Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 noticed a large quantity of success proper out of the gate, so it was solely pure that the next episode would step up the sport even additional. Whereas quick, this thrilling entry into the collection actually paved the way in which for the true horrors on the horizon, so, as we crawl ever nearer to the subsequent a part of the story, I’ve determined to take a second to take a seat again and take into consideration the journey up to now on this Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 cellular assessment.
Upon beginning a brand new sport, you’re handled to a seemingly harmless but one way or the other creepy trailer for the Betty Spaghetty-like doll Mommy Lengthy Legs, adopted by just a little glimpse of the horrors that await. It’s a putting opening to the subsequent chapter that actually units the tone for what’s forward, and it’s simply as efficient that, immediately after Poppy Playtime’s Poppy herself tells you to ‘get up’, you end up plonked in a darkish room with nothing however these iconic seize pack palms in entrance of you. That is Poppy’s room, and it’s simply as creepy because it was within the first chapter.
As you possibly can most likely inform from the placement, Poppy Playtime Chapter 2: Fly in a Internet picks up the place Chapter 1 left off, immediately after you free Poppy from her glass case. In fact, it’s time to go deeper into the Poppy Playtime manufacturing unit, however, with the monstrous murder-machine that’s Poppy Playtime’s Huggy Wuggy already disposed of, you want a brand new foe to face. And boy, do you get greater than you bargained for.
Whereas Chapter 1, like many first chapters, focuses on organising the world that these terrifying toys inhabit, Chapter 2 actually steps up the sport, including much more stress, frights, and fascinating puzzles to check your nerves. Upon discovering your option to the Recreation Station, your fundamental aim is to search out three hints with a purpose to get that prepare chugging once more. However, as you’ll have guessed from the opening cutscene, Poppy Playtime’s Mommy Lengthy Legs is rarely distant.
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What follows is an intense sport of cat and mouse, punctuated by a wide range of puzzles and video games that really feel all of the extra demanding with that scary spaghetti girl looming over you at each flip. It’s made clear that you just’re taking part in her sport, and he or she doesn’t need you to win – and, whereas she’s ‘honest’ and doesn’t deny you your victories, she clearly turns into extra agitated the additional you progress, ramping up the stress each step of the way in which. The puzzles aren’t notably advanced, however they do make intelligent use of each your seize pack and the ominous setting that surrounds you, and the concern of your potential demise that awaits when you fail definitely makes every stage extra nerve-wracking.
Along with the primary puzzles, video games, and ‘hints’ that Mommy offers you, there’s additionally a bunch of secrets and techniques to uncover within the type of 9 statues and 6 VHS tapes. The tapes provide snippets of lore, similar to a biography for Poppy Playtime’s Elliot Ludwig, interviews with Playtime Co. workers, supervisor bulletins, and extra. Whereas it is a fairly frequent mechanic in indie horror video games, I actually take pleasure in collectibles that provide you with an perception into the sport’s world. It offers you the choice of whether or not you need to play the sport at floor stage or delve deeper into the lore, and the secrets and techniques you uncover really feel like a reward for going out of your option to gather the whole lot.
The horror in Poppy Playtime very a lot depends on the environment greater than something, and it actually does a superb job in that space. As a seasoned horror sport veteran, I can’t say that I discover these video games notably ‘scary’ per se, however the Poppy Playtime age score is just 8+, so it’s clearly dialed again a bit with a purpose to go well with a youthful viewers. And, whereas this little gem might not hold me up at evening, it nonetheless boasts some efficient spooks that horror followers of all ages can take pleasure in.
As talked about above, the puzzles and video games really feel notably tense, particularly when Mommy Lengthy Legs or one of many different Poppy Playtime characters are dangling over you, ready so that you can slip up. However, past the environment, we do additionally get some fairly well-timed bounce scares dotted all through, they usually’re sparse sufficient that they don’t develop into tiresome.
On high of that, there are a number of chase-like sequences certain to boost some hairs in your neck. The ‘statues’ sport the place Poppy Playtime’s PJ Pug-a-Pillar is following you is especially memorable to me, as you duck and dive between obstacles at nighttime, freezing each time the lights come on, solely to pan your digicam and see that fuzzy monster eyeing you up from only some ft away. The ultimate chase with Mommy Lengthy Legs can be good, although it could take a number of makes an attempt in your first attempt, because it requires some very exact actions and timings – and once you’ve bought a terrifying toy like her chasing you, it’s simple to lose your footing.
The sound design in Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 is simply as eerie as within the first chapter, with most places remaining silent apart from your footsteps and the mechanical whirring of your seize pack. Because of the silence, the occasional whisper, droning of the electrical lights, and occasional echoing screech within the distance are all amplified, particularly when you’re sporting headphones.
