The Return Of A Familiar Nightmare
Due to the PC first release of the Poppy Playtime games, I often watch a full playthrough of them before I get my grubby little mitts on them on console. But, after the cliffhanger ending from Poppy Playtime: Chapter 4, I purposefully avoided that this time. Not to mention the return of a certain – spoilers – Mr. Huggy Wuggy: the de facto face of the franchise and invader of unmonitored children on tablets nightmares. This time, I went in completely blind.
It is somewhat unfortunate then that the majority of Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 focuses more on puzzle solving rather than terror. Save for the final act, this fifth chapter plays it safe on scares and plot, but still manages to deliver an incredible reveal for what’s to come.
The action starts immediately after the previous chapter ended, with a certain lanky blue furry creature with vengeance in his eyes. He has clearly been biding his time from the very first Poppy Playtime game and is determined to catch you this time.
Survive, and you are into the meat of Chapter 5 with new characters Giblet and Chum Chompkins. Chum is a double agent, who has been working alongside The Prototype but is secretly helping the good guys out. Giblet is a member of the Inside Outimals; teddies and plushies that have been turned inside out and sewn back together again. Giblet is the only friendly one you will encounter, the others have to be avoided in the early stages.
Giblet tells you that there is crucial information regarding The Prototype’s weakness in the server room. This is your primary objective in Chapter 5.
Too Many Obstacles, Not Enough Horror
Before you get to the really good stuff though, there is a very lengthy section where you are solving environmental puzzles one after another. Of course, there are new GrabPack hands to discover and utilise, but this is a large portion of the game where not very much happens.
You will need to move boxes, power up electric points, burn and freeze obstacles all in the name of progression. However, aside from the usual cassettes and video tapes to flesh out the story, you are completely on your own throughout.
Seeing The World Through Huggy’s Eyes
There is one section however that felt very fresh, if a little farfetched somewhat. Yeah, farfetched even in a game where killer toys come to life and try to kill you. But by collecting tapes, you can watch them back in a special machine that allows you to relive them. These memories aren’t yours though. They belong to Huggy Wuggy, and for these short periods, you can control him.
This little section serves to humanise Huggy in a way that being chased and eaten by him cannot. He’s not completely evil, and as this chapter progresses, you see this different side to him. What this means for the future, we will have to wait and see.
When The Story Finally Finds Its Feet
But once you make it through this lengthy section, things get good. Really good. With teases and reveals that have felt a long time in coming.
Firstly, you are introduced to Lily Lovebraids. Now, and this has been a problem in the wider Poppy Playtime universe as well, but aside from watching the pre-release trailers, there has been almost no mention of this character at all. It gives the series an element of being made up as it goes along. But, looking back to Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 and where we are now, the scope of the franchise has clearly grown exponentially, so maybe these grander ideas should be expected?
Lily needs your help in preparing a dinner party for her and her friends. Sounds all innocent, but if you needed some sense knocking into you, know this: Poppy and Kissy Missy are locked up in her basement. As well as preparing for the party, you should be looking for a way to release them.
This section is far and away the best in Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5, and the big reveal at the end is fantastic fan service for those that have been all-in from the start.
Of course, it doesn’t just end there, with another chase sequence thrown in for good measure. Then we have one of the most emotional moments in the entire series, and another cliffhanger ending leaving us with more questions than answers. Everything you would normally expect from a Poppy Playtime game at least.
A Brilliant Finale Buried Beneath Slow Pacing
If it wasn’t for a lengthy middle section of seemingly endless environmental puzzles to solve, this would be another superb entry into the series. The ending and big reveal are worth the entry fee alone, but they are bogged down by the earlier moments. And it’s this middle section that stops Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 from reaching the same heights as previous chapters.
Important Links
Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 Drags Console Players Even Deeper Into The Nightmare – https://www.thexboxhub.com/poppy-playtime-chapter-5-drags-console-players-even-deeper-into-the-nightmare/
We Ranked Every Poppy Playtime Chapter on Xbox – https://www.thexboxhub.com/ranked-every-poppy-playtime/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/poppy-playtime-chapter-5/9N0JZ8W66LD8/0010
