Platform: PC

Developer: Scott Cawthon

Publisher: Scott Cawthon

Release Date: October 7, 2016

Genre: Horror Point-n-Click

Nerd Rating: 8 out of 10

“It’s a strange thing to want to do, to come here. I’m curious what events would lead a person to want to spend their nights in a place like this, willingly. Maybe curiosity? Maybe ignorance.” –Baby, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location

It’s been well over a year since Five Nights at Freddy’s 4, and Scott Cawthon has been cozily tucked away preparing for a spin-off to help fill in the gaps of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza ambiguous story. I came into this installment a bit hesitant. I’ve been Freddy’s main ho since the first game came out back in 2014, back when I thought it was just an effective indie horror game. But after a year of game after game, a not very well-written book, an RPG spinoff that doesn’t match the tone of the rest of the series, and an assault of Hot Topic merchandise, you can imagine that my enthusiasm for the series was dulled. However, I’m a faithful person, and it’s Nerd Bacon‘s horror month, so I rolled up my sleeves and dived back into the world of the famous animatronics.

And I’m so glad that I did.

Puppet Bonnie is pretty cute, even when he’s tearing your tongue out through your nose.

The premise of Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location, is this: You play the role of Mr. Afton, a new nightly technician for Circus Baby’s Pizza World. Your primary responsibility is making sure that the pizzeria, and the animatronics, are technically viable for the next business day. Unlike previous installments, the animatronics speak directly to you. primarily Baby, a little girl model who can dispense ice cream and blow balloons from her fingertips. Though she’s condescending at times, and creepy, Baby acts as a temporary mentor to get through the game, and as an exposition device. She often alludes to previous guards and the fates of children that have come through the pizzeria.

The story is joyfully simple to follow. New characters (Ballora, Funtime Freddy, etc.) add to the creepy and cramped environment you’re placed in, and there’s never a dull moment. To drive the story forward, it’s also necessary to actually move around, crawling through vents and exploring different rooms. Each night there is a new task, and the best part- IT’S NOT TIMED. That’s right, the nights aren’t timed. Your shift ends when you’re done with your tasks. The variation in gameplay gives much better jumpscares. There’s always a new defense tactic, forcing you to learn quickly in order to avoid getting your face nommed off. The only criticism I have is how tedious some tasks can be, like tightening the screws on a spring-lock costume while demonic baby ballerinas crawl up your legs (yes, that really happens).

But what else do you expect from the man who makes this fucker?

There’s also a bit of humor in this installment at the beginning, which is a nice, fresh approach, considering the games in the past did tend to take themselves too seriously. And the main menu music, is of course, splendid as always; mixing class horror tones with a modern urgent beat.

The first Five Nights at Freddy’s will always hold a special place in my heart, but Sister Location may just be my new favorite. What do you guys think? Which game has been your favorite over the past three years? What do you think of Baby? Let us know in the comments below!