The final chapter in the "classic" Five Nights at Freddy's quadrilogy and considered to be one of the scariest and most challenging by fans, Five Nights at Freddy's 4 was released a few months after the previous game, similar to the other games in the franchise. With mini-games that tell a linear story and affect the player's gameplay, as well as a high level of psychological terror (through Sound and the Artificial Intelligence of the animatronics), Five Nights at Freddy's 4 managed to do what its predecessor couldn't, winning back a number of fans and opening up space for the creation of more theories.
Unlike its predecessors, where the player takes on the role of a Night Guard trying to survive five nights in an establishment with animatronics, in Five Nights at Freddy's 4 we are introduced to a much deeper, darker and more graphic narrative. Taking on the role of the Crying Child, a neglected youngster with a fear of animatronics who is bullied by his older brother, the player will have to survive five nights in the tormented youngster's room, fending off horrifying and distorted visions of classic animatronics. These versions are called "Nightmares" and represent the way the Crying Child sees animatronics, being extremely aggressive and frightening. During the course of each night, we discover that there is a countdown to a Birthday Party to be held at Fredbear's Family Dinner, the original establishment that gave rise to Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria years later, and that the Crying Child is not comfortable with this. Guided by Fredbear's soft toy (which seems to be able to communicate with the Child), the Crying Child tries to endure the torments of his brother, who chases him and scares him with a mask of the animatronic Foxy (the animatronic that the Crying Child is most afraid of). Unlike previous games, where agility and reflexes were the most important elements, Five Nights at Freddy's 4 makes use of hearing and reaction time to seed the challenges that arise throughout the nights. With only the option of closing the bedroom doors or pointing a torch, the player is totally dependent on their hearing to realise where and when the animatronic robots are going to attack, which can lead to situations of excessive sound volume when jumpscares occur (if the player is playing at a volume level above the recommended). At the end of each night, we are introduced to the mini-game that presents the story of the Crying Child and "Catch the Plushtrap", a mini-game in which the player must catch the new animatronic, Plushtrap (a miniature of the animatronic Springtrap), in order to automatically advance two hours the following night (starting at 2am instead of the usual Midnight). It's also important to emphasise that this is the first game in the franchise to provide a guide that helps the player learn the basics of how to play (turning the First Night into a kind of Level 0, where the level of danger is minimal).
This addition to the franchise is proof that Scott Cawthon is capable of developing complex narratives and that the truth behind Five Nights at Freddy's has yet to be revealed to the player, leading many to speculate whether Five Nights at Freddy's 4 is a prequel or a sequel. With countless important dates and only small pieces of information that only the most attentive can register, the secret behind Five Nights at Freddy's is its narrative complexity and the way it manages to grip fans. With a much more mature, intense and graphic approach (such as the use of "blood" and the truth behind the Crying Child) it makes this the true "horror game" of the franchise. I therefore give the game an 8/10 rating.
Unlike its predecessors, where the player takes on the role of a Night Guard trying to survive five nights in an establishment with animatronics, in Five Nights at Freddy's 4 we are introduced to a much deeper, darker and more graphic narrative. Taking on the role of the Crying Child, a neglected youngster with a fear of animatronics who is bullied by his older brother, the player will have to survive five nights in the tormented youngster's room, fending off horrifying and distorted visions of classic animatronics. These versions are called "Nightmares" and represent the way the Crying Child sees animatronics, being extremely aggressive and frightening. During the course of each night, we discover that there is a countdown to a Birthday Party to be held at Fredbear's Family Dinner, the original establishment that gave rise to Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria years later, and that the Crying Child is not comfortable with this. Guided by Fredbear's soft toy (which seems to be able to communicate with the Child), the Crying Child tries to endure the torments of his brother, who chases him and scares him with a mask of the animatronic Foxy (the animatronic that the Crying Child is most afraid of). Unlike previous games, where agility and reflexes were the most important elements, Five Nights at Freddy's 4 makes use of hearing and reaction time to seed the challenges that arise throughout the nights. With only the option of closing the bedroom doors or pointing a torch, the player is totally dependent on their hearing to realise where and when the animatronic robots are going to attack, which can lead to situations of excessive sound volume when jumpscares occur (if the player is playing at a volume level above the recommended). At the end of each night, we are introduced to the mini-game that presents the story of the Crying Child and "Catch the Plushtrap", a mini-game in which the player must catch the new animatronic, Plushtrap (a miniature of the animatronic Springtrap), in order to automatically advance two hours the following night (starting at 2am instead of the usual Midnight). It's also important to emphasise that this is the first game in the franchise to provide a guide that helps the player learn the basics of how to play (turning the First Night into a kind of Level 0, where the level of danger is minimal).
This addition to the franchise is proof that Scott Cawthon is capable of developing complex narratives and that the truth behind Five Nights at Freddy's has yet to be revealed to the player, leading many to speculate whether Five Nights at Freddy's 4 is a prequel or a sequel. With countless important dates and only small pieces of information that only the most attentive can register, the secret behind Five Nights at Freddy's is its narrative complexity and the way it manages to grip fans. With a much more mature, intense and graphic approach (such as the use of "blood" and the truth behind the Crying Child) it makes this the true "horror game" of the franchise. I therefore give the game an 8/10 rating.