| Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic is the latest title in Scott Cawthon's iconic, genre-defining FNAF series. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Review Overview
What is FNAF: Secret of the Mimic?
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic is a horror game by Steel Wool Studios, creators of the previous mainline FNAF title, Security Breach, that takes the player to Murray’s Costume Manor as an employee of Fazbear Entertainment. Tasked with the recovery of an “important asset”, the player must brave the costumed halls of MCM and survive.
As the latest title in Scott Cawthon’s genre-defining horror franchise, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic continues the Mascot Horror formula of creepy, iconic mascots chasing down players in claustrophobic walls, and endless jump scares, but now with much more lore, stealth mechanics borrowed from Security Breach, and a brand-spanking-new coat of paint for the game’s visuals.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic features:
⚫︎ Single-player gameplay emphasizing stealth, exploration, and basic puzzle-solving
⚫︎ New antagonist for the FNAF franchise with The Mimic
⚫︎ Omnidirectional hand controls
⚫︎ Animated cutscenes with full voice-acting
⚫︎ Brand-new setting with Murray’s Costume Manor
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about FNAF: Secret of the Mimic's gameplay and story.
 PlayStation |
 Steam |
 Epic |
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| Price | $39.99 | ||||
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FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 More FNAF is Always A Good Thing Steel Wool’s Direction for FNAF Takes Shape Stealth and Puzzles are Decent More Optimized Than SB Ever Was Great Sights, Greater Sounds |
The New Mouse Controls Suck Jump Scares Got Downgraded No Manual Saving The Mimic is Underwhelming |
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Overall Score - 84/100
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic is a game carried by the FNAF IP, not the other way around. It’s more FNAF, plain and simple, so fans will likely enjoy the new lore, expanded world-building, and creepy animatronics to bits. The gameplay flirts with frustration but never dips into boredom, while also being the most optimized FNAF has ever been. As long as you don’t expect anything more than FNAF, you’re Golden Freddy.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Story - 8/10
FNAF’s byzantine story has always been a goldmine for theorists and lore-hungry fans, and Secret of the Mimic pushes that potential even further. With a wealth of new lore breadcrumbs, fresh characters, and deeper expansions to the universe, there’s plenty here to unravel. The story on the surface is already compelling—but read between the springlocks, and you’re bound to find more than just Golden Freddy hidden in the gears.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Gameplay - 7/10
While Scott Cawthon broke plenty of ground with FNAF’s original gameplay loop, his innovations outside the core formula have been far less frequent, and Secret of the Mimic continues that trend. It features, at best, some decent stealth sections, heavily scripted chase sequences, and mildly challenging puzzles. Throw in the questionable autosave system, clunky mouse-based controls, and a noticeably dwindling sense of horror, and it’s clear this game has its flaws. That said, it can proudly claim one thing: it’s the most optimized FNAF game to date.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Visuals - 10/10
New site, new sights, and I’m loving what I’m seeing in Secret of the Mimic. Beyond the refreshing change of scenery, what really stuns me are the gorgeous lighting effects and the silky-smooth animations this game brings to the table. And that’s not even mentioning the distinct vibe the new animatronics give off—they’re eerie, imposing, and a perfect fit for this fresh chapter in the franchise.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Audio - 10/10
Audio has always been one of FNAF’s strongest suits—whether it’s the voice acting, the music (original or fan-made), or the chilling atmosphere woven through every creak and groan—and Secret of the Mimic is no exception. The sound design here lives up to the franchise’s legacy in full, and you’d be remiss to pass on it.
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Value for Money - 7/10
The game is worth its $39.99 asking price if, and only if, you already have some appreciation for FNAF. You don’t need to be a diehard fan, but you do need to want more FNAF purely for the sake of having more. That’s the mindset that’ll help you look past the game’s rough edges; otherwise, this might be a tad steep.
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FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Review: More of the Same, for Better or Worse
There isn’t a single horror game fan today who hasn’t heard of Five Nights at Freddy’s. Heck, I’d go even further—there isn’t a gamer alive who doesn’t know the name. As one of the defining pop culture icons of the 2010s, FNAF still holds its ground a decade later, even after the changing of the guard with Security Breach in 2021.
