Bad Parenting

In the indie horror game Bad Parenting, players navigate the dark and unsettling life of a young boy who confronts neglect and surreal horrors within his own home. The game begins on what should be a joyful occasion—the boy’s birthday—only for him to realize that his mother has forgotten both the significance of the day and the promises she made. The setting is a claustrophobically small apartment that reflects the boy’s feelings of abandonment and isolation. As players interact with this environment, they witness the boy’s reality distort, with elements of the mundane home turning increasingly strange and foreboding. The gameplay incorporates elements of psychological horror, where the boundary between real fears and imagined horrors blurs, making the task of distinguishing between them a central challenge.

An Evening of Eerie Encounters

The night escalates quickly after the forgotten birthday, leading to an eerie narrative progression. His mother, attempting to make amends, tells the boy a story about Mr. Red Face, a figure who supposedly visits well-behaved children and rewards them with toys. However, the intended comfort transforms into terror as the boy later wakes to find a toy next to his bed, a gift from the mysterious Mr. Red Face, symbolizing the encroachment of sinister forces into his life. From here, the game deepens into a chilling exploration of the boy’s psyche and the dark secrets of his family. Players must guide him through interactions with physical elements of the apartment and with eerie manifestations that may or may not be the product of his imagination. The challenge lies in uncovering the truth behind Mr. Red Face and the unsettling changes in the boy’s once-familiar surroundings.