The voice appearing can be good. Be it by means of the recorded traces that the cardboard standees spit out, the infographic movies that introduce you to every of the video games, or the hysterical, pitchy rants from Mommy Lengthy Legs, MOB Leisure definitely made some good decisions when selecting voice actors for this sport. All of them seize the ominous, kids’s-entertainment-turned-evil vibe very effectively. And what music is current all through the sport could be very becoming with the theme, made up of triumphant orchestral scores with a warping impact that make them sound similar to an previous VHS tape.
Visually, Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 additionally seems to be the half. Every part is darkish, soiled, and dreary, with occasional injections of coloration by means of the broken toys and play areas, and the intelligent use of lighting actually provides to the environment. In fact, the designs of all of the toys-turned-monsters are iconic, with each treading the road between trying like a considerably acquainted, comforting toy and a terrifying creature. The structure of the manufacturing unit does a superb job of showing intimidating, massive, and labyrinthine, however is comparatively simple to navigate once you get used to it – particularly with the assistance of the indicators and murals painted over the partitions, which handle to suit into the unique objective of the placement whereas additionally exhibiting you the place to go subsequent.
I admit that the sport seems to be much more enticing on PC than it does on cellular, with some textures and particulars getting misplaced because of the smaller display and fewer highly effective gadget. However the cellular model of Chapter 2 truly boasts fairly a powerful stage of element, extra so than Chapter 1, particularly when you play it on an iPad or top-of-the-line gaming telephones.
There may be, nonetheless, just a little little bit of stuttering on the cellular model, and typically the digicam sparkles or twitches about by itself, although this can be depending on what gadget you’re utilizing. All through my complete playthroughs on each cellular and PC, I didn’t expertise any of the key glitches or bugs that lots of gamers reported on launch, so hopefully the patch that MOB Leisure deployed has labored out most of these kinks. And, on the plus facet, the colourful colours translate effectively onto the small display, particularly in distinction with the dim, darkish environment. Nonetheless, with the sport being so darkish, you might battle to play it outdoor or in a sunny room.
The controls on the cellular model are fairly intuitive and really responsive. You’ve got your stock, famous by a bag icon to the top-left nook of the display, a pause button to the top-right, and the on-screen joystick to the bottom-left. On the bottom-right, you’ve bought three icons – a wavy arrow for bounce, a pink hand that, unsurprisingly, prompts your pink proper hand, and a blue hand that prompts your blue left hand. You may as well swipe anyplace on the display to manage the digicam, which is fairly commonplace for a cellular port. The sport’s easy management system positively works within the cellular model’s favor, and every of the icons are clear and sufficiently big to see, however are translucent in order that they don’t take over the display.
Within the pause menu, it’s also possible to management fairly a number of completely different settings to customise the sport to your liking. These permit you to toggle between low, medium, and excessive efficiency settings, legacy or clean controls, and whether or not you need the bloom and vignette on or off. These are welcome options which are lacking from lots of even the perfect cellular video games, and I admire having the ability to tweak issues till they go well with my private preferences.
When it comes to size, the sport takes round one to 5 hours to finish relying in your talent stage and the way a lot you need to go searching and discover. Whereas this will appear quick, Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 is fairly low-cost, particularly on cellular. At full value, it goes for $9.99 on Steam, whereas the App Retailer model is $5.99 and the Google Play model is just $4.99. For all of the lore and pleasure I’ve gotten out of it, I positively suppose it’s definitely worth the value on cellular, although I’d usually say look ahead to a sale when you’re planning on getting the PC model, because it usually drops to 50% off or decrease.
Total, Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 is a robust follow-up to the long-lasting first chapter. It does a fantastic job of carrying the torch ahead, whereas additionally ramping up the scares and sustaining the mysteries that encompass the notorious Playtime Co. manufacturing unit. Whereas the PC model continues to be superior, the cellular model of Chapter 2 improves upon most of the points we addressed in our Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 cellular assessment, and it positively stands up as top-of-the-line horror video games on cellular thus far.
Fancy getting in on the motion? Effectively, fortunate for you, we’ve bought thorough walkthroughs for each Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 and Poppy Playtime Chapter 2, together with all puzzles, collectibles, and extra. Or, when you’re searching for extra enjoyable frights to tide you over till the Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 launch date, be sure you try our guides to all of the FNAF video games and FNAF characters, or regulate the upcoming Amanda the Adventurer 2 launch date.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 cellular assessment
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 re-captures the magic of the primary chapter, whereas additionally amping up the horror with much more stress, fearsome foes, grotesque video games, and fascinating puzzles to check your nerves. Whereas the cellular model nonetheless struggles in some areas, it’s an enormous enchancment on its predecessor and is effectively definitely worth the value.