Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 Review: Essential, but lacked weight

In the fifth installment of the franchise, we dive even deeper into the toy factory. We are left wondering what awaits us, who can be trusted, and how we will manage to survive.

The gameplay centers on solving puzzles and escaping threats from childhood toys that hunt us along the way. All of this happens while we try to decipher how everything became so chaotic. The Prototype haunts us as we attempt to put an end to his insane plans.

Technical Specifications

Platforms: PC

Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Indie

Developer: Mob Entertainment

Publisher: Mob Entertainment

Release Date: February 18, 2026

Trailer

Following the cliffhanger ending of Chapter 4, fans of the franchise were eager to see how the story would continue.

The fifth game starts immediately with a chase by Huggy Wuggy. This set high expectations for one of the tensest entries in the series. The developers have a knack for creating an atmosphere of suspense and dread by mixing innocent toys with pure horror.

However, as soon as that initial chase ended, the game spent a long time focusing on puzzle-solving in a system that felt almost like an escape room. This was a bit frustrating for me. As much as I enjoy these types of games, I missed the sense of fear. I did not feel the constant dread and terror I expected throughout the story.

As with every game in the franchise, we unlock "hands" with different abilities to solve puzzles and survive the factory.

In this chapter, we use a hand capable of exerting pressure wherever it strikes. This allows us to destroy objects or clear blocked passages.

There is also a hand that absorbs three types of elements: fire, ice, and electricity.

With it, we can interact with the environment in various ways. Examples include exploding or burning flammable materials, freezing residues to make them fragile enough to break with the pressure hand, and charging batteries or powering up devices.

A new addition to this chapter is the ultraviolet (UV) flashlight. It reveals drawings around the environment that help solve riddles. Another fresh feature is a magnetic bracelet used as a grappling hook, which attaches to plates to reach different areas.

The game tells its story through secrets scattered across the map, such as files and tapes that allow you to piece together the lore. Be sure to explore thoroughly, as this chapter focuses on the macabre process of creating the toys. As a bonus, you can find specific figurines representing a product line that failed and was rejected by the factory.

The game was quite fun and I managed to finish it in two sittings. Still, I missed that horror atmosphere I mentioned earlier. I wish it had been more like Chapter 3, where every new room gave me chills and the constant feeling of being watched. For instance, in the third game, during the second Huggy Wuggy chase, we have to distract him while collecting batteries to escape. In Chapter 5, I did not feel that same level of panic.

Another example is the appearance of Lily LoveBraids. We have to escape her room, and while her dialogue is creepy, her design did not really scare me. An interesting idea would have been for her to have a second, more macabre form to make the player even more uncomfortable.

There were moments where I grew tired of trying to solve the riddles because they required the UV light and finding an exact pattern of valves. I spent a significant amount of time just figuring out how to progress.

This time, there were three main villains: Huggy Wuggy, Lily LoveBraids, and finally, Prototype 1006.

Huggy remains a very creepy toy. Since his first appearance in Chapter 1, he has always provoked fear, and his screams only intensify that feeling. Even in this game, where there is a moment he loses a bit of his essence, he returns with a vengeance at the end. In this chapter, we get to see some of his memories and understand the factory processes, such as a sector dedicated to brainwashing.

In that sector, children were forced to believe they were toys and that no life existed outside of that reality. Huggy was aggressive from the start, and we see moments where he loses control against the factory staff.

Lily LoveBraids is the weakest point of the chapter because she failed to provide the trademark horror atmosphere of the series. Her most notable trait is her insanity. She is clearly unstable and at times does not recognize who she is, even talking to a lifeless skeleton.

Finally, Prototype 1006 was revealed in Chapter 5. His appearance near the end of the game completely shifts the mood.

The way he speaks by switching between voices, his robotic body moving in uncanny ways, and the various limbs of other characters attached to him create a Jestercore aesthetic. This is terrifying and fits the game's premise perfectly. Despite appearing late in the game, 1006 managed to end the experience with the impact and anticipation built up since the beginning. This made the wait worthwhile.

Pros

- Fun puzzles

- The Prototype reveal

- Creative mechanics

- Good story progression

Cons

- Could have been scarier in the early and middle sections

- Audio and dubbing bugs

- Lily LoveBraids could have been better utilized

The game is fun and provided a good overall experience. I wish there were more chase sequences or a heavier atmosphere, but when those moments did happen, they were mostly well executed.

What truly made this worthwhile was learning more about the past, the toy making process, and the reveal of 1006. His plot has been building since the very start. Everyone following the series was anxious for this moment, and it finally delivered!

The ending also packs a massive surprise, leaving fans shocked and curious for the next chapter. I certainly am!

Score: 8/10

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