Regarding some of the criticisms of Poppy Playtime Chapter 4

What I'm about to post is basically a comment I left under a YouTube video. I have no idea why it disappeared—maybe YouTube's automatic filters removed it, or maybe the YouTuber just didn’t want long comments. Either way, I’m reposting it here on Reddit: -------‐----------------- It's always the same story: A new chapter comes out, and the criticism rolls in. It seems like it's going to be a total disaster, then you play it, and there are more positives than negatives. Obviously, if someone criticizes it nonstop, most of the people commenting will agree.

Now, aside from the bugs (which are being fixed), I personally enjoyed Chapter 4 way more than the others. From what I understand, the main criticism (bugs aside) is disappointment with the characters. I can put myself in the critics' shoes and get where they're coming from—but only up to a certain point.

I've followed some YouTubers during the updates leading up to the game's release, and I noticed a lot of toxic hype, both from them and from the fans. Many had already made up their minds about how things would play out and what roles the spoilered characters would have.

Then, oops. The gameplay trailer drops, and here comes Doey. Cue the first wave of drama: "He looks like a Garten of Banban character!" Then come the theories: Doey will be introduced as an ally but will ultimately betray us.

But there wasn’t enough time for well-thought-out theories. People barely had time to process it, and by then, everyone had already locked in their expectations: Chapter 4 would revolve around Dr. Sawyer and Yarnaby, with Pianosaurus and the Nightmare Critters playing major roles. "Doey? Just a side character, come on. And he doesn’t even look that cool, so he’s probably not that important."

Then the game comes out. Disaster! Doey is important. And no, he doesn’t betray us. Worse. He loses everything and has an emotional breakdown. Despite his good intentions, he becomes the real final boss we have to face. Not Yarnaby. Not the Doctor (even though he's important to the lore).

This frustrated everyone who had decided, long before playing, that Dr. Sawyer had to be the final boss. That’s why Sawyer’s boss fight felt anticlimactic to them.

I understand criticism. What I don’t understand is criticizing the game's intentions or the obsession with seeing everything in a negative light just because personal expectations weren’t met.

A lot of people found Doey annoying and unnecessary. They were rooting for other characters instead. There’s nothing wrong with having favorites. I get why some people wanted more from Pianosaurus, but it didn’t happen. So what? Move on. I don’t see the point of protesting and leaving negative reviews just because of disappointment. It comes off as pure aesthetic attachment.

Doey is without a doubt one of the best characters Mob has ever created. Calling him a “random character” and refusing to accept his central role just because he doesn’t look appealing? It really feels like people are treating these characters like products, like toys for sale, and basing their feelings entirely on that.

Quick detour to talk about Security Breach: Before I even got online, I thought Security Breach was a good game. Bugs? Sure, we can talk about that. But online, negative reactions and knee-jerk outrage always dominate, mostly from people upset because the game wasn’t what they expected. And a lot of people blindly go along with it.

I’ve always liked SB, and the real reasons it gets so much hate boil down to:

It's not like the original FNaF games, so die-hard fans reject it.

It’s not as dark as the early games, so it’s considered "less horror." For some reason, a lot of people think "more horror = better quality," or even that darker themes make a game more "mature." But none of that has anything to do with what people claim is a "lack of quality." There’s more to a game than just aesthetic horror.

I’m over 40 now, so I really don’t care about looking "mature" or needing more "gore and darkness" to have fun. I like horror—I just accept it in all its forms.

Maybe it all comes down to different perspectives. But some perspectives always get more visibility online. And they always end up being the ones that are socially accepted the most.