FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S VR: HELP WANTED Introduction:

Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted, released in 2019, is a virtual reality survival horror video game developed by Steel Wool Studios and published by ScottGames. Serving as the eighth major installment in the Five Nights at Freddy's series, it follows Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator and marks the ninth entry overall, following Ultimate Custom Night. The game presents itself as "The Freddy Fazbear Virtual Experience," created by the fictional company Fazbear Entertainment. This elaborate endeavor aims to mend the company's tarnished reputation after a series of damaging lawsuits, tied to alleged incidents and calamities that purportedly took place at their numerous establishments.

The gameplay unfolds through a first-person perspective, focusing on an array of minigames derived from the series' earlier titles. In these minigames, players must navigate and escape attacks orchestrated by sentient animatronic characters. The game's storyline establishes that Fazbear Entertainment hired an independent developer, whose identity remains undisclosed, to craft a game series mirroring the events of the previous seven games. Subsequently, the company severed ties with the developer and commissioned a virtual reality game with the intention of downplaying the rumors and convincing players that the reported events were entirely fictional.

Gameplay:


The development of Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted, the inaugural licensed game from Steel Wool Studios, commenced in 2018 and was completed in less than a year. Drawing inspiration from the franchise's extensive history across various media, the game's design pays homage to the past. Initially announced in August 2018, the game saw its release on May 28, 2019. It was made available for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets on Microsoft Windows, as well as for PlayStation VR headsets on PlayStation 4. A non-VR version was subsequently launched on December 17, 2019, for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. The game was also ported to the Nintendo Switch on May 21, 2020, and later to platforms like Oculus Quest, Android, iOS, and Xbox One.

Critically acclaimed, Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted received praise for its engaging narrative, substantial content, impressive voice acting, and original soundtrack. It gained a substantial following and became one of the top-selling virtual reality games on Steam. The release of downloadable content named "Curse of Dreadbear" occurred on October 23, 2019. Branching out from the game's events, a spin-off titled "Five Nights at Freddy's: Special Delivery" was launched on November 25, 2019, for Android and iOS. This was followed by the release of a main game sequel, "Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach," on December 16, 2021. Furthermore, a direct sequel named "Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2" is slated for release in late 2023.

The game offers a collection of forty playable minigames, all accessible from a central hub. These minigames reimagine mechanics from previous series entries, adapting controls for a 3D virtual environment. The minigames are grouped by their originating games and arranged in ascending order of difficulty. Failure in any minigame results in a jumpscare, a recurring element in the series.

The original Five Nights at Freddy's contributes to five minigames that replicate each of the game's five nights. Set in a security guard's office, players must endure a complete night shift by conserving power and evading attacks from four animatronic characters. The game's visuals transition from 2D renders to 3D models, and controls are positioned around the 3D office, enabling physical interaction. Notably, the camera feed, once occupying the entire screen, now appears on a desk monitor. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and Five Nights at Freddy's 3 are similarly adapted, featuring updated visuals and tangible UI elements.

Final Words:


Six minigames are inspired by Five Nights at Freddy's 4. Labeled as Night Terrors, these minigames emulate the core gameplay of the main levels. Players must strategically open and close doors to prevent animatronics from entering their bedroom. In some instances, teleportation serves as the movement method, allowing players to move to different visible locations – a common VR locomotion approach. Noteworthy inclusions are Funtime Freddy, Nightmarionne, Circus Baby, and Nightmare Fredbear. Additionally, the "Fun with Plushtrap" and "Fun with Balloon Boy" minigames are reimagined as Dark Rooms, involving flashlight use to locate animatronics in dimly lit areas.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location is the inspiration behind nine minigames. The Parts & Service minigames require players to perform maintenance on animatronics by manipulating compartments and swapping components. Vent Repair challenges players in a maintenance shaft, tasking them with puzzle-solving while fending off animatronics using a headlamp – primarily Mangle and Ennard. One Dark Rooms game, centered around Funtime Foxy, is also adapted from Sister Location.