free download, butonly the download on itch.iocomes from the developer of the game!
Once you have purchased That’s Not My Neighbor on itch.io, you will receive adownload of three different files. The only file you need to use is the.exe file.
Opening the .exefile will launch the game. You candrag the file to your desktopto create a desktop shortcut for easier access the next time you want to play.
Before You Start Playing
Even though That’s Not My Neighbor has a cartoonish style, it is still ahorror game. As such, Nacho Sama has played oncertain phobiasto increase the scare factor of some ofthe Doppelgangers.
Nacho Sama recognized that someplayers with trypophobia may be uncomfortablewhile playing the game, so they created a setting toturn off trypophobiatriggers.
If you have trypophobia and want to avoid triggering your fears, head to thesettings menuat the beginning of the game before you click play. Toggling the trypophobia setting will ensure thatyou don’t see any triggering images.
You can toggle this setting on and off any time you want to from the game’s main menu page, butnot while you are in a round.
How To Play That’s Not My Neighbor
The premise of That’s Not My Neighbor is that you are asecurity guardemployed by theDoppelganger Detection Department (the D.D.D.)toidentify and detectDoppelgangers who are trying to enter your building.
The date isFebruary 1955, and the setting is the security office. These areboth importantto remember when you start the game.
Through the use of various tools, you canquestion visitorsabout who they are, why they’re visiting, and if they were expected at the apartment building. Based on their answers and the documents theydo or do not provide, you’re able to determine whether they are who they say they are.
The goal is toverify the identity of Neighborsandlet them intothe building whileweeding out any Doppelgangerimposters and reporting them to the D.D.D.
This is currently theonly game modethere is, but Nacho Sama hinted that more are on the way.
To determine who is a Doppelganger and who is a Neighbor, you are given a series of tools to use.
At your security station, you have aRotary phone, three file folderswith resident information, achecklist, alist of approved visitors, anobservation window, and adocument slot.
Every visitorto the buildingmustpresent their photo I.D. and Entry Request Form to you, and be listed on the day’s list of expected visitors. Additional tools at your disposal are thecalendar on the wall,door lock buttons, and asticky notewith the D.D.D. emergency number.
Ifone or morecriteria areincorrect, you are speaking to aDoppelganger. You won’t know whether you’ve successfully caught a Doppelgangeruntil the end of the round, at which point you willeither be eaten or allowed to go home.
Youwon’tlose if you accidentallykill a Neighbor, but for each Neighbor killed, yourrank will decreaseat the end of the game.
At the end of the game, you are given a rank for how well you performed with thehighest rank being ‘S’ rankand thelowest being ‘F’ rank. You get an achievement for reaching both of these ranks at least once.
How To Check Appearances
Checking a visitor’s appearance may seem like the easiest step to determining who is a Doppelganger, but sometimes, the difference is only in thecolor of an eye, adifferent hairstyle, the shape ofa nose, or something less obvious.
The image you find in a Neighbor’s file and on the Daily Visitor List isalways correct.
Some visitors — Doppelgangers — will haveobvious defectsin their appearance. Sometimes, they’ll haveextra body parts, missing body parts, thewrong hair, or theinability to speak. These are all dead giveaways that you’re not talking to a Neighbor.
Occasionally, you’ll get neighbors who haveconvincing excusesfor why their appearance is off, and you’ll have touse your judgment.
There are also a few characters, likeChester,who show up that areneither Neighbors nor Doppelgangers.
How To Use The Daily Visitor List
At the left of your workstation, on the wall, is theDaily Visitor List. This is the list ofall approved visitorsto the building.
Some Doppelgangers won’t know who is on the list, and may impersonate someone who is already in the building!Always check the listbefore the beginning of the round to ensure that you are only letting in people who you are expecting.
Currently, there is aglitchwhere a Neighbor willshow up on the Daily Visitor listbut willanswer the phonewhen called.
If someone comes up to the window withfully correctinformation and is on the list, but is present when called, there is a glitch wherethat is still the correct person. Killing them may mean killing a neighbor and willlower your rank!
How To Check I.D.s
Each visitor must have avalid photo I.D.to present to you. When you are given their I.D. to check, you need to ensure that theirphoto, I.D. number, I.D. expiration date, D.D.D logo, andnameare allcorrect.
At a glance,most I.D.s will look correct, but the devil is in the details. Some Doppelgangers will present I.D.s withincorrect informationormissing expiration dates,photos, logos, identification numbers, ornames.
Unless you have a memory of steel, I.D. numbers are difficult to check unless youwrite them down in real life, but there are cases where Doppelgangers will present you I.D.s with incorrect numbers, too long, or too short.
The expiration dates shouldall be after February of 1955. Any expiration date before that is suspicious. And remember, there are only12 months in a year!
ensure youcheck the spellingof the name on the I.D. carefully. Some neighbors like Izaak Gauss, Francis Mosses, and Rafttellyn Cappuccin havedouble lettersin their names for a reason. Check all the doubles!
Finally, you need to ensure that the image on the I.D. not onlycorresponds with the personin front of you but with thephoto in the visitor’s fileand/or thedaily list of visitors.
How To Use The Entry Request Form
Presented alongside the I.D. is theEntry Request Form. All visitors must present both of these items to you.
The Entry Request form will tell youwhich apartmentthe visitor is from, theirreason for returninghome, theirname, theirphoto, and theD.D.D. logo.
Requests missing any of the above items are suspicious and mayindicate a Doppelganger!
