Do we like them?

Do we like Huggy Wuggy?

A character from Poppy Playtime (2021)

Our score: 1 out of 10. No. He's a cuddly-looking mascot who stalks you through the vents and wants to squeeze you flat. Great at being scary, terrible as a friend.

Huggy Wuggy is a giant blue toy made by Playtime Co., the fictional toy company in Poppy Playtime. In Chapter 1, "A Tight Squeeze" (2021), a former employee returns to the abandoned factory after getting a letter from staff who vanished ten years before. In the lobby, a huge Huggy Wuggy statue stands with a big smile on its face.

He doesn't stay a statue. Huggy Wuggy is the chapter's main antagonist, and he stalks the player through the factory, popping up in vents and corridors. His name, his cheery jingle and the chapter's title all hint at his deadly hug. Reviewers single out the chase sequence as the most memorable part of the game.

He scores 1 out of 10 because he's pure menace. He has no kindness, humour or loyalty to offset it. He is a very effective horror mascot, but nobody would back him.

The chapter ends with a long chase through the vents and scaffolding, and Huggy Wuggy seems to fall into the factory's depths. His fate is ambiguous, and the lore leaves room for him to have survived.