The Five Nights at Freddy's franchise has released plenty of games over the past eight years, good and bad. The newest entry in the series, Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach, unfortunately falls in the latter category despite its widespread financial success. This is leading many of the series' rampant fans to wonder where exactly Security Breach went wrong.
Security Breach has mostly faced criticism over its bugs, which sometimes render the game completely unplayable. Other than that, many fans have problems with its gameplay and endings. The storyline of FNAF is known for being complex, with lots of confusing twists and turns, and Security Breach is no different. The game has a surprising ending that uproots much of what the fanbase thought to be true, but this isn't exactly a good thing. Many fans have even gone so far as to say that it ruins the series.
The game's bugs are such an issue that many believe it wasn't playtested at all. With the number of issues present at the time of Security Breach's release, it really wouldn't be a surprise. Even with the most recent patch, players are often soft-locked while playing the game. There are also plenty of times where Freddy can be rendered un-enterable, which ruins the playthrough. Animatronics can also be duplicated, which can be game-breaking in some instances. For example, YouTuber AstralSpiff was able to duplicate Monty to a ridiculous amount, making the glitch popular enough to inspire a subreddit.
Aside from those bugs, Security Breach's ending is also broken. One ending brings the player into a traditional FNAF gameplay experience with two doors and a security camera. When animatronics come through, they can get stuck, refusing to leave and requiring a restart. After completing this ending and making it to the credits, the player can still get killed by enemies and may even receive a game-over screen during the end credits, which is obviously a huge problem.
Many players were also disappointed by the gameplay. Mechanics like distractions and hiding are rarely used outside of a few required instances. Furthermore, Security Breach's jump scares leave a lot to be desired. These have always had a place in FNAF and definitely have their uses, but Security Breach fails to land its blows in this regard.
The design of the game's setting, the Pizzaplex, is also lackluster. It has a lot of wide, open spaces, which could have allowed for plenty of content, but most of it goes unused, leading to lots of aimless wandering while looking for the next objective. It feels empty and unfinished in a lot of places, which isn't helped by the unopenable security doors. Although the game claims that the player can open them with a high enough security clearance, it's impossible to get to the required level. This leads some fans to believe there will be DLC, but for now, they are just another letdown in an already disappointing setting.
Security Breach's story is also contentious. While fans were initially excited for the game's new characters, it ultimately failed to use them to their fullest potential. Vanny, the series' newest animatronic antagonist, was advertised as the most prominent enemy in the game, but she only appears in one specific circumstance and in a few scripted moments. The character had a lot of potential, but the lack of screentime feels like both a missed opportunity and false advertising.
Then, there are the game's endings. While several exist, only one has any significant impact on the franchise's story. This wouldn't be an issue if it was a satisfying ending, but many fans consider it a slap in the face compared to past endings, such as that of Pizzeria Simulator. Since only two endings are animated and the rest are in the form of comic strips, many fans are also unsatisfied with their quality and believe that Steel Wool may have run out of time or money to finish them. Overall, Security Breach was a huge letdown that has left fans wondering what could possibly come next.