Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 mobile review: I'm gonna have to leave this place ASAP
Our Verdict
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 re-captures the magic of the first chapter, while also amping up the horror with even more tension, fearsome foes, gruesome games, and engaging puzzles to test your nerves. While the mobile version still struggles in some areas, it’s a big improvement on its predecessor and is well worth the price.
With Poppy Playtime Chapter 1's enormous popularity from the start, it was only logical that the next episode would be even more ambitious. Even if it was brief, this fascinating start to the series really set the stage for the actual horrors that lie ahead. For this reason, as the next chapter approaches, I've chosen to take a seat back and reflect on the voyage so far in my Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 mobile review.
When you launch a new game, you first receive a brief preview of the horrors that lie ahead, followed by an apparently benign yet eerily eerie trailer for Mommy Long Legs, a doll who looks like Betty Spaghetty. It's a powerful beginning to the next chapter that really establishes the mood for what's to come. It's also equally effective that you find yourself in a pitch-black room with nothing but those recognisable grab pack hands in front of you, right after Poppy Playtime's Poppy herself tells you to "wake up." Poppy's chamber remains as eerie as it did in the first chapter.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2: Fly in a Web begins where Chapter 1 left off, just after you rescue Poppy from her glass container, as you can probably infer from the setting. Naturally, it's time to explore farther into the Poppy Playtime factory, but since you've already eliminated the terrifying murder-machine that is Poppy Playtime's Huggy Wuggy, you'll need to find a new opponent. And whoa, you get far more than you expected.
Like many initial chapters, Chapter 1 concentrates on introducing the environment these terrible objects live in. However, Chapter 2 really picks things up, with plenty more suspense, jumps, and challenging puzzles to make you shudder. Your primary objective is to locate three tips once you get at the Game Station in order to restart the train. However, Poppy Playtime's Mommy Long Legs is always around, as you would have surmised from the opening cinematic.
The furious game of cat and mouse that ensues is interspersed with a variety of puzzles and games, all of which are made more stressful by the terrifying spaghetti woman that is always hovering above you. You're playing her game, and it's obvious that she doesn't want you to win. Although she's "fair" and doesn't take away from your triumphs, she obviously becomes angrier the deeper you go, which makes the action more tense throughout. The puzzles aren't that difficult, but they do make good use of your grab pack and the foreboding surroundings, and the anxiety of what can happen to you if you fail makes every level more nerve-wracking.
Nine statues and six VHS cassettes have a tonne of mysteries to be found in addition to the primary puzzles, games, and "hints" that Mommy offers you. The cassettes include tidbits of history, like management announcements, staff interviews, a biography of Poppy Playtime's Elliot Ludwig, and more. Although this is a fairly standard mechanism in indie horror games ), I especially like treasures that provide a glimpse into the environment of the game. You may choose to explore the game's narrative in more detail or just play it at a high level, and the mysteries you find seem like a prize for making the extra effort to gather everything.
Poppy Playtime's terror mostly depends on its atmosphere, which it does a great job of establishing. I can't say that, as an experienced horror game player, I find these games very "scary," but the Poppy Playtime age rating is only 8+, indicating that it's obviously been toned down a little to appeal to a younger audience. Even while this little treasure doesn't really keep me up at night, horror enthusiasts of all ages will still find some effective spooks in it.
The puzzles and games are incredibly stressful, as previously said, especially with Mommy Long Legs or any other Poppy Playtime characters hanging over you, just waiting for you to make a mistake. Beyond the ambiance, however, there are a few well-placed jump scares strewn throughout, and they are few enough in number to avoid becoming old.
There are also a couple chase-like scenes that will definitely make you tingle. I find the "statues" game extremely memorable, where you have to duck and dive between obstacles in the dark, freezing whenever the lights come on, only to pan your camera and see that fuzzy monster eyeing you up from only a few feet away. This game features PJ Pug-a-Pillar from Poppy Playtime, and it follows you. Though it may take a few tries to master the final pursuit with Mommy Long Legs, it's a great game. You have to be extremely exact with your motions and timings, and it's easy to lose your balance when a fearsome toy like her is after you.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2's sound design is exactly as creepy as it was in the previous chapter, with the exception of your footsteps and the mechanical humming of your grab pack in most of the places. The buzzing of the electric lights, the odd echoing shriek in the distance, and the rare whisper all become more audible because of the quiet, particularly if you're wearing headphones.
