Five Nights At Freddy's 4 - Online Scratch

Five Nights At Freddy's 4 - Online Scratch project by Scott Cawthon that truly captures the essence of fear and isolation.

Is this the final chapter of FNAF series?

It's been a little over 4 months since the release of Five Nights At Freddy's 3. Scott Cawthon has decided to release one last game in the series dubbed "The final chapter". Whether this isn't in fact the final chapter or yet another instance of a horror franchise only to release another iteration somewhere down the road, is unknown. For right now though, this is the final chapter. And as far as final chapters go, this one goes out on a high note.

The essence of isolation

The one thing that is always defined in FNAF series has been its use of atmosphere. Creating a tense and creepy environment where the outcome is either survival or death, has been the crux to what makes this series so memorable. You could say that the game is nothing more than a series of jumpscares, but what makes the jumpscares so effective? If it was just a constant stream of things jumping out at you, you'd start to become numb after a while. It would be loud noises and images right in front of your face, with no reason to care besides the arbitrary need to finish what you're started. What makes the jumpscares so effective is the fact that Scott has created an environment of terror, where you're always on edge waiting for something to attack.

What the original did was capture the essence of isolation and force you to face something that you can't control. FNAF 4 somehow finds a way to recapture that essence of what made the first game so special.

Gameplay

You play as a young child, isolated in his room away from everything else. While others sleep away their fears and pretend that everything is all right, you know the truth. That there are things that go bump in the night. You're sitting at the edge of your bed and defend your room from all that try to enter. Who is this boy? Why are these nightmarish abominations after him? Why is he alone in his room? All are answered in due time but first you have to try and survive till morning.

What's new?

Probably the biggest change to the core structure of the game is the fact that your character can move.It's not the free roaming mechanic that someone expected or hoping for, but the fact that you can run from door to door, looking for any sign of attackers, or holding the door shut if you feel cornered is great. You have to be more on guard while playing, in a way, that makes it more terrifying than any other entry in the series. Sometimes you look out at the door and there will be nothing, other times there will be something ready to jump out at you, and you'll have to work in that split second either flash them or shut the door and hope for the best. The intimate interactivity between the child and the creatures is really something special and goes back to the days when we checked our closets and under our beds for things that go bump in the night.

If you loved the series, than chances are you've already picked this one up. If you're jaded with the series, after so many releases in the short amount of time give this one a shot. If you've never played one, picked this one up. It's a fantastic yet simple game, that truly captures the essence of fear that horror fans everywhere are sure to enjoy.

Watch and listen to a full fantastic review of fnaf 4 from TJMac on YouTube right here (no, this guy isn't me. I am not even close that cheerful):

You can also play this game at "ScaryFreddy.com" here Five Nights At Freddy's 4