Summary
Mascots are often cutesy and friendly creatures, verging closer to animals than humans, spreading joy and excitement for children and even adults. They can be found rousing the crowds at soccer or football matches or plastered on the walls of restaurants. Chuck E Cheese was one of the best known for its mascots, hosting animatronic performances.
The horror genre would seem like an ill-fitting place for mascots, but certain creative minds found a way to corrupt these cheery creations into truly terrifying creatures that would bring out screams of terror rather than joy and laughter.
The halls of learning can often be frighteningto certain people, remembering those long-lost days of studying, socializing, and the pressure of exams. Not many would willingly return to it in game form, especially when it arrives in the form of horror. Yet,Baldi’s Basicsproved to be a popular entry into the world of mascot horror, even if it’s not as infamous as other games.
Entering into the school, players will soon meet Baldi and immediately set to work solving simple math equations — until they are presented with an impossible one. Then, the player learns that Baldi has some major anger issues, relentlessly pursuing them throughout the school as they collect notebooks needed to escape. If Baldi catches them, it is game over. What’s more, there are other threats to contend with, such as the hall monitor, janitor, and a jump-rope girl that can impede their progress, leading to some very tense encounters.
An episodic adventure,Poppy Playtimetakes players to a place most likely dreamed about as a child, the place where dreams are made: a toy factory. Only when the player-character arrives, they see this is far from a place of dreams — it’s a realm of nightmares.
Despite a cuddly name like Huggy Wuggy, the long-limbed monstrosity is nothing short of traumatizing, and they are not the only twisted toy players will face across the multiple chapters. Mommy Long Legs, Catnap, and Miss Delight — they all look likewarped versions of toysas though conjured from the nightmares of a particularly troubled child. Even adults will find their courage tested when exploring the atmospheric toy factory.
Based on a creepypasta by the name ofSlender Man, this short indie horror experience exploded across the internet, its popularity leading to multiple copycats, the release ofSlender: the Arrival, a fuller experience of the original free game, and even a live-action movie (though this wasn’t warmly received by fans).
Taking place in a very dark and creepy forest, the player explores their surrounding area with only the feeble strain of their flashlight as their guide, which loses its effectiveness as time goes on. They must collect all eight pages while evading the long reach of the Slender Man, whose presence is heralded by audio and video glitches. If anyone sees a flicker of static, they would do well to turn around and get the hell out of dodge. Like it or dislike it, no one can denySlender: The Eight Pagesenjoyed an era of success in the mascot horror genre.
The first in the series is often seen as the best, as it was a pure and unique experience withexcellent visualsand a serviceable enough story to keep players invested enough to see it through to the end. Players control Harry Stein, who was once an animator and the co-founder of Joey Drew Studios, clearly inspired by a certain major animation studio. Invited back by his former business partner, Joey Drew, he finds not such a warm welcome awaiting him.
There is no doubt that Bendy is the main mascot of the game, as he serves as the mascot for the animation studio, but players will see other figures from the cartoon, drawn to life through the titular Ink Machine. The visuals of sepia-colored surroundings splattered by bold black ink lends the game unique visuals that are understated and stylish, and the Bendy gang are very creative creatures capable of being both cute and frightening. The follow-ups could never quite live up to the original, but this remains a fantastic entry into the mascot horror genre.
4Amanda The Adventurer
Dora The Explorer Meets Digital Horror
Most 80s and 90s kids might remember those days of huddling around the TV screen, watching a kid-friendly show as the presenter and their on-screen buddy teach them things, such as how to bake a tasty pie, or nice things they could do for their best friends. These shows are always harmless and fun for children, but as such, they are ripe for the corrupting touch of horror.
Amanda the Adventureris one such game, as the player will watch taped recordings of an old show, which is a lot more interactive and downright creepier than they remember. They will directly answer to Amanda and Wooly, and even perform tasks as requested, leading to more tapes that grow increasingly more disturbed. There are other threats to contend with, as wrong answers lead to a spindly, gray creature infiltrating the attic and cutting theirbinge-watchshort.
3My Friendly Neighborhood
A Colorful Collection Of Killer Puppets
Most people will fondly remember childhood shows such asSesame StreetandThe Muppets,educating and entertainingchildren with colorful characters and fun songs designed to be memorable. The people who enjoyed those shows in their youth will be much older now and may realize characters such as Big Bird could actually be a bit creepy.
While players might not find these famed mascots in My Friendly Neighborhood, they will find a unique cast of characters that straddle the line between humor and horror. While exploring this old studio, the player will encounter many of the puppets that once graced the screens of TVs all across the country, but they don’t have much interest in acting as friendly as the name of their series suggests.
2Indigo Park
Survive The Remnants Of An Abandoned Amusement Park And Its Inhabitants
Amusement parks bring thrills, excitement and memories that will never be forgotten, and any who brave the gates of thisdilapidated theme parkare sure to be haunted for years to come. Named Indigo Park, it is pretty much run by an AI system called Rambley Raccoon, who serves as the mascot for both the game and the park it is set in, but he is not the only mascot that has been left behind following the park’s closure.
Exploring the ruins will lead the player to meet the other mascots, but they aren’t as friendly as their digital guide. They stalk the player with the intent of deadly force, their cheerful animalistic appearance no longer inspiring joy but rather terror as the player if forced to run for their lives. An excellent and free mascot horror experience, any fans of the genre should considerIndigo Parka must-play.
Working the graveyard shift as a security guard at a pizzeria sounds like a breeze, just idly flicking through the cameras, drinking copious amounts of coffee. After all, how often can a restaurant be broken into after hours? But for Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, the threat is not outside, but rather locked inside with the guard. When the restaurant empties and the lights turn off, the animatronics come alive and attack anyone found on the premises, whether they have permission or not.
This is the basis of the terrifyingFive Nights at Freddy’s, as the player is now the unfortunate guard that must carefully monitor the cameras and make clever use of their limited power to lock the doors to the security to keep out those animatronics. Letting them get too close or running out of power is a death sentence for the guard — and aterrifying jumpscare for the players, which never loses its effectiveness.
