Poppy Playtime Series Review (Xbox, PlayStation & PC)

Five Nights at Freddy’s set the benchmark for mascot horrors. However, what it didn’t do was fill enough holes to ensure that no other animatronic or plushie could ever emerge from the rubble to grasp a foothold of its own. In what felt like a hot minute, worlds were given the opportunity to share the same platform, and childhood toys were being introduced as seemingly harmless yet harrowingly sadistic dolls with Child’s Play mentalities. Poppy Playtime, of course, was one of the select few series that found a spot on the same spectrum before emerging as an original force to be reckoned with. Sure enough, the idea was similar — but it had a lot more to share than the average mascot thriller. Huggy Wuggy was born, and before long it was cozying up with a long-term plan to build an empire of plush and plastic, springs and smiles.

Poppy Playtime might have taken a few episodes to finally locate its own two feet, but to be fair, it was one of the first to truly feel like a new experience and not just a clone of its own forefather. It was due to things like the Grab Pack, among the identifiable characters and original locations that the series was able to find a solid foundation to build its world and establish its unique formula. At heart, it was a mascot horror with on-the-nose gameplay elements and recognizable themes, yet beneath its surface idled a plethora of original facets and features, rosters and stories. And it was thanks to that, as well as its creators ambition to walk on its own two feet, that Poppy Playtime became an instant sensation. A cult classic was born, and the playground was ultimately build for one of the most famous feuds in mascot lore of all time.

Hugs Over Horror

As a series, Poppy Playtime has never truly felt like a “complete” story with all of its cogs and jigsaw pieces in the appropriate locations. Oddly, though, that has been working in its favor since day one; the mere fact that it never openly informs you about the next area is an excellent alternative to the usual pre-written formula, and not to mention a perfect excuse to keep its fans on tenterhooks whilst new chapters are being added to the rolling experience. On some occasions, it has felt a little lost, almost as if it has no real endgame in mind, but rather, a network of spots that it wants to visit, but not necessarily the tools to connect them with the overarching narrative. Simply put, it ends in one location, but then miraculously finds another to lungs into, almost as if it illustrate the open-ended nature of its seemingly infinite world. The thing is, nobody knows where it’s going, or even what it’s doing. That’s a blessing and a curse, really.

With all of the above said, Poppy Playtime has indeed come a long way since its initial peek-a-boo debut on PC. Before its episodic timeline, it would have made for a fantastic twenty-minute thriller. But, in the wake of newfound success, it found the will to carve a legacy of its own, with a timeline that would effectively take place over several years and in multiple locations deep within the signature daycare setting. From the cute and colorful quarters of the gift shop to the crevices of the factory floor, the nooks and crannies of an old lab to the underbelly of an ominous orphanage, the series has, rather gracefully, ventured into several pockets and established a knitted world of devilish plushies and clever puzzles, jump scares and chase sequences. And you know what? Although it has often felt like an endless thread without an endgame, the series has always been a lot of fun to work through.

The No Hug Zone

Credit: Mob Entertainment

With all of the above said, Poppy Playtime is a series that thankfully continues to get better with age, with each episode offering fresh characters, quips, puzzles and meatier environments to soak up and enjoy alongside a lore-riddled adventure. With the aid of its Grab Pack tech and spring-loaded abilities, the series has gradually grown from a standalone indie into a souped-up franchise with a ton of original ideas. It’s also a franchise that, given its knack for adopting new mascots and plot points, has the potential to span dozens of chapters and spin-offs in the future. To tell you the truth, I hope it does continue to evolve and latch onto fresh ideas and innovations. Frankly, it has the tools and support; it simply needs the momentum to keep going forward.

All in all, Poppy Playtime is a fantastic first-person mascot horror with a lot of heart and soul, with an instantly recognizable roster of lovable poster children and a ton of thought-provoking puzzles and daringly engaging chase sequences to elevate its status as a frightfully fun peek-a-book indie saga. As for where the series will plant its roots next is another question, and one that, in all honesty, isn’t likely to receive an answer until Huggy Wuggy and his pals finally shed their cotton. Knowing Mob Entertainment, though, it wouldn’t surprise me it the underbelly of the daycare ran a lot deeper than a submarine in an Atlantis-themed toy box. Not a complaint — just a mixture of observation and wishful thinking.

Verdict

Poppy Playtime is one of the few mascot horrors that has the repertoire and prowess to mount the podium and withstand the monumental pressure of staying afloat in a competitive sphere. With thanks to its solid cast of animatronics and cult plushies, Grab Pack tech and bottomless world layers, the series has a lot of room to maneuver and, dare I say, outshine its adversaries in future installments. And when all’s said and done, that isn’t something that every franchise can claim the bragging rights over, nor is it something that can be easily earned through quantity alone. To that I say, well played, Mob Entertainment.