So why the storied recap for a franchise whose staying power and celebrity status are already well-known? Because FNAF: Secret of the Mimic is the latest mainline entry in the series, and with it comes the full weight of the IP’s legacy. This isn’t just another sequel; it’s another opportunity to deliver on the expectations of a fanbase obsessed with lore, evolution, and animatronic nightmares.
Fans are hungry for answers, for deeper mechanics, for fresh horrors in the dark. They want to know what twisted new direction the classic point-and-click formula has taken. And frankly, so did I. As someone who’s been with the franchise since its very beginning, I came into Secret of the Mimic with high hopes and cautious curiosity.
So, here’s the exotic butters-winning question: Is it any good? Has Scott Cawthon cooked again? This review will answer exactly that. And without spoiling too much… let’s just say this feels like the Security Breach we should have gotten, though a true evolution of the franchise, it is not.
All This For A $25 Gift Card?
Let’s give the Game Theorists among you a little treat and dive into Secret of the Mimic’s story, setting, and premise—so you can update your lorebooks and stay ahead of Not-MatPat’s next deep dive into FNAF’s ever-expanding, Byzantine web of narrative threads.
First up: Which unlucky soul will be suffering this animatronic madness this time around?
Over the years, that torch has been passed through a wild cast of characters—night guards, literal lost children, serial killers in purgatory—you name it. This time, much like in the Help Wanted VR titles, you're once again stepping into the shoes of a loyal Fazbear Entertainment employee. Specifically, you play as an “asset retrieval specialist” sent to a new location called Murray’s Costume Manor. Your mission is to track down and recover a long-lost animatronic endoskeleton prototype that one of your contractors, Edwin Murray, created but never gave to the company.
This isn’t just any endoskeleton either. Crafted by Murray himself, this endo was a mimic model capable of impersonating any other animatronic or voice at will. Naturally, Fazbear Entertainment wants it back. And naturally, you’re just the model employee to brave the haunted manor’s labyrinth of security doors and survive its shape-shifting resident, The Mimic. You’re not doing this out of company loyalty, however, because there’s a $ 25 gift card waiting for you if you succeed (also your life and well-being, those are good too).
Right out of the gate, I’ve got to say—I’m glad we’re in a new setting. Say what you will about Scott Cawthon, but he’s never let the series go stagnant in terms of mechanics or premises. From FNAF World to Help Wanted, he’s shaken up the formula more than once. That said, he does have a habit of recycling narrative elements like crazy. Every new entry usually comes preloaded with eight quadrillion callbacks for theorists and horror YouTubers to dissect, and Secret of the Mimic is no exception.
But the good news is that those connections aren’t quite as on-the-nose this time. You’re not in a Fazbear Entertainment building. You’re not just glued to a desk and camera feed. There’s a new animatronic, a fresh environment, and a more active gameplay loop. If you want your lore crumbs, you're going to have to earn them—and that starts with facing down the game’s shapeshifting, spotlight-stealing new antagonist: The Mimic.
More Like The Mid-mic, Honestly
Okay, maybe I came on a bit too strong with that introduction. The Mimic is a fantastic concept on paper—it definitely had me hyped in the lead-up to release—but in practice, it’s… underwhelming. The idea of an animatronic that can imitate any other? Set inside a sprawling manor packed floor-to-ceiling with spare parts? That’s the kind of horror gold you want to see mined. You’re supposed to feel like danger is everywhere, with no clue which glassy-eyed husk might suddenly lurch to life.
And to the game’s credit, that atmosphere is there for a while. My eyes were constantly scanning the room, second-guessing every mannequin and busted bot I walked past. But once you look beyond that initial tension, The Mimic starts to lose its bite.
Mechanically, it’s actually a step down from Security Breach. I’d even argue Poppy Playtime pulled off this kind of mascot horror better. The biggest problem here is that the Mimic’s gameplay loop grows stale fast. After the second section, you’ve basically seen everything it has to offer. You quickly realize you can almost always outrun it, duck into a locker, or recognize when you're in a scripted chase. That early panic gets replaced by a low-stakes game of hide-and-seek—think Metal Gear Solid, but with less tension and more animatronic peekaboo.
