If you love jump scares and puzzles, Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 could be your most beloved nightmare fuel!

Now, this is one scary son of a gun! If you love plush toys, I wouldn’t recommend you play this game unless you developed some thick skin (and are a dentist… just kidding!) 

But, seriously, look at the teeth below and tell me whether you’d want to get cushy with that! Dang! Now that’s some excellent material for an orthodontics case study!

Contrary to what you may think, that hellspawn you just saw (which is also shown prominently on the game’s cover) is not Poppy Playtime. Poppy Playtime is a petite doll with eerie chalk-white skin and contrasting rosy cheeks. 

This doll is touted as being the most intelligent toy in the world according to her creator Elliot Ludwig, founder of Playtime Co., which, by the way, is the company where you, “The Player”, used to work for and whose facilities you’ll be traversing in this game.

The hideous blue plushie that will be your archnemesis for this episode is named Huggy Wuggy, and, trust me, he’s not friendly! Also, please, do not, I repeat, do not get fooled by his initial idleness!

Throughout this first episode, you’ll be invited to return to the factory after the mysterious disappearance of various employees. Along the way, you decide to investigate them yourself. 

For this purpose, you will make use of a “Grabpack” with artificial hands attached by a wire. With it, you can move items from a distance and reach places you otherwise wouldn’t. 

You’ll spend the game treading different environments by utilizing conveyor belts or toys crafted with a machine called the Make-A-Friend. To use these devices, you must power up these areas by figuring out electricity puzzles. This will be a constant mechanic throughout the game - that, and avoiding all the “cute” plushies and toys that are out to kill you! 

The VHS tapes that you find scattered around serve various purposes. They give you further intel into how to move across, as well as relevant plot points that can help you better grasp the events that went on in the currently abandoned factory. These tapes can be played on a TV screen or a portable VHS player (which will only play audio).

Jumping to another subject, I would have loved for this game to last a bit longer. The plot hardly goes on beyond the 45-minute mark, which is a bit short for a $2.99 game (in my humble opinion). 

I understand that storage space can be an issue, as well as development timescales, which are admittedly the two main reasons why the game is being divided into chapters to begin with. Still, in that scenario, I’d probably lower the price just a tad more (in all fairness, it used to be priced at $4.99, so there’s that.)

The game has a lot of neat things to show off, including gorgeous graphics. While they’re not next-gen, current-gen, or last-gen, they look incredibly detailed. The character models on mobile are superbly high-quality. Huggy Wuggy, in particular, is horrifically well-crafted and life-like.

But, what this game excels at, more than anything, is its atmosphere! From what I gathered, it’s one of its most significant selling points, and while not exactly “original”, it endows the game with a very distinguishable personality.

The scantily-lit areas, along with their contrasting child-like features, help enhance the psychologically disturbing nature of the game. It’s like someone playing a lighthearted tune over a gruesome murderous scene, only slightly more subtle. This combination exudes an overly sinister feel that pervades the 45-minute experience, something that could easily unsettle the bravest of the brave.

I also enjoy the ‘50s vibe that the setting conveys and the kind of healthy naivete that comes packed with it. I firmly believe the developers couldn’t have chosen a better backdrop for this story.

Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 is one of those sudden classics that will undoubtedly survive the next gaming generation. Despite its short length, the game is deservedly regarded as a masterpiece, alongside other critically-acclaimed horror titles like Five Nights at Freddy’s. In my view, it’s a must for horror game enthusiasts!

We’d also love to read about your thrilling experience with this game in the comments section!