5 Nights at Freddy's: a terrifying game about working night-watch at Chuck E Cheese's

[Dankk]

In this game, you work the nightly security shift at a place called "Freddy's", a children's entertainment center. In the middle of the night, the singing and dancing animatronic stuffed animals come to life and roam the building. Your job is to keep yourself closed up in the security room and watch the CCTV cameras to make sure the characters don't wander too close to you and try to kill you.

It's fairly simple. You don't move around or anything. The game mechanics consist of learning the layout of the building and cycling through the security cameras to keep track of where the monsters are located. You have a limited amount of power, so you can't be constantly looking at the cameras; and it can be very stressful when you lose sight of one of the enemies.

It's unique in that - unlike most horror games where you are pressured to do something you don't want to do - it's the opposite, where the win state is to just sit there and make sure nothing happens at all. It's surprisingly scary though.

It's hard to find good gameplay videos, but here's a decent one that shows off the first couple levels. Gives you a good idea of how intense the game is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsHqAG8dmSw

If you want to go in blind (which is the most fun!) it can now be purchased on Steam for a fiver:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/319510/

 

[QueBert]

Looks fun, watched a few videos I probably will buy it tomorrow. I'm not really scared of much but it seemed to have a nice tension to it from the videos.

 

[Dankk]

Looks fun, watched a few videos I probably will buy it tomorrow. I'm not really scared of much but it seemed to have a nice tension to it from the videos.

Eh, like any other horror game, you have to be in the right mood to play it. I have gaming buddies who don't like horror games and simply cannot be scared by them. Which is fine. But if this sort of thing appeals to you then it's definitely work checking out.

 

[Red Storm]

Interesting premise.

Skipped through the video about 10 times but didn't see anything moving. Is there a specific part of the video that highlights the scariness?

 

[KidNiki1]

Micoo and Gavy Wavy from Achievement Hunters did a Play Pals about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFWEoCf2PKI

funny video without Markiplier. My kids love that guy, but he kinda gets on my nerves sometimes.

as for the game, imho it seems like it might be more fun if you were playing with someone. i'm not into the jump scare kind of horror games much for something to just play on my own.

 

[Dankk]

Micoo and Gavy Wavy from Achievement Hunters did a Play Pals about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFWEoCf2PKI

funny video without Markiplier. My kids love that guy, but he kinda gets on my nerves sometimes.

The Rooster Teeth videos are good for lol's.

You're right, Markiplier is kind of annoying, sorry for linking that one. A better playthrough to watch that's still serious in nature would be HarshlyCritical's, he provides decent commentary without being annoying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsHqAG8dmSw

Interesting premise.

Skipped through the video about 10 times but didn't see anything moving. Is there a specific part of the video that highlights the scariness?

There isn't much movement that you ever see. The idea is that the creatures don't move when you have the camera turned on; and they only move when you're not looking. So the scariest part is looking at a room where a creature is standing, flipping the camera off, and then flipping the camera back on only to realize that they're not standing there anymore, so you're then frantically flipping through all the different cameras to see where they went.

 

[Red Storm]

There isn't much movement that you ever see. The idea is that the creatures don't move when you have the camera turned on; and they only move when you're not looking. So the scariest part is looking at a room where a creature is standing, flipping the camera off, and then flipping the camera back on only to realize that they're not standing there anymore, so you're then frantically flipping through all the different cameras to see where they went.

Ah, makes sense. It's like that indie horror game (can't remember the name) that had a monster that only moved when you weren't looking at it, but the game also had a blinking system so you had to time your blinks right or you'd be killed.

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

SCP Containment breech was the name of that game.

 

[Blue_Max]

Heh... as a security guy, I would probably dread going to work the day after playing this.

 

[QueBert]

This is a good good, I haven't played much but it makes me tense. You can't move, you have limited power to keep yourself safe and the animatronic animals just make it more creepy. Most horror games have zombies or typical deformed monsters that most would associate with scary. The damn Chuck E Cheese knock offs really make the atmosphere more unsettling. This game shouldn't do what it does to me, but I was playing in the pitch black with my headphones on and a few times I had to exit out and take a breather. I definitely think $5 is worth it, it's a very original concept for the horror genre. And the lack of polished graphics imho make it that much better. If this looked like Crysis 3 I don't think it would work nearly as well.

