My Friendly Neighborhood has caused quite a ruckus in the indie horror game scene. A good ruckus, that is. We seem to love games that take concepts and characters created for children and turn them into bone-chilling masterpieces. With the success of Five Nights at Freddy's, Poppy Playtime, and Amanda the Adventurer on our heels, it was about time we got something that derives from the ultimate children's show: Sesame Street.
Darkly funny and terrifying, My Friendly Neighborhood has been praised for its seamless gameplay, detailed environments, and memorable characters, quickly making it a horror royalty. You take the role of Gordon, a disgruntled maintenance worker sent to take down an antenna from the roof of a defunct MFN Studio, where a rogue broadcast disrupts the usual television. Unbeknownst to Gordon, the signal is coming from the creepy sentient puppets inside. And they're out for blood. Or stuffing.
11 The Dogs
Of course, we're going to put the dogs here! A bit spooky, very adorable; the puppet pooches have a Tim Burton quality in their design. Their long snouts are perfect for booping.
Gordon first meets Scraps, Flooper, and Mahoney in the studio's park. They are initially aggressive and will attack Gordon as he travels through the area, but like most real-life dogs, back off when they are finally fed.
10 Goblette
We can't help but view Goblette as the estranged sister of the Cookie Monster. Grand in stature, she's a toad-like creature with great googly eyes, a bib, and a ravenous appetite.
When she sees Gordon, she charges, determined to snack on him. But with her seasoning shaker fingers, she is always invited to our barbecues... as long as we're not the meal.
9 Ray
Ray seems to be the puppet parallel to Gordon's character—a frustrated man of few words who works in maintenance.
Ray, unfortunately, isn't very good at his job, resorting to hitting things with wrenches and yelling. He is one of the largest puppets, and because of his lack of anger management, he is among the most threatening. He really works that plumber uniform, though.
8 George
George is everyone's favorite taxicab driver. If you can get past the fact that he brushes his teeth with relish (and will give you detailed instructions on how to do so), George is quite the friendly talker!
Except for when he attacks you. But if you stick around to hear him before he sees you, he speaks like an old uncle who just wants to have a good time.
7 Junebug
Junebug is like a chaotic little sister with a penchant for casual violence. When she's not humming or singing, she recounts the tale of when she and Pearl (another puppet in the studio) got into an argument, and Junebug knocked her down and stomped on her head.
However, the two make amends and stay friends. Her message to us then is to make sure you have forgiving friends. Thanks for the lesson, Junebug! By the way, Junebug brushes her teeth with horse radish.
6 Liliana
Liliana is the grandmother of the Friendly Neighborhood. She loves crafting and wearing sun hats. Liliana seems to be the only puppet aware that there are duplicates of her. Still, it comes off as an identity crisis as she recounts the same violent story as Junebug, except the other puppet she's beating up is... herself.
However, her grandmotherly charm makes this ailment almost adorable. She also joins the "Brushing Your Teeth With Things You Shouldn't Brush Your Teeth With" club by sharing the fact that she loves to brush her teeth with ants.
5 Leonard
Leonard just loves to shimmy and twirl; who can blame him? And if you're dying to know, Leonard brushes his teeth with mayonnaise. That doesn't deter the fact that Leonard has an outstanding vocal range. Leonard shows off this talent by giving us a snippet of a duet with himself where he sings high, low, and medium.
Honestly, he's the Freddie Mercury of the Friendly Neighborhood, even if he sounds a bit like Kermit.
4 Norman
The main face of My Friendly Neighborhood and Sesame Street's Ernie counterpart, Norman is just a normal guy who wants friendship to fill his lonely days at MFN Studio. He demonstrates this by charging at Gordon with his arms wide open, demanding a hug.
If he catches you, you obviously don't get a hug but a harsh shove. All the puppets have a craving for friendship or for entertaining children, but Norman seems to be the neediest of the bunch.
3 Arnold
Arnold is Oscar the Grouch turned into the Phantom of the Opera... without the piano skills. The lack of talent doesn't matter, though, as long as he's having fun. Arnold is a puppet of limited words, expressing himself through banging the piano, loving his cat, and making crayon art.
Arnold is harmless, just intimidating. Ultimately he is an ally to Gordon, just playing away in his cardboard palace, and a loveable monster for all of us.
2 Ricky
Ricky has to be one of the funniest, most likable antagonists in horror history. He's able to appear out of many random holes in the studio, usually popping out as a source of comic relief for us and a source of annoyance for Gordon, similar to the relationship of the Cheshire Cat to Alice.
Ricky is the only puppet who can hold a coherent conversation. He truly cares for the misguided, lonely puppets and genuinely likes Gordon. Ricky often pleads with Gordon not to turn off their antenna, claiming that the Friendly Neighborhood is needed now more than ever in this unfriendly world.
1 Pearl
Where do we even begin with Pearl? She has to be the most adorable puppet in My Friendly Neighborhood. She doesn't speak, only chirps. The largest of all the puppets, she is Big Bird's equivalent and shares the same kind and gentle demeanor.
All she needs is her glasses so she doesn't accidentally step on Gordon. Her sweetness just makes us want to wrap our arms around her neck and give her a big hug.