Hello? Is it me you're looking for? Once you've played Ryuuchi Tachibana's eerie indie horror game Hello? Hell... o? (translated by Vgperson), you'll probably hope the answer to that is nooooope. You play a depressed young man whose days seem to drag by in his lonely, isolated apartment, dull and unchanging. Use the [arrow] keys to move and [spacebar] to interact, and don't be afraid to try everything since with thirty-seven different endings, there's a lot to find. You'll have to look beyond the ordinary monotony of the protagonist's existence and keep playing every time you end the game, because there's a lot more to this story than meets the eye, and this apartment is anything but ordinary.
To say this game is an odd duck is a bit of an understatement, and for some players its unusual means of progression is going to involve too much trial-and-error without much feedback to know if you're actually making headway. In a lot of ways, it feels like a short story Stephen King would have written, or an episode of The Outer Limits, and slowly piecing everything together from the increasingly unnerving changes happening in the tiny apartment is remarkably effective as a means of creating tension. Considering how small the area you're in is as well as how short a playthrough to get an ending can be, sometimes as little as seconds, replaying rarely feels like a chore. You know... unless you hate jump scares. It sort of feels like a freakish spin on Every Day the Same Dream, and equally as open to interpretation, though whether it's as successful is up for debate largely because Hello? Hell... o? seems like it requires a lot of interpretation.
When you get the Happy Ending, you might be tempted to stop, but (and here's where it get difficult to talk without ruining everything) considering booting the game back up even when it doesn't appear you should. The game's abstract approach to progression and repetitive nature won't appeal to everyone, and at least one of the endings is so silly and out of place it almost destroys the mood, but Hello? Hell... o? pulls some exceptionally clever tricks to both tell its story and toy with your perception of it to make it unique and well worth checking out.
Free installation of the RPG Maker VX Ace RTP is required to play.
Windows:
Download the free full version
Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.
Walkthrough Guide
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Hello? Hell...o? Walkthrough
Start the game. Go to phone and answer it repeatedly until you get the ending 1, ...Hello? Hell...o?. Just keep examining it and picking it up again. The title screen will have changed, and every time you complete one of these steps, it should continue to do so.
Start the game. Run around until the phone rings, then answer it. You'll get ending 7, No Reply.
Start the game. There should be a pink bear in the room. Attempt to leave through the exit, on the south side of the room. The bear will pull you back. Attempt to leave again, and the bear will be decapitated. If you don't go all the way out, you can answer the phone for ending 9, Unseen Force. Otherwise, you can answer the phone on your next turn.
Start the game. Run around until the phone rings, then answer it. After, read the book on the table to get ending 10, Sweetheart's Diary.
Start the game. Run around until the phone rings, then answer it. Quickly move to the letter at the door and examine it (if you take too long, you'll get a bad end). You'll get ending 15, Notice.
Start the game. Attempt to leave the room. When you meet Akari, you'll have 3 choices. All of them lead to interesting endings, but the quickest way to progress in the plot is by...
checking the room, getting to the phone before Akari catches you, and examining it. You'll get the Wrong Number bad ending. Note that scolding her doesn't cause any progress at all, and hugging her leads to a reasonably good ending.
Either way, you won't be able to play anymore from the main menu. Close the game, and open it back up again. The title screen should now be mirrored. Start the game.
Akari may be immediately attacked, giving you the Unringing Phone ending. If so:
The normal title screen will be back. Start the game and answer the phone (or get some other ending, like going to bed or leaving the room). You may want to examine the paper on the ground.
Start the game. You'll have reached the �end� once more. Again, try to leave the room. In order to advance the game on Akari's side, you'll need to get a specific ending here.
Hints:
What happened to impede Akari's progress through her side of the story? Think about the name of her ending.
The phone didn't ring. What might you do that can cause it to ring?
Solution:
Check the room, and examine the phone to get the Wrong Number bad ending.
Again, close the game and open it back up. Start it again.
Answer the phone for ending 25, ...Hello? Akari?
Start the game. Examine the bear in the upper-left corner of the room, then turn your back on it for ending 24, Sneak Attack.
Start the game. As before, try to leave twice. When the bear loses its head, answer the phone for ending 26, Unending.
Start the game. Answer the phone, then read the journal. Again, you'll get ending 10, Sweetheart's Diary.
Start the game. Answer the phone, then, as before, quickly get to the envelope by the door and examine it. You'll once again get ending 15, Notice.
Start the game, and again, attempt to leave. In order to advance the game on Kazuki's side, you'll need to get a specific ending.
Hints:
Did you examine the envelope that shows up on Kazuki's side, after you've first been to Akari's side?
As Akari, you'll need to examine the place that connects the worlds.
Solution:
Examine the fireplace to get the Another Lover end.
Start the game. Answer the phone, or otherwise get some sort of ending.
Start the game again. Attempt to leave. In order to finish the game, you'll need to get a specific ending.
Hints:
What's Akari doing on her side right now?
Can you do anything to help her?
Solution:
Check the room and examine the fireplace to get the true end, Mirrored Lovers.
Endings Guide
Endings necessary to finish the game = !
Other endings that may help you understand the story = *
Hello? Hell... o? [!]
How to get this ending:
At the very start of the game, answer the phone, and keep answering until the game ends.
