Poppy Playtime Chapter 1

Get the Game

Description

Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 is a puzzle game that is essentially a jumpscare and will unquestionably alter the way you perceive stuffed animals for the rest of your life, if not permanently.

The aforementioned assertion is not only a catchy phrase. I find this game to be incredibly unpleasant and spooky. There is no denying that the developers went out of their way to create a game that could potentially turn the toughest green beret into a wimp, and it shows. Of course, it all comes down to how susceptible you are to fear plushies with ugly teeth. Nevertheless, it is clear that they made a concerted effort.

The “primary” character of the game and the one who gives it its name is Poppy Playtime Chapter 1, but it is not yet quite apparent what her position will be in the overall scheme of things. But keep in mind that we are only evaluating based on what has happened in the first chapter of the story.

Additionally, little is known about the player character. Only the fact that he/she/it worked at Playtime, Co.—the doll factory where the game takes place—is mentioned.

Though Huggy Wuggy, a towering “cute” blue plushie that is prominently featured on the game’s emblem and cover, causing some people to believe it is Poppy Playtime herself, is the real star of the show, at least for the sake of this chapter. It could initially seem idle, but as you can undoubtedly infer, it’s not a very pleasant fellow.

It’s not at all horrible when it comes to the game itself. We must, however, bring attention to one of its fundamental flaws: length.

We think that since the gaming only lasts for about 45 minutes, many people would be put off from even trying to purchase it. Fortunately, this is only the first chapter; however, charging $4.99 for each 45-minute chapter may not be a decision that all people would be really enthusiastic about.

But how can a game that lasts less than 45 minutes be called “excellent,” much less “great”? Let’s simply argue that there are other factors that make up for this content gap.

The setting of this game is one of its most notable features. The atmosphere is quite reminiscent of “Fallout,” with a 1950s flavor. Additionally, the game world features a ton of shiny, “plastic-y” objects for you to interact with that are evocative of Fallout 4 or Fallout 76’s aesthetics. This is the ideal signal to begin discussing the graphics.

Although the graphics could be criticized for not being “next-gen,” they are nonetheless very useful. Although it is an independent game, MOB Games, the developer, went above and beyond to give players beautifully hand-crafted scenarios—and believe me, there is a lot of polish!—superb textures, and striking lighting effects.

The lighting, to just one, is poor. The contrast between the environment’s cheerful or “childlike” nature, with vivid colors continuously popping forth, and the darkness that envelops it, really emphasizes the game’s and its lore’s ominous nature.

The character models are also incredibly detailed. At maximum graphics, Huggy Wuggy appears incredibly lifelike, and the design genuinely conjures up nightmares.

Finally, the experience is greatly influenced by the sounds—or rather, the absence of them. With the exception of sporadic, spooky atmospheric hums that envelop you in a nervous calm, the game is largely silent. You can occasionally hear some lighthearted songs to go along with the antinomic recipe.

Editor’s Review & How To Play

The setting of the game places you in a stranded factory with unspeakable man-made horrors. You have been given the duty of solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance of factory workers who went missing decades ago.

Since you will be moving throughout the facility in first person, only the Grabpack hands will be visible to you, not your playable character.

The Grabpack is a backpack with artificial hands attached by a steel wire, as its name might imply. You can move heavy objects, reach and grasp objects from a distance, go to far locations, and conduct electricity across the rooms using this useful and powerful instrument.

You can move around, however there are just conveyor belts installed inside the air vents that provide access to the complex’s many settings. It will be necessary to solve electricity challenges in order to turn on these conveyor belts. This function will be used for the first time while entering the Make-A-Friend area from the staff area.

Toys made with the Make-A-Friend machine, which can be used once you figure out how to power it up, are another way to unlock areas. You’ll have the opportunity to restore the factory to full operation throughout the course of the game in order to discover its mysteries.

You’ll get access to tutorials on VHS tapes that can be viewed on a TV or played on a handheld VHS player with limited audio reproduction. The developers made a commendable effort to stray from the dull screen messages we’re all used to seeing, even though this mechanic—while highly unique and novel in and of itself—isn’t as elaborate as I would have expected.

However, the VHS cassettes serve more than only instructional objectives. They will provide you with bits of information that will help you understand what happened in the abandoned office. You won’t be able to solve every puzzle because this is only the first chapter of the game; however, additional chapters will be made available as DLC.

This game offers more gameplay elements than just solving puzzles. In the interim, you must also stay as far away from the toys as possible. They are undoubtedly on the hunt and are not your pals. The aforementioned Huggy Wuggy is one of the biggest “bosses” in the chapter out of all the foes you’ll encounter.

We won’t give away the specifics of your experience with Huggy Wuggy, but you’ll recognize right away that it’s not quite a Muppet character. Huggy Wuggy will undoubtedly make a lasting image on your memory, one that, while memorable, won’t be the most romantic. That is essentially the impression that the entire game will convey.

Overall, this game will leave you frightened in a strangely delightful way, despite its unimpressive length. If you have $4.99 to spare, you should absolutely look into it.

Additionally, you can share your spooky Poppy Playtime tale in the comment section below!