Additionally excellent is the voice acting. MOB Entertainment picked some excellent voice actors for this game, as seen by the recorded phrases that the cardboard standees spew out, the informative movies that walk you through each game, or the crazy, high-pitched rants from Mommy Long Legs. They all do a great job of capturing the eerie, kid-friendly-turned-evil atmosphere. The game's soundtrack, which consists of triumphant orchestral pieces with a warping effect that makes them seem just like an old VHS tape, is also perfectly in line with the concept.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 also has a convincing visual appearance. With sporadic bursts of colour from the broken toys and play places, everything looks gloomy, grim, and dismal. The astute use of lighting further heightens the ambiance. Naturally, every toy that has been transformed into a monster has an iconic design that balances being a frightening creature with a somewhat recognisable, comfortable toy. The factory's layout is effective in giving the impression that it is vast, confusing, and intimidating, but once you get used to it, it's actually quite easy to navigate. This is especially true of the signs and murals that are painted over the walls; they serve to both identify where you should go next and fit into the original purpose of the location.
Admittedly, the game seems more prettier on a PC than it does on a mobile device, with the latter losing certain textures and features because of the smaller screen and lower processor. However, if you play Chapter 2 on an iPad or one of the top gaming phones, the mobile version really has a far higher degree of detail than Chapter 1.
The mobile version does, however, sometimes stutter, and depending on the device you're using, the camera may occasionally flicker or twitch on its own. Hopefully, MOB Entertainment's patch has ironed out most of the main problems and issues that many players experienced at release since I didn't see any of them throughout my whole playthroughs on both mobile and PC. Positively, the brilliant colours seem great on the little screen, particularly in contrast to the gloomy, dark surroundings. Nevertheless, you may find it difficult to play the game outside or in a bright place since it is so dark.
The smartphone version has highly responsive and somewhat easy controls. A bag symbol in the top-left corner of the screen, a stop button in the top-right corner, and an on-screen joystick in the bottom-left corner indicate your inventory. Three icons are located on the bottom-right: a wavy arrow that indicates to leap, a red hand that, naturally, activates your right hand, and a blue hand that activates your left hand. As is also common for a mobile port, you may swipe anywhere on the screen to operate the camera. The mobile version of the game benefits greatly from its straightforward control scheme, and the icons are all visible and large enough to be seen without taking up much space on the screen because to their transparent nature.
You may adjust quite a few different game settings in the pause menu to make it your own. You may choose between traditional or smooth controls, low, medium, and high performance settings, and turn on or off the bloom and vignette. Many of even the best mobile games lack these useful elements, and I value the ability to customise the game to my own tastes.
Depending on your skill level and how much you want to explore and look about, the game might take anywhere from one to five hours to finish. Though brief, Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 is reasonably priced, particularly when viewed on a mobile device. It costs $9.99 on Steam when purchased in full, whereas the Google Play and App Store versions are just $4.99 and $5.99, respectively. I would say that the price of the mobile version is worth it considering the amount of lore and entertainment I have gained from it; however, if you want to get the PC version, I would usually advise waiting for a sale, as the price often lowers to 50% off or less.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 is an excellent continuation of the well-known first chapter overall. It does an excellent job of upholding the legacy while simultaneously heightening the tension and preserving the secrets surrounding the notorious Playtime Co. plant. Although the PC version remains the finest, Chapter 2's mobile version fixes many of the problems we discussed in our Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 mobile review, and it is unquestionably one of the greatest horror games on mobile devices to date.
Would you want to join in on the fun? Fortunately for you, we have in-depth walkthroughs available for Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 and Poppy Playtime Chapter 2, which cover every puzzle, collectible, and every aspect of the games. Check out our guides to all theFNAF games andFNAF characters, or keep an eye out for the upcomingAmanda the Adventurer 2 release date if you're looking for more entertaining scares to pass the time until thePoppy Playtime Chapter 3 release date.