The core idea, that you never know which animatronic is The Mimic, never really evolves. It works once, maybe twice, but after that? The illusion shatters. You stop fearing the unknown and start exploiting the predictable. And just like that, the thrill evaporates.
Security Breach, for all its flaws, at least knew how to keep you cornered. Sure, Roxy and Monty were predictable, but there were two of them, and their patrol routes were wide enough to keep you constantly on edge, especially with the ever-watchful Staff Bots ratting you out at every turn. Navigating that space felt like threading a needle, always one step away from chaos.
Here, though? You’re usually only keeping tabs on one threat. Just one. Even the original FNAF had three animatronics gunning for you at once, trying to stuff you into a suit if you slipped up. The Mimic, despite its shape-shifting gimmick, doesn’t match that same level of pressure. The tension just isn’t there, and that lack of intensity reflects the franchise’s overall dip in horror quality.
Either I’m Desensitized, or These Jump Scares Just Aren’t as Good
This problem didn’t start with Secret of the Mimic—it really began with Security Breach—but it’s becoming clear that FNAF might be losing its edge in the horror department. And Secret of the Mimic continues that slow, downward trend. I’m not sure if it’s entirely the game’s fault or if the franchise’s massive presence over the years has just desensitized us all to jump scares. Maybe it’s both. Either way, those signature FNAF jolts just don’t land like they used to.
Honestly? Not a single scream. Not even a flinch. The game nails the dread—no question. The lighting, the visuals, the sound design? All top-tier from an atmospheric horror perspective. But the jump scares themselves? They’re flat. Worse than flat—they're frustrating. At best, you get a loud noise and an awkward animation. At worst, you see it coming a mile away.
It makes me think FNAF is starting to outgrow its reliance on jump scares, which I’m all for, in theory. Evolving past cheap tricks and focusing on atmosphere is the right move. But still, this is the franchise that perfected the art of the jump scare. Now? It’s getting outclassed by just about everyone else at its own game.
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Weird Controls to Go With Decent Stealth and Puzzles
Alongside the Mid-mic (yes, I’m keeping that nickname) comes a slew of not-so-new mechanics that follow Steel Wool’s more active vision for Five Nights at Freddy’s. Gone are the days of flipping through camera feeds and slamming doors shut from a desk. Now, you’ve got security doors to unlock, ridiculous machinery puzzles to solve, stealth segments to sneak through, and a seemingly endless supply of minigames to play.
And honestly? Despite my tone, I don’t hate it. I probably wouldn’t play another classic point-and-click FNAF game if one dropped tomorrow, so I’m okay with the shift to free movement. The game’s core progression revolves around a handheld device that grants you access through the Manor’s various security doors, assuming you’ve got the right clearance. You gain that clearance by reaching different security offices, with your ultimate goal being Executive-level access to reach Murray’s private workshop and recover the Mimic’s blueprints.
To get there, you’ll need to solve a variety of puzzles scattered throughout the Manor. These help power up systems, open new paths, and slowly push you closer to your goal. Of course, it’s never that easy—every now and then, the Mimic shows up to possess one of the many animatronic suits, turning your next leg of your task into a stealth mission. And unlike Security Breach, there’s no Glamrock Freddy here to tuck you into his chest cavity. You’re on your own, relying on good old-fashioned crouching behind furniture and praying you don’t get spotted.
If you do get spotted, back to a checkpoint you go, which brings me to one of my bigger issues with the game: no manual saves. Everything is tied to auto-saves at pre-determined, yet amazingly undefined checkpoints. So if you die halfway through a longer segment in your journey, enjoy retracing all your steps. Again.
Oh, and the inventory system? Awful. You basically have two hands’ worth of inventory space. Anything more than that gets sent to an “inventory chute,” like you’re boxing up your items for a shipping warehouse. Not the worst idea—until you realize you have to physically carry the item to the chute to store it. And if you die before doing so? You’re going to have to go get that thing again. Every. Single. Time.
This becomes especially annoying when you factor in the controls. The game isn’t just about pressing buttons anymore. Mouse movement affects everything—how hard you pull, tilt, grab, or interact with objects. It’s immersive in theory, but in practice? If I’m being chased by a 30-foot rubber-limbed jack-in-the-box from hell, the last thing I want is to perform a real-life QTE just to yank down a single lever. Just let me press E, for the love of Golden Freddy.
