Five Nights at Freddy's 4

By: Robert Murphy

There is nothing more terrifying than being alone in the dark when you’re a kid, there could be monsters, demons and god knows what else lurking in those shadows or at least that’s their mind set. Well, for the unlucky child of Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 his nightmares have become all too real as he finds himself defending against nightmarish version of the already deadly animatronics animals of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. Yes, the classic tradition of playing a lowly security guard looking to make some quick cash has now been dropped. No long do you have security cameras to help you see what’s coming but rather you’re only armed with a simple flashlight, little legs and hopefully some expert listening skills. I have to say, the odds don’t look good for you.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 features more of a style that was present in the first the game where you are centered in a small room with doors on either side of you but you no longer feel so helpless, sort of. For the first time ever your character is allowed to move around the room which serves as a replacement for the ability to look around an entire building with the use of the security cameras. Movement is something that was a double edged sword however as the panic from moving between the two doors, your closet and looking behind you on the bed made things quite stressing. That being said, the camera system is not something I found myself missing as the tougher nights in previous games made it near impossible to look around the building for the animatronics in the first place as they were already charging towards you. This is one thing that definitely hasn’t changed as the famous electronic monsters have received a more frightening look and are ready to catch you at every opportunity if you are not listening carefully.

Sound and atmosphere is a key feature to this latest installment of Five Nights. While you are able to run up to all the doors and either flash your flashlight down the hall or slam the door tight for sweet protection, you have to be sure you’re doing both of these things correctly. The flashlight is honestly a very powerful weapon, as ridiculous as that sounds, and it was also a well done mechanic. Your character can use the flashlight to shine down either hall if you hear the thumping sounds of Bonnie, Chica, Foxy or any other of the later enemies that come up. You will also need it to shine on the bed when tiny demented Freddies appear there, let too many get up there and you will end up getting attacked by them.

While this is all well and good, you have to know when to use your handy dandy flashlight to ward off your enemies. Once at any of the doors you must be sure to listen carefully for breathing or the electronic noises that they all create because shining your flashlight at that moment will get you killed in a horrible jumpscare, leaving your heart racing and your pants wet. The solution for this to simply hold onto that door for dear life once you hear the breathing but as I said make sure that’s what you heard because closing the door when their isn’t anyone there will also land you in some hot water too. While this is the mechanic for most of the first few nights, things change up drastically later on with the addition of some other familiar and not so familiar faces. This is something which makes the challenges you face never too unappealing or monotonous as it started to feel in the previous installment.

Perhaps the best received addition though has to be the incorporation of a stronger story. After completing each night players are transferred to an Atari style world like the ones in the previous game but these tell more about what is happening this time around. As you delve further into each night you learn more and more about the child you’re currently playing as and perhaps why he is having these bad dreams in the first place. The specifics are still left slightly up in the air as is Scott Cawthon’s trademark way of presenting the story. However, I love this aspect to the story and the way it is presented as you never truly know what is happening in these games, you must decide that for yourself.

The final feature is a something entirely new where you are allowed to advance two hours into your next night if you are able to catch a new animatronics called Plushtrap (a smaller version of Springtrap) with your flashlight and place him on a white x. It is a small but cheeky addition to the game and one that led me to feel all to confident as I stumbled into another night with my head held high, only to be sent running from my screen.

I am entirely delighted by Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 as it makes a whole new interpretation to its nightmare fueled story. The animatronics of Fazbear’s Pizza have never looked scarier as their appearances get warped and exaggerated by the mind of your young character. Features such as a much more telling story also add to what was an all around enjoyable horror experience. I find myself being a kid again and checking the darkness while I hide under the blankets, hoping that no mechanized monsters coming stumbling out of the darkness for me.

Good:

- New nightmarish forms of the animatronics

- Terrifying atmosphere

- The sound center gaming experience will creep you right out

- A more in-depth story

Bad:

- Besides the fact that it cost me a new pair of boxers, I’ve got nothing

Scully Rating: 9.5 out of 10