It was highly unlikely such a small indie game like this would become the massive cultural phenomenon it did, but that's exactly whatIt was highly unlikely such a small indie game like this would become the massive cultural phenomenon it did, but that's exactly what happened. Now that I've finally played it for myself I must say it's easy to see why. Five Nights at Freddy's is certainly simplistic in nature and design as you step into the shoes of a nighttime security guard who is trapped in the back office of a small pizzeria and must manage a limited, ever-dwindling power supply in order to fend off the attacks of the parlor's sentient animatronics until his shift ends. Yet, developer Scott Cawthon was able to mine a surprising amount of depth and strategy from the premise to ensure the experience is more engaging than it might at first seem.
Often discredited as being a cheap jump scarefest by its detractors, there are many who would have you believe that all this has to offer in the terror department are the quick, unexpected appearances of something popping out with a shriek from the darkness. Well, please let me be the one to tell you that the tension comes from more than just nervously anticipating the possibility of getting caught off guard by an unsettling sight suddenly leaping in front of you. Arguably the biggest source of uneasiness is the management component. Everything you do from flipping on light switches to checking cameras or closing doors should one of the mascots get too close puts you a step closer to ending up in the pitch black with no way to defend yourself. The struggle between keeping up with the tasks necessary to watch your back and preserving precious electricity is really effective at keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Where the whole thing runs into a problem is with its scale. Taking place over a single work week there are only five main stages (hence the name) that take a couple of hours at most to complete, if even that. There is an unlockable "Custom Night" mode which you gain access to by finishing the optional 6th level that allows you to modify the difficulty to your liking, but it does little to change the fact that the novelty of playing FNaF wears off pretty quickly. The sparsity of content also leads to a significant difficulty spike in the last two nights compared to the starting three.
Perhaps this explains why the series became a hit on streaming platforms like YouTube. You will be left wanting more, and what better way to get it than by watching others freak out while trying to survive till morning? It is great at pulling naturally funny panicked reactions from people after all.
Regardless of how long it manages to maintain your attention after that initial playthrough and the at times concerningly strange fanbase it spawned though, this is still a delightfully scary gem centered around a uniquely creepy concept that may also offer the slightest hints of snarky social commentary on blue-collar working conditions to boot. It's a wonderful example of what an independent, one-man project can accomplish with a good idea that's executed well enough to remain interesting, without simultaneously going overboard by adding in any unnecessary complexities that complicate what should have otherwise been a straightforward affair. As I'm not at this point familiar with the sequels I am currently unaware if the hate this franchise receives is justified due to mistakes that were made later on down the line or the result of the masses' irritation with the sheer Call of Duty style overexposure to the brand. Whatever the case, this premiere entry is an unfortunate victim/casualty because it stands on its own merits as a noteworthy horror title worthy of your attention that's caught in the crosshairs of their frustration.… Expand