Is FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Good? Full Game Review
Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Mimic’s Got Drip
Scott Cawthon and Steel Wool’s back at it again, folks.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic dropped like a haunted birthday cake: loaded with lore, creepy vibes, and enough glitchy frosting to remind you it’s still a FNAF title at heart.
So is this the redemption arc fans have been waiting for? Or just another fancy animatronic limping around on busted code and nostalgia bait? Strap in.
We’re diving headfirst into this prequel ghost ride.
Secret of the Mimic Story
You step into the frightsome shoes of Arnold, a burnt-out Fazbear technician sent to Murray’s Costume Manor to snatch up some blueprints for the next-gen “Mimic” animatronic. That’s an endoskeleton able to literally wear any suit and mimic anyone (because of course it is…it’s FNAF).
Without spoiling anything big – the funderful creation goes rogue, morphs into creepy animatronics like Jackie the jack-in-the-box and Nurse Dollie, and hunts you down like a gazelle while drip-feeding lore through logs and spooky set pieces.
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
Multiple endings await, including a New Game+ finale that…well, I guess you’ll just have to find out for yourself!
If you’re thirsty for bleak lore with a side of digital ghost trauma, this one delivers. It doesn’t quite reach Afton-level psychosis…but it gets close enough to raise eyebrows.
Gameplay & Feel
Gone is the sprawling, chaotic Pizzaplex from Security Breach. Here, it feels like a much more linear ride: move through zones, unlock basic access levels, backtrack for collectibles, and occasionally solve puzzles.
That sounds fine in theory, but in practice it feels more like artificial padding gameplay time to me than organic progression.
Stealth is actually pretty good here, ducking out of vision while the Mimic occasionally is donning horrifying suits to mess with you (10 out of 10 concept, honestly). But the further you get, the more you realize how copy-pasted some of the puzzles feel. You’ll notice it fast…like déjà vu, but less “whoa” and more “ugh, again?”
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
And look – I get that they’re prepping for Secret of the Mimic’s post-launch VR release, but some of these PC controls are actual torture. Cranking doors, pulling levers, or just using your Data Diver every 30 seconds?
The mouse movements are wildly unintuitive, sorry.
I nearly yeeted my mouse across the room trying to turn on one of the generators. Separate controls for VR and PC would’ve saved a lot of rage!
Visuals & Aesthetics
Powered by Unreal Engine, this manor looks damn good. Dim hallways, creepy lighting, lore-rich rooms, collectibles, mini-games…it’s a visual treat for horror junkies. The team clearly poured effort into the art direction, and it shows.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a modern FNAF title without some launch jank. Some players reported soft-locks, save issues, and performance hiccups. But to be fair, Secret of the Mimic’s Hot Fix 1 dropped on June 23 and cleaned up a lot of the mess (take notes, Security Breach). That game launched like a car on fire…into another fire.
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
Still, scripted save points make me want to scream into a Fazbear-brand pillow.
Just let me save whenever I want! Please?
Got That FNAF Sound Though
This game’s sound design absolutely slaps. Every creak, every whisper, every animatronic squeal – beautifully engineered to make your spine question its life choices.
The voice acting? Surprisingly great.
The soundtrack? Darkly immersive.
If nothing else, play this one with good headphones. It’s an audio buffet of creepy delights.
Secret of the Mimic Length & Replayability
First playthrough clocked in at about 9 hours with my usual potato speed, casually looking around for lore and stuff.
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
That might feel short, but once you get New Game+ unlocked (with new dialogue, secret endings, and achievement hunting) the full experience stretches closer to 16 to 18 hours, depending on how much you love peeking into every corner and scanning every lore dump like I do.
So yeah, it’s got replay value…just not in an “OMG I must play this again immediately” way.
More like a “cool, I’ll mess with this again next weekend” kind of vibe.
How Original Was Secret of the Mimic?
FNAF’s never been afraid to change things up (sometimes a little too much). While Secret of the Mimic does introduce a respectable lore setup and an intriguing bad guy, it doesn’t really shake the core formula much. You’re still sneaking, solving, and occasionally hiding in lockers like you forgot your meds.
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
There’s nothing bad here – it’s just not doing anything dramatically new, either. No major gameplay reinventions. No wild new mechanics. No “whoa, I’ve never seen that in a horror game before” moment.
Basically, it’s cool…but not revolutionary. I would probably place it beneath Security Breach and Poppy Playtime 4 on originality.
TL;DR - Pros & Cons Breakdown
What was Awesome
Atmospheric stealth with solid tension
Beautiful Unreal-powered visuals and environments
Killer sound design and voice acting
Lore-rich storytelling with multiple endings
New Game+ adds some decent replay value
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
What was Less Than Awesome
Linear game structure with uninspired backtracking
Recycled puzzles that wear out their welcome
Some launch bugs (mostly fixed, but still annoying)
Clunky controls on PC thanks to VR crossover plans
Still no manual saves (WHY?!)
Secret of the Mimic is Still Worth Your Time
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic is a stylish, atmospheric horror ride with just enough lore and polish to satisfy long-time fans. It doesn’t break the mold, but it does offer a creepy, satisfying story wrapped in solid (if sometimes frustrating) gameplay.
Image: FNAF Secret of the Mimic | Scott Cawthon | Steel Wool Studios
Score: 7.6 out of 10
I’m trying to be objective here and put aside my love of FNAF. Secret of the Mimic’s just not a masterpiece, but it’s still got bite. Think of it like Fazbear lasagna: maybe a little messy and weirdly textured, but hey…you’re still gonna eat the whole damn plate.
If you haven’t played it yourself yet, I do highly recommend.
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