It's weird, I'm not scared of most horror games, Zombies and shit just make me laugh. But this game generated some genuine uneasiness in me lol. As a kid I remember the animatronic band at Chuck E Cheese was, I dunno not scary but it was sort of off putting. And since it's random and not a scripted game it should probably possess a decent amount of replay. But even if it doesn't, $5 is less than a burger from Carl's. Wait I don't know if it's not scripted, I'm just assuming it's random. It was unnerving when the bear moved and I couldn't find the fucker. I was clicking franticly trying to track him down. I knew he was lurking and coming for me but I couldn't find the bastard. Even knowing he was going to show up, I still jumped when I heard him and BOOM he popped in before I could shut the door. And even worse when I'm paranoid about the bear I couldn't find, I knew other bastards were roaming around. It's impossible to stay totally on top of everything it's just too much work. And when you run out of power at 4:30 because you didn't manage it well. You're left sitting in the dark, still able to technically survive but with no idea of what's happening in those rooms. It's just good shit. Having to work the door, the camera and the lights while managing the power. You really have to pay attention to every damn thing. It's weird how when you lose it will always be the same, but thus far, it still has some jump factor to it.

I like this game a lot, a sequel with Oculus support would be tits.

 

[sandorski]

The premise of this game is too ridiculous for me to suspend disbelief.

 

[blake0812]

GET READY FOR FREDDY

 

[Dankk]

Ah, makes sense. It's like that indie horror game (can't remember the name) that had a monster that only moved when you weren't looking at it, but the game also had a blinking system so you had to time your blinks right or you'd be killed.

It should be noted... there are some exceptions to this rule. Part of what makes this game so good is the way it plays with your expectations. I won't spoil it any further than that though.

 

[futurefields]

i'm easily spooked by games even well into adulthood and i can get very immersed

Fallout 3 is survival horror for me lol

dead space i can only play for 30-60 minutes at a time before i have to stop, but i love the hell out of those games

resident evil remake on gamecube took me a month to beat it was so scary

 

[Remobz]

YAWN!!

Sucks!

 

[QueBert]

Had 1% power left and the clock said 5 but the day wasn't over yet. I checked the camera and I heard running and BOOM the camera goes out from no more power and I can't shut the door and the duck, bird whatever that fucker was already in the room screaming and I was dead.

And that dog always seems to end up chilling at the last viable camera my door. The way they seems to be peering up at the camera right at you when they're in the close rooms is a bit spooky. With my headphones on the sound makes it more jumpy. You hear weird things, you hear parts of their song, you hear what you think are them coming, but it's not. And sometimes the camera bug out and you can't see anything. As soon as hear one running if you're not uber quick you're dead. And if you happen to have the camera selected where they're running from it's the only time you actually see them moving.

Now that I've been playing it a few days the spookiness has gone down. But it's still pretty intense when one goes missing and you can't find the room they're in.

 

[TheUnk]

YAWN!!

Sucks!

Agreed. Not worth $5. Overrated. Only has jumpscares.

 

[Blue_Max]

Many months later, anyone else get deep into the hidden lore of FNAF 1&2?

Fascinating, creepy stuff!

 

[mmntech]

Sounds a bit like Night Trap.

 

[Aikouka]

Many months later, anyone else get deep into the hidden lore of FNAF 1&2?

Fascinating, creepy stuff!

Game Theory has two videos on the proposed lore behind the game.

Five Nights at Freddy's
Five Nights at Freddy's 2

 

[Blue_Max]

I'd say G.T. has one of the best theory videos out there -- far better than Smike, etc. Markiplier has the best playthroughs.

 

[BlueWeasel]

How's the sequel? Indiegala has it on sale with 4 other games for $1.89 for the next 18 hours or so.

Any improvements over the original or just more of the same?

 

[Blue_Max]

Freddy2 definitely gives you way more story/lore and "creepiness".

 

[Tweak155]

The description of this game sounds awesome, haha.

 

[thm1223]

I am incredibly amused by player reactions on Youtube let's play videos of this title. They are hilarious!