Poppy Playtime
Parents say
Based on 3 reviews
Kids say
Based on 32 reviews
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Poppy Playtime
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Poppy Playtime is a downloadable episodic horror adventure game available for Windows based PCs. Players explore a seemingly abandoned toy factory, solving puzzles along the way, as they uncover the fate of the factory’s staff and also attempt to survive the experience. The controls are easy to pick up and play, though not always the most precise. While there’s no graphic violence or gore, there are splatters of blood throughout the factory. Also, the horror nature of the game will likely be too scary for younger audiences. Finally, parents should be aware that this is the first chapter of an episodic experience, meaning that it’s only part of the story and the rest must be purchased piecemeal over time.
Community Reviews
Good, fun, but scary and brutal.
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good entry horror game if kids enjoy horror
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What’s It About?
POPPY PLAYTIME takes kids’ dreams and turns them into fuel for nightmares. It feels like forever since you used to work at the Playtime Co. toy factory, home of Huggy Wuggy, Cat-Bee, and of course, company’s iconic doll, Poppy Playtime. The factory was shut down a decade ago after the staff all seemingly disappeared without any trace. At least, no trace until the mysterious package you receive, containing an old VHS tape of a Poppy Playtime commercial and a note claiming that the missing staff are actually still trapped within the factory. Armed only with the extendable hands of Playtime’s innovative “GrabPack,” you must explore the abandoned factory for clues as to the final fate of your former co-workers. But just because this factory is abandoned doesn’t mean it’s empty. There are things lurking in the shadows that don’t want you to uncover the truth and are willing to hunt you down. Welcome to Playtime Co. Hope you survive the experience.
Is It Any Good?
As cute and as cuddly as kids’ toys and cartoon mascots can be in the light of day, they can equally turn into the stuff of nightmares in the dead of night. Poppy Playtime is the latest horror game to take advantage if this dread from movies like Child’s Play to games like Five Nights at Freddy’s, because there’s just something terrifying about the idea of something so innocent becoming so evil. It takes the silliness of youth and corrupts it into a sinister setting. Sure, you might be surrounded by bright colors and happy smiles, but those blood stained walls and the flickering shadows keep the tension high from the opening moments to the final cliffhanger.
Poppy Playtime relies heavily on atmosphere to keep players’ interests. The mechanics are simple enough, with players using the GrabPack’s two extendable hands to pick up and pull objects, to act as an electrical conduit between circuits, and in other creative ways. Where the game stumbles is in the progression. Solving the various puzzles isn’t necessarily difficult, but the clues to the solutions are often really obscure or even nonexistent. It can be frustrating to be stuck in one particular area simply because you had no idea the answer was staring you in the face the whole time. Another very minor gripe to be had is the episodic nature of the game. This first chapter doesn’t take very long to complete and ends on a cliffhanger, leaving players with a slightly diluted sense of fulfillment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of horror in entertainment. Why do we like to be scared? How can scary movies and games possibly affect younger audiences?
Do you prefer to buy games as a complete, contained experience, or more a la carte, with chapters released separately over time? What are the benefits and pitfalls of episodic releases?
Game Details
- Platform: Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: MOB Games
- Release date: October 12, 2021
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: NR for No Descriptions
- Last updated: January 9, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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