You’re sitting in the booth. It’s 1955. The fluorescent lights hum just a bit too loudly, and there’s a guy outside your window who looks exactly like your neighbor, Kevin. Except his nose is migrating toward his left ear. This is the stressful reality of That’s Not My Neighbor, the "job sim" horror hit by Nacho Sama that has everyone doubting their own eyesight. The game lives and dies by its cast. Honestly, the That's Not My Neighbor characters aren't just NPCs; they are the puzzles themselves.
If you mess up, you don't just get a performance review. You get eaten.
The Regulars You'll Actually Recognize
The game works because it establishes a baseline of "normal." You have to know what the real residents look like before you can spot the eldritch horror trying to pass as a 1950s accountant. Take Isaac Gauss, for example. He’s the guy from Apartment 01 in the 4th floor. He’s got that very specific, slightly tired look of a man who just wants to go home. When a doppelganger mimics him, they might forget his hat or give him an extra finger. It sounds simple, but when you're three hours into a run, you start second-guessing if Isaac always had that specific shade of blue on his tie.
Then there’s Margarette Bubbles. She lives in Apartment 03 on the 1st floor. She’s iconic. With her bright hair and distinctive jewelry, she’s usually an easy "clear" for players. But the game is mean. It will throw a "perfect" doppelganger at you—someone who has the ID, the entry request, and the face exactly right—but they aren't on the daily guest list.
The struggle is real.
When the That’s Not My Neighbor Characters Stop Looking Human
The "flawless" doppelgangers are the ones that end your run, but the "obvious" ones are where the dark humor of the game shines. You’ll see characters with three eyes, or faces that look like they were drawn by a toddler with a grudge. Some people call these the "easy wins." I call them a heart attack at 2:00 AM.
There is a specific tension when a character like Alf Cappuccin shows up. Alf is the milkman. He’s supposed to look wholesome. When he shows up with a vertical mouth or a hole in his forehead, it’s a jump scare that turns into a relief because, well, at least you know for sure he’s a monster.
The Mystery of the Nightmare Mode Cast
Recently, the game introduced Nightmare Mode, and that changed the math on how we look at these people. The That's Not My Neighbor characters you thought you knew get weirder. You meet entities like The Clown. He isn't a resident. He’s something else. He’s a challenge of wit rather than just a visual check.
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Most players get caught up looking for physical flaws, but in the harder modes, the character’s "vibe" or their paperwork is the real tell. Did Mia Stone actually say she was going to the market, or is her story slightly off? The nuance is what makes this game a spiritual successor to Papers, Please, but with significantly more gore.
The Ones Who Actually Help (Or Try To)
It isn't all just monsters. You have Dr. W. Afton—yes, the reference is intentional—who pops in. These "special" characters break the monotony of checking IDs. They add a layer of lore that suggests the D.D.D. (Department of Detection of Doppelgangers) isn't exactly the most ethical organization in the world.
Think about the janitor. Think about the hooded figures.
The game uses these specific character designs to tell a story without a single cutscene. You learn about the residents' lives through their occupations and how they interact with you. You start to feel a weirdly protective bond with the real Roman Stilnsky or Selene. You want them to get inside safely. You feel like a failure when you let a monster in that eventually clears out the whole building.
Spotting the Fake: A Visual Breakdown
Checking the That's Not My Neighbor characters requires a system. I usually go in this order:
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- The Face: Check the eyes first. Are they level? Do they have the right number of pupils?
- The ID Number: This is a classic trap. The photo might be perfect, but the ID number is one digit off.
- The D.D.D. Logo: Doppelgangers are surprisingly bad at graphic design. Sometimes the logo on their ID is mirrored or just plain wrong.
- The Guest List: If they aren't on the list, it doesn't matter if they look like your mother. You hit the alarm.
People often overlook the "Entry Request" form. A character might have a perfectly valid ID, but if the entry request is missing the official stamp or has a typo in the name, you’re looking at a shapeshifter. It’s tedious. It’s stressful. It’s exactly why the game is addictive.
Why We Care About These 2D Faces
There’s something deeply unsettling about seeing a familiar face slightly "wrong." It’s the uncanny valley effect. Nacho Sama tapped into this perfectly by making the characters look like they belong in a 1950s cartoon, but then distorting them into something out of a body-horror film.
Take Anastacha. She’s elegant. When she’s real, she brings a sense of class to your dreary security booth. When she’s a doppelganger with an elongated neck, it’s genuinely disturbing because it ruins that sense of safety. The game forces you to scrutinize every wrinkle and every accessory. You become an accidental expert on the fashion of 1955.
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Actionable Advice for Your Next Shift
If you want to actually survive a full week and keep the building clear, you need to stop rushing. The clock feels like an enemy, but the "Submit" button is the real killer.
- Keep a physical notepad. I’m serious. Digital notes are fine, but scribbling down "Kevin - No Hat" helps your brain process the visual baseline faster.
- Verify the apartment numbers. Some doppelgangers are lazy. They’ll give you a real name but a fake apartment number. Check the directory every single time.
- Listen to the dialogue. Sometimes what they say doesn't match their "reason for entry." If they say they’re returning from work but they’re dressed in pajamas, something is up.
- Don't trust the "Clean" ones. The most dangerous That's Not My Neighbor characters are the ones that look perfect. Always call the apartment. Always. If the real person answers the phone, you just saved your life.
The lore is still expanding, and with every update, the neighbors get a little bit more complex. You’re not just a guard; you’re the only thing standing between a suburban apartment complex and a total biological takeover. Stay sharp, check the moles, and never, ever open the door if the ID logo looks "sorta" weird.
Trust your gut. If that's not your neighbor, you'll know—as long as you’re looking at the right details.