Poppy Playtime Review (doomSday)
Playing through all four chapters, here's what I think of them.
Chapter 1 is unremarkable. It's a showcase of what the game could be and what potential it has. From this perspective, it feels like a cheap mascot horror cash-grab. There's a few simple puzzles, a chase sequence, the makings of the full game's lore, and some neato graphics. Since it's free, it's worth the price of admission. It's likely it was designed with that in mind.
Chapter 2 is more interesting. You have a more vocal antagonist, the levels offer more complexity, and the gameplay gets a bit deeper. You get a little more lore for your ten bucks, but I honestly wouldn't have bought this outside of the Toybox Bundle. A bit short, a bit easy, but much more fun than Chapter 1.
Chapter 3 is my favorite of the bunch. You're introduced to the paypigs of the series, the Smiling Critters. There's a lot more lore, a very cool hub world, new characters, the best chase sequence in the game, and lots of interesting puzzles. At fifteen dollars, I think it's worth it even on its own. It also shows that the devs have gotten a hold of what the following chapters could be. No spoilers, but things get pretty messed up throughout this series.
Chapter 4 is alright. More exposition, the puzzles aren't well designed, and there's lots of bugs, some of which are game-breaking. However, the presentation is top notch and the character design, graphics, and animations are stellar for an indie company. NOT worth the twenty dollars, and it's certainly not that long to warrant as such. Also, the puzzles aren't as satisfying as they are in Chapters 2 and 3.
All in all, if you buy the Toybox bundle, there's enough to make the thirty bucks worth the price of entry. It's pretty good and the gameplay is enjoyable, but it's not as remarkable as Amnesia: The Dark Descent or any of the Resident Evil remakes. If the Toybox Bundle goes on sale, it's a DEFINITE buy. Otherwise, buy it if you're a fan of these kinds of games. If you're not a fan of walking sims, then don't feel bad for skipping out.
6.5/10, it's good for what it is.