REVIEW : Five Nights At Freddy’s: Security Breach (PS5)
Security Breach is the tenth – yes, tenth – mainline game in the renowned Five Nights At Freddy’s franchise. The series has grown since its inception in 2014, but the core of what makes it so legendary has remained the same. On the surface, the Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) brand appears to be a basic horror game with hard gameplay and terrifying jump scares – but FNAF is anything but simple for fans who have taken the time to learn about the extensive background and narrative.
The earliest FNAF games were heavily influenced by these jumpscares, as we take on the role of a night watchman whose duty is to keep an eye on animatronics, or remotely controlled robots that were commonly employed in movies. Unfortunately, the animatronics in FNAF take the appearance of anthropomorphic animals who want to murder you and are the true stars of the storey. Because you are unable to move, you must continually watch cameras and lock doors to prevent them from approaching you while also regulating the building’s energy. Players will assume the character of Gregory, a little child who has become trapped within Freddy Fazbear’s Mega PizzaPlex in FNAF Security Breach. In the halls, a security guard, Vanessa, and a slew of animatronics are on the lookout for Gregory.
While the company is performing its customary show, a problem renders Freddy inoperable, forcing the organisers to abruptly halt the performance in order to do maintenance on the robots. He seeks safety in Freddy’s dressing room, where he discovers that he is the only animatronic who has not been corrupted by a weird glitch. Gregory will try to escape out of the building as empty as possible with the aid of Freddy, who is being actively sought by the guardian and the other animatronics. Strange things happen in Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex at night, and Gregory will learn many secrets he never expected to learn.
To escape, the player is encouraged to search the complex for passes and other badges that may be used to enter other sections, always with the goal of getting closer to the exit. All of the action is told in the first person, and we are clearly being lured to cross.If they manage to catch up to you, the game ends after a jumpscare sequence that is the same for everyone of your pursuers. Running away from them is not always a smart option because, due to his stamina gauge, your character cannot sprint indefinitely and can be quickly caught.
Fortunately, the game provides a variety of escape possibilities. First and foremost, owing to Gregory’s watch, you may check the surveillance cameras surrounding you at any moment. However, if you are discovered, you have numerous alternatives, like hiding in scenery, as in Outlast, diverting your opponents by creating noise, or hiding in Freddy’s chest if he is with you. Once inside, you become impenetrable to anyone pursuing you. The fact that Freddy is rarely at your side and that his battery drains much too rapidly for him to be truly useful is presented as one of the title’s major arguments.
Arguably, this is the most approachable FNAF game ever created. While there are some difficult moments owing to bugs or bad game design, patient players can finally make it to the end. FNAF Security Breach has various endings; in fact, you have the option of quitting the game or lingering and completing extra challenges towards the end. If you opt to remain, though, you will be unable to save the game any further, resulting in an unpleasant post-game experience.While the game gives indications in the form of comments and goals, it can often be uncertain what to do next, forcing you to search for the answer. This isn’t inherently a negative thing, but I do wish there was a waypoint system in place. Save spots are spread throughout the game, and a number of significant events provide a checkpoints mechanism, however you’re usually restored to your previous save if you’re caught by an animatronic. I wish there was a “easier” option with more save points/checkpoints, a waypoint system, and simpler ways to avoid animatronics — it would make the game more accessible to my younger son, who is a great FNAF fan.. Unfortunately, as the game progresses, various flaws and other gimmicks employed by the developers wind up detracting from the game’s terrifying atmosphere. To offer an example, in addition to the guardian and animatronics, you may encounter maintenance or surveillance robots that can alert you to your location if they detect you. And it’s at this point that one of the game’s major flaws emerges: we rapidly realise that being detected by one of these robots triggers the appearance of one of the animatronics. A few metres behind you, in your back. Even if you’ve seen one before, you’re still ahead of us. One of these monsters will be transferred behind your back as soon as you point it out.When you realise the developers’ deception, your immersion is severely harmed, and your dread vanishes.
This horrifying aspect of the experience is further diminished when you have to repeat the same route numerous times due to a lack of explanations or, worse, glitches. Because to collision concerns, the animatronic following you in the playground sequence may be able to cross the walls to reach you. After a few tries, these times become more annoying than terrifying. We may even argue it’s irritating when we witness the same animation numerous times in a row during which your foes scream at you as soon as they get up to you.Lastly, robots’ machine learning is quite permissive, which means humans frequently run alongside them, bypassing their visual field, with no anxiety. The horror portion of the experience loses more and more effectiveness as a result of all of these nuances, despite the fact that the game is already not extremely frightening when compared to Amnesia or Outlast, to name two direct competitors.
These flaws are especially disappointing because Security Breach attempts to deliver a number of unique sequences that deviate from the norm. If we ignore the problems, the playground phase is pretty effective, since it requires us to relight machines in the dark while being hunted by a terrible thing. Exploring upkeep is the same way, since it necessitates continually keeping an eye on robots that only go forward when your back is turned. We also come across scenes that explicitly reference the earliest games in the series, in which we are imprisoned in an office while animatronics try to break in and grab us. These few good ideas are made possible by the building’s sensible utilisation. Because it is a children’s amusement complex, it is natural to discover activities such as laser tag, which gives a different sequence than the conventional infiltration and chase phases. The Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex, in general, radiates a specific vibe by playing the 80s neo-retro aesthetic card.Despite the fact that the various areas of the structure are easily identifiable, the investigation is time-consuming owing to a lack of clear indicators from the game, as well as the absence of zone names on the building’s map. It’s tough to navigate the game because it’s so large. The game looks a lot better than prior instalments. Both the human characters and the animatronics have incredible attention to detail. There are several locations to explore within the PizzaPlex, including enormous atriums, souvenir stores, food courts, and much more. Because the PizzaPlex is fairly huge, there’s a strong possibility you’ll uncover additional places throughout subsequent playthroughs. This game received a great deal of attention to detail. To wrap up the scenario, we must admit that we are mostly content with going from one end of the building to the other in order to retrieve a badge or a pass and explore new regions. We are entitled to unexpected happenings or discoveries about what is actually going on in the complex from time to time, but these components will speak to franchise fans first and foremost. The latter will be ecstatic to learn about this terrifying cosmos on a regular basis, owing to all of the artefacts that can be collected along the route.