Some Entry Request Formswon’t have an imageor will present anincorrectimage. Sometimes the imagematches the file, but not the I.D.or the visitor in front of you.
You also need to pay close attention to thereasonthat a visitor is returning. Sometimes,incorrect grammar or an incorrect professionis a giveaway that you’re talking to a Doppelganger.
Finally, you need tocheck that the name, apartment number, and D.D.D. logoare correct on the form. If a form or I.D. is missing a logo, it’s invalid.
How To Check The Files
On theright sideof your workspace arethree file folderscontaining dossiers ofinformation for each Neighbor. Inside are images, I.D. numbers, phone numbers, descriptions, and which apartment they are from.
When a visitor approaches your window with documents, you mustcheck the documents for authenticityagainst thecorrect informationfound in thefile folders. Any discrepancy is a clue that who you are speaking to is a Doppelganger.
The files arealways correct!
How To Use The Checklist
The Checklist is designed to remind you of the tools at your disposal and to give you amethod for asking visitors questionsabout missing or abnormal documentation.
When a visitor forgets to present you with a document or doesn’t have one at all, you cancheck the ‘x’ boxon the checklist and thenselect ‘Question the individual’at the bottom of the form.
When you close the checklist, you’llask the visitor whythey are missing a document. At this point, they will eitherpresent youwith the missing document, claim theydon’t have one, or have anexcuseprepared for why it’s missing.
You will also use the checklist toask visitors about issues with their appearance. Sometimes, visitors will deny that anything is different, even when it is, and other times they will have an excuse lined up.
Youdo notneed to complete the checklistto open the doorwith the lock and unlock buttons at the bottom right of your desk, butmarking every box completewill tell the visitor that you’re giving them entry.
How To Use The Phone
There aretwo occasionswhen you need to use the phone — when you’reconfirming a Neighbor’s visitation statusor when you’re calling the D.D.D. to’cleanse’ a Doppelganger.
Sometimes, all of a visitor’s documents and their appearance arecorrect,and they’ll be on the Daily Visitor List, butnot be a real Neighbor.Essentially, if you can check off every item on the checklist as correct, there isstill a chancethat you are talking to a Doppelganger.
When this is the case, the last thing you can do to certify a visitor’s identity iscall their apartment.
If the visitor is a Neighbor who lives alone, is on the Daily Visitor List, all other criteria check out, andno one picks up the phoneat their apartment, they’re aNeighbor.
However, thereal Neighbor may be in the apartment, and the visitor at the window is aDoppelganger.
When visitors claim they left for an emergency andaren’t on the Daily Visitor list, you need to call their apartment. If they indeedaren’t there, then you’retalking to a Neighborwho was telling the truth about leaving for an emergency.
In some cases, a visitor may be on the list, have everything correct, and still be missing a physical item. For instance,Mclooy Rudboys ALWAYS wears a hataccording to his file, but if you call his son, his son maysay that Mclooy forgot his hatat home.
Finally, you need to use the phone when you’ve detected a Doppelganger andneed to have them ‘cleansed.’
If you suspect that you’re talking to a Doppelganger,press the red buttonon the left of your screen. This willtrigger the alarm protocoland lock the security office. You can either cancel the alarm orcall the D.D.D.to remove the Doppelganger.
Tocall the D.D.D., use the number on the sticky note,‘3312.‘Dialing that number willstart the cleaning procedure. When the procedure is complete, you’re able to continue with your job.
Tips For Catching Doppelgangers
There are so many tools at your disposal as you weed through the visitation list, but there aremore ways to detectDoppelgangers than by simply following the basics. Here are sometips for how to catch Doppelgangersthat are hiding in plain sight.
The most important tip is that you shouldalways hit the lock buttonafter letting a Neighbor inside. Visitorswon’t even stopat the window to speak with you ifthe door is left unlocked, they’ll just go straight through.
You shouldalways call the apartments, even when you’re pretty sure you’re talking to a Neighbor and not a Doppelganger. Sometimes, a visitor’s story and documents all add up, butcalling the apartmentwill reveal that thereal Neighbor has been homethe whole time.
Even if a Doppelganger is obvious,you should still question themabout their appearance or any documents they’re missing. You’ll get somecool dialoguewhen you do!
You should alsonever trust the I.D. imagethat a visitor gives you as thesole meansof assessing their appearance. Some Doppelgangers who don’t look like their real Neighbor willchange the I.D. imageto look like theircurrent disguise.
For example, if Mia Stone (who has freckles) comes up to the window, she may bemissing freckles. Her folder will show thatMia always has freckles, but her Doppelganger may present you with an I.D. image thatalso does not have freckles.
Thus, comparing the freckle-less Mia to her I.D. would result in a wrong decision.
In cases where the I.D. and Doppelganger match appearances, questioning the Doppelganger will result in them claiming that theysee no issuewith their appearance. It willcome down to the file imageand your better judgment.
Because appearances can be so tricky, and the difference between a Doppelganger and a Neighbor can be as simple as a slightly different nose, it’s best tocheck a visitor’s appearance twice. Once at thebeginningof the interaction, and again at theend, to double-check.
The only way to catch a Doppelganger red-handed is toquiz them on all checklist optionseven if you know they’re not real!
That’s Not My Neighbor
WHERE TO PLAY
That’s Not My Neighbor is a simulation game with gameplay reminiscent of Papers, Please, in which you play a doorman tasked with preventing doppelgangers of your building’s residents from gaining access.