Great Sights, Greater Sounds, and the Smoothest Animation to Date
To give Secret of the Mimic some credit where it’s due—I’m genuinely enjoying the sights and sounds of this new setting. I’m in love with the soundscape and the animations. Seriously, the mid-70s casettepunk-meets-industrial aesthetic of Murray’s Costume Manor is the perfect visual shake-up the franchise needed after Security Breach’s neon-drenched, ‘80s Saturday-morning-cartoon vibe. It’s less cartoonish, more mechanical, but still unmistakably creepy in all the right ways.
The audio design is just as impressive. Thunderous metallic footsteps let you know when something big and angry is nearby. Chase sequences are underscored with tense, heart-pounding music, and even quieter moments of exploration hum with unease. The voice acting, too, is shockingly good, putting FNAF 1’s iconic Phone Guy to shame (sorry, Scott).
But the real MVP here is the animation and graphical polish. Everything is silky smooth. Sure, the game’s locked at 60 FPS—boo—but that hardly matters when it runs this well. No stutters. No crashes. No five-minute loading screens. It’s the Security Breach experience we should have gotten, and I mean that in the best way possible.
The FNAF Saga Continues on A Pretty Good Note
I’m not going to sit here and pretend Secret of the Mimic redefines the FNAF franchise in any groundbreaking way. If anything, it feels like the second cautious step in Steel Wool’s long-term vision for the series. It’s not sprinting yet—it’s setting the stage. The gameplay is hit-or-miss, the horror feels underplayed, but there are real merits here: a strong atmosphere, stellar presentation, and a clear commitment to pushing the franchise forward.
More than anything, it’s the FNAF name that carries this game, not the other way around—and honestly? That’s fine. Hardcore fans won’t walk away disappointed, especially with the tasty lore crumbs, striking visuals, excellent sound design, smooth animation, and finally, some blessed optimization. But if you’re just looking for a horror experience that’ll keep you up at night? You might want to look elsewhere.
As for me? I’m not too disappointed. I’m a FNAF fan, after all.
In the end, I always come back.
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Is FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Worth It?
Maybe A Bit Steep For Casual Players, Not For FNAF Fans, Though
As much as I’d love to upsell this game—because let’s be honest, more FNAF is almost always a good thing—I’d be lying if I said the average player would eagerly drop $39.99 on it. It’s not that Secret of the Mimic isn’t worth it, exactly. It’s just that it demands a bit of pre-existing affection for the franchise. You have to want more FNAF to really look past its flaws.
The autosave system alone could be enough to frustrate newcomers, and the lack of real horror might leave others cold. And when a game leans so heavily on nostalgia and name recognition to keep players engaged, it’s hard to justify a full $40 price tag for some.
That said, I’d still recommend it—especially to fans. It looks great, sounds incredible, and delivers just enough lore to keep the theorists scribbling. It’s also a solid gateway into a fandom that, for all its eccentricities, is at least not trying to sell you NFTs (lookin’ at you, Poppy Playtime).
Just don’t go in expecting a revolution. Go in expecting more FNAF. And in that regard, it delivers.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
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| PlayStation |
Steam |
Epic |
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| Price | $39.99 | ||||
FNAF: Secret of the Mimic FAQ
Who Is The Protagonist of Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic?
The protagonist of FNAF: Secret of the Mimic is a Fazbear Entertainment employee simply referred to as Arnold. Although their job description isn't explicitly described, in this particular instance, they were assigned to asset recovery in Murray's Costume Manor.
Is Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic A Prequel?
Yes. FNAF: Secret of the Mimic is a prequel to FNAF: Security Breach, focusing on the origins of The Mimic, a character shown in one of the game's possible endings.
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FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Product Information
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| Title | FNAF: Secret of the Mimic |
|---|---|
| Release Date | June 14, 2025 |
| Developer | Steel Wool Studios |
| Publisher | ScottGames |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic Games) PlayStation 5 |
| Genre | Horror, Simulation |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | ESRB Teen IARC 12+ |
| Official Website | FNAF: Secret of the Mimic Website |
