My Controversial Rankings of Poppy Playtime (Top 5)
I'm going up from worst to best. Keep in mind that this is unscripted, and what I say may not 100% be the full take of the game. However, the overall placements of the games are still true.
Project Playtime: This game had a lot of potential, but the game is dead now, and it only seemed to just be a way to please the fans while finishing up Chapter 3. Speaking of which...
Chapter 3: This is probably the most controversial ranking on the list, but I truthfully just liked the other chapters more. I don't get scared easily, so I wasn't surprised at how I didn't find this chapter scary. As for the main antagonist (CatNap), they missed some big potential. Instead of CatNap, they should've made Theo DogDay and whoever DogDay is as CatNap. Think about it. Dogs are larger than cats, more aggressive than cats, and more loyal than cats. It makes much more sense if Theo was a dog rather than a cat. Imagine how much more impactful it would be if DogDay killed the Smiling Critters rather than CatNap, showing that he wasn't meant to be a leader, unlike the character he was supposed to be. As for Miss Delight, she was alright, but she was also one of those characters who were completely unnecessary. I also really hate how they changed her lights mechanic to a looking mechanic. Ollie was a weird addition to the game, and I also didn't like the Prototype's new voice as I liked his voice in Project Playtime better. They pretty much retconned Poppy's character between 2 and 3, which becomes more obvious when you replay all the scenes back to back. There was also a big problem with gameplay, as there were too many puzzles, and it didn't feel as balanced or forgiving as the other games. This game was almost as overhyped as Chapter 4. But first, let's go back to the beginning.
Chapter 1: Despite being a 30 minute long demo of the game, this game is the embodiment of why Poppy Playtime became popular in the first place. The puzzles were fun and simple, as well as not breaking the immersion much. However, what really makes this game so good is the main antagonist, Huggy Wuggy. He is everything that people would soon want CatNap to be. He stalks you throughout the factory floor and makes you constantly feel like you're being watched. And of course, the best part of both him and the chapter was the chase scene. I still think to this day that Chapter 1 has the best chase scene in the series, giving you fear, tension, and panic as you never know if he is still behind you or if he took a shortcut to get in front of you. There's also this really anxious part of the chase where you're seemingly cornered as he approaches you, only for the door to open. After escaping Huggy, you meet with Poppy, who you have awoken from her dormant slumber. Stepping back a bit, I want to talk about the tapes. This game does a good job introducing characters like Stella and Leith, as well as other minor characters like Rich as Bruno. The tapes were either in your face or hidden very well. The green and black tape were easy, while the orange and pink tape were more hidden. This game also teased 1006, though everyone collectively thought that it was Huggy Wuggy at the time. The only reason why this isn't above Chapter 4 is because of its length.
Chapter 4: This chapter is the most mixed in the saga, with some people placing it either above or below chapter 3. While the game has its flaws, I personally loved it! Where this game really shines is its characters, voice acting, animation, and especially its ending. The characters range from underutilized (Pianosaurus, Yarnaby, The Nightmare Critters) to well-written (the Doctor, Doey, Riley). The gameplay is also more forgiving than Chapter 3, and the puzzles, while still abundant, feel less annoying. However, what carries the game the most is its ending. After Safe Haven is destroyed, Kevin takes over Doey and hunts us down. After we kill him, Matthew, and Jack, we return to Poppy, Kissy, and Ollie, only for it to be revealed that Ollie was the Prototype, who shows how frustrating it is to figure out if he's Elliot, Rich, or someone we've never met. After the explosion, we are left alone and are confronted by Huggy Wuggy, who's back for another bite. Honestly, this chapter felt as good as Chapter 1, only winning over by a little bit. However, the next chapter is still my favorite.
Chapter 2: This has got to be the most underrated chapter in the saga. This game was the perfect balance of everything. The puzzles, horror, gameplay, characters, and story. The puzzles felt much more improved and engaging, as well as not being too complicated, unlike the later chapters. As for horror, Mommy Long Legs isn't very scary. However, the games she gives us are. From Musical Memory to Statues, each game puts you on edge and gives you a brief moment of fear. This game also gave us an introduction to Kissy and the Prototype, as well as a proper introduction to Poppy. My favorite character in Chapter 2 is Mommy Long Legs. Although I don't like the sexualization of her, she is such a tragic character, even when she's enraged and having outbursts. Without the children, her mental health declined until her old persona became nothing more than a facade to help hide her suffering. Elsie Lovelock did such a good job voicing her and showing her a vast range of emotions. Most people seem to not like this game, but as I'm sure some of you can tell, I enjoy this franchise for its characters, not the horror because as I've already said, I don't get scared easily. The ending to this chapter is really good as well, showcasing that not just are we going to have to kill or be killed to survive, but also that we can't fully trust anyone. (Until Chapter 3 ruined that)
Feel free to burn me alive in the comments 😅
I'm going up from worst to best. Keep in mind that this is unscripted, and what I say may not 100% be the full take of the game. However, the overall placements of the games are still true.
