Throwback Thursday: Ranking Every FNAF Game – Part Two
At the start of this month, I started my ranking of every single mainline FNAF game. Click here if you’re interested in reading my rankings. While that part covered the more “modern” era of games, this (as well as any subsequent parts) will be my ranking of the “classic” era. As a reminder, here are the ranking rules established in Part One:
- Although I do enjoy FNAF’s lore, my rankings will primarily be based on my enjoyment of their gameplay, with the lore coming second. Feel free to discuss/provide your own rankings in the comments!
- I haven’t played Into the Pit or Secret of the Mimic yet, so both of these entries will be excluded from the list.
- I will avoid ranking spinoffs, such as FNAF World and Special Delivery.
Number 7: Five Nights At Freddy’s 3
To be entirely fair to FNAF 3, I do feel that it is overhated. For starters, I believe the game’s abandoned and isolated setting works in the game’s favor. While not as captivating as its two predecessors, there is still a genuine feeling of dread when you frantically search the cameras behind the sound of the blaring alarms. Of course, many complain that the game is let down by only having one “true” threat (Springtrap).
That’s not to say that Springtrap isn’t an interesting character in his own right. In terms of gameplay, I really enjoy how Scott leaned into the importance of the cameras with FNAF 3, especially since FNAF 1 and 2 both required minimal camera usage. FNAF 3’s gameplay loop serves more as a game of “cat-and-mouse” (or nightguard and rabbit), with genuine strategy being involved to win. The phantoms are also a neat idea conceptually, but usually end up being little more than a temporary hindrance.
As for the character/lore itself, Springtrap is arguably one of the most iconic FNAF characters outside of the original four. I think many people simply enjoy the idea of the series’ main antagonist being forever trapped in his own creation. The way that FNAF 3 built up to this revelation via minigames was an excellent choice in my opinion, as environmental storytelling is a strong suit for the series. Considering this was around the peak of the original FNAF community online, it was also extremely fun to discover and discuss these minigames with others.
Overall, I see FNAF 3 as a fun but flawed finale to the original trilogy that unfortunately gets more hate than it deserves. Still, there are plenty of other entries in the series that personally rank higher for me.
NUMBER 6: ULTIMATE CUSTOM NIGHT
Ultimate Custom Night is interesting in that it’s a bonus game for the community while also essentially serving as the bookend for that era of the franchise. This makes the game hard to rank, even if I think it is a fun, challenging game. I ultimately decided that I couldn’t rank it above the other mainline entries that came before it (bar FNAF 3) due to how straightforward the game’s concept really is.
As the title implies, this game truly does serve as the Ultimate Custom Night. Scott decided to avoid the traditionally linear and structured FNAF formula in exchange for a more frantic (and even somewhat comedic) gameplay loop. UCN generally succeeds with this formula switch, offering snappy gameplay, intriguing lore implications, and even some interesting easter eggs. However, I do think there is a limit to how fun this game’s concept can actually be.
While there are plenty of challenge modes to complete and cutscenes to view, the ultimate challenge of UCN is the infamous 50/20, which requires an insane amount of skill, dedication, and resource management. In my opinion, 50/20 is less of a fun challenge and more of a painful experience. Because of the number of animatronics to deal with (plus the insanely prevalent RNG), 50/20 doesn’t really feel rewarding to “learn”. I understand this unpredictability was likely the point of 50/20 in the first place, but that doesn’t instantly make it an enjoyable experience.
Regardless, UCN in general is a highly enjoyable iteration of the FNAF franchise if you’re looking for a straightforward entry that is more than scary. I would still highly recommend only doing the challenges that feel manageable to your respective skill level.
This concludes my rankings for this week. Let me know what you think of my choices in the comments!
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