Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5, Broken Things is here and it’s Mob Entertainment’s strongest entry yet. Sure, the formula is tried and true, but our time in Playtime Co. is really starting to mean something, and I’m excited to see where this nightmare goes.
Having played all five chapters, Poppy Playtime can feel very hit or miss. Its bite-sized horror started strong as a standalone product that had something interesting with its uncanny character models and creepy (albeit repetitive) chase sequences. Though it’s clear this franchise may not have existed without Five Nights at Freddy’s, it’s making a name for itself in the mascot horror sphere. The cost of the entire game is certainly questionable for the amount of content you’re getting as it’s fast approaching AAA pricing, but Poppy Playtime is now feeling worth your time with its latest installment, Broken Things.
It’s taken five chapters, but Poppy has found her stride
Previous chapters felt like Mob were winging it, each being linked by a yarn of thread that’s getting increasingly tangled the more intricate lore is added as the story continues to develop. Playtime Co. is growing with every chapter, offering a new environment to play in, and experiments to deal with. Poppy Playtime carries a lot of the classic indie horror formula that has existed for years: chase sequences, predictable AI patrolling patterns, and fetch quests. Yes, this entry isn’t doing anything to push the boat out, but Mob has clearly made a lot of design changes that I for one, really enjoy.
For starters, Broken Things brings back the overall creepy aesthetic and atmosphere that was only present in Deep Sleep. There’s been a clear shift away from the rather frustrating Safe Haven entry that forced you to perpetually run—massively lowering the scare factor and making it rather tiresome to play in one-go. I gladly played Broken Things in a single sitting because the puzzle-platforming elements of Poppy Playtime was in full force. Granted, I did grow frustrated with the basic programming of Huggy Wuggy who was camping like we’re 1v1ing in Nuketown, which unnecessarily dragged out this particular scene, but it didn’t last long enough to dampen my overall experience.
A change in the right direction
Boss fights weren’t really a thing in this chapter outside of The Prototype’s, whose environment felt reminiscent of Claire against Birkin on the train in Resident Evil 2. I appreciated not having to spend the entire time running away or stealthily crouch-walking everywhere. There was far more in-between moments that offered both a breather from deadly experiments and a challenge with its satisfying puzzle-platforming. Not being constantly hunted down by cheap jumpscares and instead having to figure out door codes and restoring power will always be more entertaining to me.
Unlike previous entries, the puzzles this time around felt rewarding. This, paired with significantly more collectibles (tapes, notes, cassettes, and figurines) made Broken Things a fun entry to breeze through.
Classic indie horror formula
Sure, Poppy Playtime isn’t scary and hasn’t really ever been, but this chapter did return to form with its fair share of creepy moments and immersive lore. Prototype’s reveal was awesome, and Huggy Wuggy and Kissy Missy’s little standoff acted as a great full circle moment for both characters.
While this is their strongest chapter with Deep Sleep close behind it, I wish the narrative wouldn’t follow the same formula every single time. There’s always some kind of betrayal, a new ally added, and a secondary antagonist that didn’t exist until the chapter drops and I have to say that I didn’t enjoy Lily Lovebraids one bit. Like chase sequences, fetch quests are so tedious to play through and sprinkling in trendy games like Red Light, Green Light left me thinking its inclusion was an afterthought with how popular this is right now.
It makes immersion a little tougher when the entire plot feels like it’s being made up as it’s going on.
From strength to strength
Though Broken Things not being the final chapter has made me feel like we really didn’t need Safe Haven, I will hand it to this entry for bringing everything together in a cohesive manner. Even if Mob are winging it, the team is doing a great job to ensure the lore expands with every chapter, makes sense to the plot of A Tight Squeeze, and never forgets its identity. The gameplay does reinvent itself, but this adds a small learning curve and keeps the game feeling fresh. But, feeling fatigued from the GrabPack mechanics, chase sequences, and puzzle-solving is a weakness that has existed since Poppy Playtime‘s modest beginnings, and likely won’t change as it’s far too late.
There’s one glaring issue about my overall positive experience and that’s how it took five chapters to truly feel like investing in this series has been worthwhile. The total cost so far simply isn’t worth it financially when weaker chapters feel like filler. But if you’ve been here since the beginning, then Poppy Playtime is finally starting to pay off. This is the first time I left a chapter looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