Project Playtime: This game had a lot of potential, but the game is dead now, and it only seemed to just be a way to please the fans while finishing up Chapter 3. Speaking of which...
Chapter 3: This is probably the most controversial ranking on the list, but I truthfully just liked the other chapters more. I don't get scared easily, so I wasn't surprised at how I didn't find this chapter scary. As for the main antagonist (CatNap), they missed some big potential. Instead of CatNap, they should've made Theo DogDay and whoever DogDay is as CatNap. Think about it. Dogs are larger than cats, more aggressive than cats, and more loyal than cats. It makes much more sense if Theo was a dog rather than a cat. Imagine how much more impactful it would be if DogDay killed the Smiling Critters rather than CatNap, showing that he wasn't meant to be a leader, unlike the character he was supposed to be. As for Miss Delight, she was alright, but she was also one of those characters who were completely unnecessary. I also really hate how they changed her lights mechanic to a looking mechanic. Ollie was a weird addition to the game, and I also didn't like the Prototype's new voice as I liked his voice in Project Playtime better. They pretty much retconned Poppy's character between 2 and 3, which becomes more obvious when you replay all the scenes back to back. There was also a big problem with gameplay, as there were too many puzzles, and it didn't feel as balanced or forgiving as the other games. This game was almost as overhyped as Chapter 4. But first, let's go back to the beginning.
Chapter 1: Despite being a 30 minute long demo of the game, this game is the embodiment of why Poppy Playtime became popular in the first place. The puzzles were fun and simple, as well as not breaking the immersion much. However, what really makes this game so good is the main antagonist, Huggy Wuggy. He is everything that people would soon want CatNap to be. He stalks you throughout the factory floor and makes you constantly feel like you're being watched. And of course, the best part of both him and the chapter was the chase scene. I still think to this day that Chapter 1 has the best chase scene in the series, giving you fear, tension, and panic as you never know if he is still behind you or if he took a shortcut to get in front of you. There's also this really anxious part of the chase where you're seemingly cornered as he approaches you, only for the door to open. After escaping Huggy, you meet with Poppy, who you have awoken from her dormant slumber. Stepping back a bit, I want to talk about the tapes. This game does a good job introducing characters like Stella and Leith, as well as other minor characters like Rich as Bruno. The tapes were either in your face or hidden very well. The green and black tape were easy, while the orange and pink tape were more hidden. This game also teased 1006, though everyone collectively thought that it was Huggy Wuggy at the time. The only reason why this isn't above Chapter 4 is because of its length.
Chapter 4: This chapter is the most mixed in the saga, with some people placing it either above or below chapter 3. While the game has its flaws, I personally loved it! Where this game really shines is its characters, voice acting, animation, and especially its ending. The characters range from underutilized (Pianosaurus, Yarnaby, The Nightmare Critters) to well-written (the Doctor, Doey, Riley). The gameplay is also more forgiving than Chapter 3, and the puzzles, while still abundant, feel less annoying. However, what carries the game the most is its ending. After Safe Haven is destroyed, Kevin takes over Doey and hunts us down. After we kill him, Matthew, and Jack, we return to Poppy, Kissy, and Ollie, only for it to be revealed that Ollie was the Prototype, who shows how frustrating it is to figure out if he's Elliot, Rich, or someone we've never met. After the explosion, we are left alone and are confronted by Huggy Wuggy, who's back for another bite. Honestly, this chapter felt as good as Chapter 1, only winning over by a little bit. However, the next chapter is still my favorite.
Chapter 2: This has got to be the most underrated chapter in the saga. This game was the perfect balance of everything. The puzzles, horror, gameplay, characters, and story. The puzzles felt much more improved and engaging, as well as not being too complicated, unlike the later chapters. As for horror, Mommy Long Legs isn't very scary. However, the games she gives us are. From Musical Memory to Statues, each game puts you on edge and gives you a brief moment of fear. This game also gave us an introduction to Kissy and the Prototype, as well as a proper introduction to Poppy. My favorite character in Chapter 2 is Mommy Long Legs. Although I don't like the sexualization of her, she is such a tragic character, even when she's enraged and having outbursts. Without the children, her mental health declined until her old persona became nothing more than a facade to help hide her suffering. Elsie Lovelock did such a good job voicing her and showing her a vast range of emotions. Most people seem to not like this game, but as I'm sure some of you can tell, I enjoy this franchise for its characters, not the horror because as I've already said, I don't get scared easily. The ending to this chapter is really good as well, showcasing that not just are we going to have to kill or be killed to survive, but also that we can't fully trust anyone. (Until Chapter 3 ruined that)
Feel free to burn me alive in the comments 😅