The World Next Door

I have mixed feelings. So the art style is nice, the match 3 battle system is interesting, but the visual novel part is sooo boring. But 2 vs 1, so thumbs up!

It’s nice to have a pure puzzle game to review. Story: Once a generation a portal opens between the human world and a magical monster world and the two worlds host a festival where lottery winners from both worlds can visit the other. One winner, Jun, spends the day hanging out with her pen-pal Liza and her friends and while they hang out in a sewer level, a rouge monster ambushes them and Jun misses the portal home. But with her friends by her side and a ticking clock of her dying due too much magic, she is going to find a way home. It’s a pretty simple story. We find a macguffin early on which becomes the solution to the portal problem. We got stakes in the whole dying thing. And we got a friend group to both fresh out the world and for some comedy and teen drama consisting of the best friend, the shy friend, the smart friend, the aloof friend, the preppy friend and the jerk who they hang out for some reason. However, I must say the ending feels like there should have been more there. Early on your made aware of some missing people with one of them being Liza’s girlfriend and in the endgame we there is a shadowy conspiracy going on. The results of both are a little underwhelming with the missing person plot line being resolved in the credits. And while you do get some answers to the conspiracy, you can easily miss it because it’s locked by behind a choice between a friend and this mysterious guy who looks sketchy. And this is important plot stuff that you’re missing out on. Not helped that when you beat the game, reloading only plays the ending scene again.It’s one of those thing that would’ve been better if you didn’t have a choice at all. Especially since there’s only one ending. Gameplay: How to describe this game. Think of one of those match-3 colour games where you can also move tiles around for a bigger reward, while also dealing with enemies that want to burn you. Basically, the bigger you get you’re combo, the more damage you can do depending on the spell. Blue for an instant hit, Red for a fireball, Yellow to electrocute the floor(handy for melee foes), purple for a slow moving ball that can make enemies slow, and Green to heal yourself. You can also get your friends to help with their own spells by arranging white tiles into certain patterns but I found it easier to use the basic spells as you just need to connect more than 3 for them to work And the enemies will keep you on your toes with guys that throw fireballs or ones that run in close to slash you and later on, a foe that can also use the same spells you use. The bosses are also a nice change of pace, bringing their own gimmicks and attacks to spice things up like the first boss blocking rows with fire and then chasing you in the dark. But I thought the 3rd boss was a massive pain cause not only does he summon a buddy to help him, but I think he misses up the tiles so you don’t know what you’re doing, and he can do the slow spell and with his buddy, got me cornered a few times. It was defiantly the low point of the game for me. So that’s the gameplay. What about the stuff in between the dungeons back in town? Not much disappointingly. Aside from talking to your friends and other NPCs, there are some side-quests but they mostly just fetch quests. The only two that did anything different were Cerisse’s puzzle quest and Horace’s combat quest since they were more of the game I thought was enjoyable. Doesn’t help that the game is very short with 4 dungeons. Presentation: We have some Visual Novel styled cutscenes here and the art work isn’t too bad. Sure they still look mostly human with a few exceptions like Horace but I even lazier monster people in my life. I mean they at least gave them inhuman feature’s like different skin color, tails, sharp teeth, horns. At least they didn’t just put cat ears on someone and say that’s a monster person. As for the overworld art, the school area looks nice but the dungeons themselves are very bland with the second one being the best looking with the brown bookshelves standing out from all the blue. As for the characters, they look so small and chibi that I just want to pick them up and hug them to death. Muisc is good too. Got some nice tracks to listen to as you play. Verdict: The gameplay is really enjoyable, but the short length and ending might leave you going, “Where’s the rest of it?” 6/10

This is a beautiful, story-driven game that is perfect to play over a weekend. The match-3 style play is engaging and fast-paced, and each shrine holds different enemies with distinct mechanics worth learning in order to proceed. I appreciated the short side quests and different dialogue/text choices which fleshed out the characters and world, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that there is a little extra content for those who are interested in finding all that Emrys has to offer. I do want to note -- there is no chapter select, and quitting out during dialogue does run the risk of shifting you forward past that dialogue, with no way to return. I unfortunately discovered this by encountering a save state bug on the final day that caused me to have to replay the game for the outcome I wanted, but luckily I had been planning to do that anyway. This was the first game put out by a small but amazing development team, and if that's the worst issue I have to contend with on a first title (not to mention the game is already so engaging I didn't even mind), that's absolutely incredible. Cheers!

If you can handle some very cheesey and teenage=centric dialogues, you will discover some brilliantly unique and wonderfully engaging combat/ puzzle gameplay. U gotra really understand all thats going on before its enjoyable combat, though. If you love games that combine puzzle and combat action, you gotta try it. I wish it had some DLC or a sequel.

