What is scary about a ChuckyCheeses? What comes to mind are those giant robotic singing animals on the stage for kids’ birthday parties. So naturally, the horror genre has taken advantage of these creepy animals and created something truly terrifying in gaming, and this scary experience is known as Five Night’s at Freddy’s.
The title of the game really explains the general idea. The player takes the role of a part-time security guard at Freddy Fazzbear’s Pizza (an establishment much like Chuck’e’Cheeses). There are five levels of increasing difficulty with each level being another night the player works. The player cannot move from the security room at all, the only movement they are capable of is looking around and monitoring different cameras inside the establishment. The purpose, as explained in the game by the previous security guard who speaks to the player through messages he has left on the phone, is that the player must monitor the large mechanical musician animals so that they do not damage equipment or the player. Since there is no free movement in the game, the only way to keep the animatronics from getting into the security room is to close the door and spot them by using the lights in the hallway just outside where blind spots are. However, the catch is that using the cameras, closing the doors and turning on the lights all subtracts power away which is needed to keep the doors closed and the player alive. The goal of the game is to survive until 6 a.m. which, in real time, is about 9 minutes.
The game is very simple in design which makes it very easy to pick up and play. Later levels become very difficult with the addition of more animatronics and thus, more strategy is necessary to stay alive and conserve power. The horror aspect of this game is very well done . Players will find themselves jumping in their seats and feeling anxious while playing this game, the player feels anxious and as though something terrible is going to happen at any moment. Inability to move really makes the player feel helpless, and this amplifies the apprehension felt in the game, the sounds and the visuals.
The game additionally has a really incredible sound design. There are sounds of breaking plates and falling pots and pans, footsteps and singing which is a terrible experience that increases the overall tension of the game, therefore the ambiance a huge part of what makes this game so great.
The visuals in the game are actually not that impressive considering there is very little animation. Rarely can the actual animatronics be seen moving, only when the player is caught by one of them is there an animation, which results in one of the animatronics running down the hallway to the security room. Otherwise, they are almost always standing still in whatever room they are lurking in. The game would have been a lot more interesting and terrifying if you could see the creepy animals look at the camera or move from room to room.
The whole game is an experience in itself, and playing it creates a nervous and tense environment for the gamer, which makes this horror game one of the best since Amnesia the Dark Descent. While the game is short and only features five levels, there is a secret sixth night and a custom level which is really a gem. Overall, this game would easily get an 8/10 for adequately scaring the poop out of anyone who has tokens to play it.
