Five Nights at Freddy’sis one of the most massive game franchises to come from such humble beginnings. What started out as a low-budget indie game has become a pioneer in the horror genre, paving the way for others to come. The lore of the series is mind-boggling, and with the coming of a live-action film, the golden years ofFive Nights at Freddy’shave only just begun. As such, there couldn’t be a better end to 2021 than a newFNAFgame to be explored.
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Amazingly,Security Breachdelivered something never before seen by fans, as creators mixed the franchise’s well-known elements with a new style. Now players aren’t just sitting in a chair waiting for Foxy to trot down the hallway, but are running around in a massive arena trying to unveil the truth. But even the best games have their issues, and the fans ofFNAFhave once again weighed the pros and cons.
8Didn’t Love: It Didn’t Feel Like A True Five Nights At Freddy’s Game
The beauty ofFNAFwas its new take on horror games that was never done before. There was something awesomely terrifying in the idea that it wasn’t the player’s actions that led to horrific ends, but rather the player’s inability to act. It was pure vulnerability, and people had to rely on their senses. This is the main reason people adore the game, aside from the lore.
BecauseSecurity Breachshed the original gameplay style, it didn’t feel like a trueFNAFgame. There was some lore involved, andthe story did evolvein a sense — there are speculations of the Afton storyline being resolved withSecurity Breach.Other than that, though, the originality of the gameplay style seemed to fade away.
7Loved: The Open-World Experience
Because the story isn’t linear, andthe majority of missionsaren’t in order or timed, players have all the freedom in the world to take a minute to look around in the massive location. There arehidden messages, gift boxes, and Easter eggs in every corner, and it’s worth finding them all.
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The combination of open-world andFNAFwas something players didn’t even dare to dream of, but it works wonders. And while some things disappoint fans, especially regarding the original gameplay and jump scares, it’s a great start to a new chapter in the franchise’s life.
6Didn’t Love: The Lack Of Jump Scares
Another reasonSecurity Breachdidn’t feel like a trueFNAFgame wasthe lack of jump scares. Most of the jump scares were done by S.T.A.F.F. robots, and after a while, they became more annoying than scary. The other jump scares served by the Glamrock animatronics, Music Man (not considered a jump scare), and Sundrop/Moondrop were avoidable and underwhelming.
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Because of this, the game felt more like a thriller than a horror. And although the game did a nice job offering other things to explore — like the new location, gameplay style, and collaborations with animatronics — the lack of jump scares was a disappointment for most fans of the franchise.
5Loved: The New Gameplay Style
Even though certainFNAFelements were lacking, the gameplay style might be a great move for the franchise. Due to the ever-growing lore ofFNAF, creators had to step out of their bounds and make something bigger to let the story grow with the games.
This resulted in the decision to add more characters, liven up some old ones, and possibly tie loose ends to open new doors. The result was an exciting game with a lot to offer. And due to the creators' decision to open new avenues (the introduction of Vanny,new protagonist Gregory, and the slow descent of Springtrap), there’s more potential in the franchise than ever before.
4Didn’t Love: There’s No Bonnie
While Foxy is somewhat represented by his counterpart Roxanne, Bonnie is completely out of the picture, even though he’s one of the most beloved characters in the franchise. He is, however, represented in the game via posters and shops in the building. But even if fans are disappointed in this change, there might be some mystery to be solved behind his absence.
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Firstly, the reason he’s not present is that he went out of commission. But because of his popularity, the company had to keep making some games and souvenirs based on him, which is why players can see his name and plushie lying around. Additionally, Freddy sometimes mentions Bonnie and says he misses him. There are some speculations about his disappearance, and maybe in future additions to the franchise, fans will gain insight into what truly happened to the character.
3Loved: Glamrock Animatronics
Aside from Gregory’s ability to connect with an animatronic,Security Breachoffers a different take on the robots altogether. Through Glamrock Freddy, players can see real emotions between the animatronics. They are friends who take care of each other and have a strong bond. Freddy throughout the game shows real concern for his friends even though they’re trying to hunt down Gregory.
All the Glamrock animatronics have unique personalities. This has been seen in previous games as well (Chica’s a stress eater, Foxy is sly, Golden Freddy is shy, etc.), but here, they give voice to their emotions and personality. SPOILER ALERT As Gregorytakes apart the animatronics, instead of becoming scarier, they become more human, and players begin to take pity on them. For example, when Roxy closes her eyes, she’s so devastated that players start feeling ashamed.
2Didn’t Love: The Endings Fall Flat
Security Breachchanged a lot about the franchise. There’s now an active protagonist, an active antagonist, loose ends are starting to unravel, and most importantly, the gameplay is completely different. Because of this, most fans had high hopes for the ending(s), but they sadly disappointed many.
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Firstly, the last few in-game hours feel rushed, and lead to an even more rushed sequence with each of the six endings. More importantly, none of the endings (other than theTrue Ending) are animated. Instead, creators leave players with a comic book style series of pictures, which is unlike the game’s (or the franchise’s) style. It’s confusing, rushed, and overall underwhelming.
1Loved: Collaborating With Animatronics
The new and fresh take on animatronics is certainly an idea worth exploring, and it has a lot of potential forfuture games and DLCs. One of the most surprising twists ofSecurity Breachwas the fact that players could collaborate and communicate with Freddy, and character that has brought on many nightmares for fans.
This idea of using Freddy to some extent is the most intriguing part of the game. While there was potential unfulfilled in this area,Security Breachdid a great job in introducing this new mechanic and possibility.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breachis available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