The World Next Door is a compact but stylish blend of visual-novel storytelling and real-time puzzle combat that thrives on atmosphere, character chemistry, and an imaginative sense of worldbuilding. Developed by Rose City Games and published by VIZ Media, it follows the story of Jun, a rebellious human teenager who earns a rare chance to visit Emrys, a parallel world filled with magic, masked citizens, and arcane traditions. What begins as an impulsive adventure with new friends quickly turns dire when Jun becomes trapped on the wrong side of the portal. With only a limited amount of time before her presence in Emrys becomes fatal, she must navigate mysterious shrines, uncover the secrets behind the realm’s shifting magic, and rely on her growing circle of allies to survive. Much of the emotional weight comes from the game’s visual-novel segments, where Jun explores the streets and outskirts of Emrys, interacts with its quirky residents, and deepens relationships through dialogue. The writing strikes a balance between youthful earnestness and a subtle melancholy that echoes the uncertainty of growing up. Jun’s companions—each with their own insecurities, strengths, and magical specialties—help make the world feel alive. Conversations feel warm and natural, and the branching dialogue choices give each player the opportunity to shape Jun’s personality, whether as a cautious outsider or an impulsive risk-taker. These interactions form the heart of the experience, grounding the magical setting in believable emotional connections. Contrasting the social segments are the shrine battles, where the game shifts from story to action-puzzle hybrid. Each shrine room becomes a grid of glowing runes, and Jun must match runes in real time to cast spells—offensive blasts, area-control magic, healing bursts, and other effects that depend on the runes she links together. Enemies roam the battlefield as Jun tries to balance pattern-recognition with quick mobility, creating a tense rhythm that merges match-3 thinking with action-game reflexes. The combat feels distinct from other puzzle games, not least because positioning matters; you’re not simply swapping tiles but actively moving across the arena to create and trigger spells. This system gives the game its mechanical identity, offering a refreshing twist on familiar puzzle logic. The presentation amplifies its strengths further. Emrys is rendered in vibrant colors, with streets lit by floating lanterns, shrine chambers bathed in eerie magical glow, and character portraits that highlight expressive eyes, bold silhouettes, and subtle anime influences. The soundtrack reinforces the blend of danger and wonder, with moody electronic pulses underscoring shrine battles and softer, atmospheric melodies accompanying exploration. Every part of the audiovisual design feels purposeful, helping the world feel cohesive despite its small scale. The overall tone suggests an urban-fantasy graphic novel brought to life, full of personality and style. However, The World Next Door is also defined by its brevity. Most players can finish the main storyline within a few hours, and while there are optional side quests and multiple dialogue routes, the overall structure remains tight. This concise design means the emotional beats sometimes feel rushed, with certain relationships and character arcs hinting at deeper stories that never fully unfold. The final act, in particular, arrives quickly and ends abruptly, leaving lingering questions about both characters and the mythology of Emrys. For some players, this open-endedness lends the story a bittersweet charm; for others, it may feel incomplete, as though the game is the first chapter of a larger tale that never materializes. The puzzle combat, though inventive, isn’t without limitations. Arena sizes are small, which can make later battles feel crowded and chaotic as Jun tries to dodge enemies while searching for rune matches. Spell variety is decent but ultimately limited by the simplicity of the grid-based system, and the lack of meaningful progression or unlockable combat abilities can make encounters feel repetitive by the end. Similarly, the balance between story and action will depend heavily on the player’s taste—those drawn to narrative may grow impatient with frequent shrine battles, while puzzle-oriented players may wish for more depth or complexity in combat. Even with these shortcomings, The World Next Door succeeds as an emotionally resonant and aesthetically engaging indie experience. Its charm lies in its sincerity: a small, heartfelt story about friendship, risk, and the desire to belong somewhere—told through expressive art, memorable characters, and a unique gameplay loop that blends thought and action. It doesn’t aim for epic proportions; instead, it offers a compact, polished experience that feels personal and distinct. For players who appreciate narrative-driven games with inventive mechanics, and for those who enjoy the fusion of anime aesthetics with modern fantasy themes, The World Next Door stands out as a short but memorable journey into a beautifully imagined parallel world. Rating: 7/10

This game seems like a vertical slice of a bigger title that was released as a full game. The story feels rushed and underbaked at the end, there are several mysteries that are not explored enough or just get dropped entirely, and the fighting mechanics could use a little more variety and spice. It seems like the game just needed a little more time in the oven, a little more oomph to really hit home. As it stands, though, it is still a pretty cute, short romp with nice visuals, fun (if tropey - or maybe BECAUSE they are tropey?) characters and an interesting spin on Match-3 idea. A nice way to spend an afternoon, and honestly, if this world gets picked up by the devs again, I would love to go back and see how much more can be done with this setting (and how those unfinished plotlines can be resolved).

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