Can't Stand This Room
How to get this ending:
At any time when the phone ISN'T ringing, leave the room.
Fleeing the Phone
How to get this ending:
At any time when the phone IS ringing, leave the room.
Just Let It Be Morning
How to get this ending:
At any time when the phone ISN'T ringing, go to bed.
Feigning Ignorance
How to get this ending:
At any time when the phone IS ringing, go to bed.
Last Month's News [*]
How to get this ending:
Watch TV when the screen ISN'T red and the phone ISN'T ringing.
No Reply [!]
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 1: Hello? Hell...o?, answer the phone.
Not Feeling Well
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 7: No Reply, a plate of food will show up on the table. Eat it.
Unseen Force [!]
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 7: No Reply, answer the phone. The phone only rings after the bear has been decapitated.
Sweetheart's Diary [!]
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 9: Unseen Force, answer the phone, then read the diary on the table.
Face In the Mirror
How to get this ending:
After progressing far enough, the dresser with the mirror will start moving. At any time when the phone IS ringing, examine it.
Mirror
How to get this ending:
After progressing far enough, the dresser with the mirror will start moving. At any time when the phone ISN'T ringing, examine it.
Asking For Forgiveness
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 10: Sweetheart's Diary, read the diary on the table again.
Read It Already
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 10: Sweetheart's Diary, answer the phone, then wait a little while without reading the letter by the door or getting any other ending.
Notice [!]
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 10: Sweetheart's Diary, answer the phone, then quickly get to the letter by the door and read it.
What's On TV?
How to get this ending:
Watch TV when the screen ISN'T red and the phone IS ringing.
Quarrel [*]
How to get this ending:
Watch TV when the screen IS red and the phone ISN'T ringing.
Approaching Footsteps
How to get this ending:
Put out the candle when the candle ISN'T blue and the phone ISN'T ringing.
Painful
How to get this ending:
Put out the candle when the candle ISN'T blue and the phone IS ringing.
It Hurt
How to get this ending:
Put out the candle when the candle IS blue and the phone ISN'T ringing.
Her
How to get this ending:
As Kazuki, watch TV when the screen IS red and the phone IS ringing.
It's Really Painful
How to get this ending:
Put out the candle when the candle IS blue and the phone IS ringing.
Hangover
How to get this ending:
During any turn when the bottle doesn't break, examine it and drink.
Sneak Attack [! maybe?]
How to get this ending:
Examine the bear in the upper right corner (before it changes positions), then attempt to walk away.
Hello? Akari? [!]
How to get this ending:
At the very start of Akari's side of the game, after getting the Wrong Number bad end as Kazuki, answer the phone. Note that in order to progress this far in Akari's side of the game, you'll need to have gotten the Wrong Number ending.
Unending [!]
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 25: Hello? Akari, answer the phone again as Akari. The phone only rings after the bear is decapitated; you may need to get Ending 24: Sneak Attack in order to get the bear in position. Note that in order to progress this far in Akari's side of the game, you'll need to have gotten the Wrong Number ending.
Come On, Read It
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 10: Sweetheart's Diary as Akari, answer the phone (still as Akari), then wait a little while without reading the letter by the door or getting any other ending. Note that in order to progress this far in Akari's side of the game, you'll need to have gotten the Wrong Number ending.
Another Lover [!]
How to get this ending:
After getting Ending 15: Notice as Akari, attempt to leave the room. When Kazuki shows up, quickly get to the fireplace and examine it. Note that in order to progress this far in Akari's side of the game, you'll need to have gotten the Wrong Number ending.
Him
How to get this ending:
As Akari, watch TV when the screen IS red and the phone IS ringing.
Hell Yeah!
How to get this ending:
Examine the curtains in Kazuki's room. If you see a strange, colorful figure, keep examining until something else happens. Eventually you'll see a picture of a girl in her underpants, and you'll get this ending.
Bad End: Poor Communicator
How to get this ending:
When, as Kazuki, you confront Akari, choose to scold her.
Bad End: Why Must You Run?
How to get this ending:
When, as Kazuki, you confront Akari, choose to check the room. Then, get caught by Akari, or attempt to leave.
Bad End: Wrong Number [!]
How to get this ending:
When, as Kazuki, you confront Akari, choose to check the room. Then, get to the phone before getting caught, and examine it.
Happy End: We're Together [*]
How to get this ending:
When, as Kazuki, you confront Akari, choose to hug her.
Bad End: Unringing Phone
How to get this ending:
Get an ending other than Wrong Number as your first ending with Kazuki (Poor Communicator doesn't appear to count). Then, play as Akari.
Bad End: Why Must You Run?
How to get this ending:
When, as Akari, you confront Kazuki, choose to check the room. Then, get caught by Kazuki, or attempt to leave. Note that in order to progress this far in Akari's side of the game, you'll need to have gotten the Wrong Number ending.
True End: Mirrored Lovers [!]
How to get this ending:
When, as Kazuki, you confront Akari, choose to check the room. Then, get to the fireplace before getting caught, and examine it. Note that in order for the fireplace to do anything at all, you'll need to have gotten Ending 28: Another Lover.
Thanks to Alice for the walkthrough!
Posted by: Mike
|
August 3, 2013 10:04 AM