The Freddy Files: The Official Guidebook to the Bestselling Video Game Series by Scott Cawthon

The Freddy Files: The Official Guidebook to the Bestselling Video Game Series Reviews

• 
  Jayden T

  The Freddy files is for newbies that want to know game but good players on the other hand they look at this book for tips and tricks. I'm a huge fan of the FNAF series I'm reading the twisted ones right now but the Freddy files is not a story well kinda. It tell newbies and good players the background of everybody in the game mike, phone guy, Freddy, Chica, foxy, Bonnie, and much more. They have FNAF FNAF2 FNAF3 FNAF4 and FNAFSL. My favorite character was foxy until sister location came out then Funtime Freddy came on night 2 saying creepy messages to you. I like the trickery system on night 2 with bonbon I thought it was baby's voice before now it's bonbons. Before we move on what's your favorite character I would like to know. Okay each chapter it's a new game 1 to 2 then blah blah but at the final page you'll see pictures if you look hard enough you can see baby reborn with a claw hand exoskeleton clear creepy man creepy. The recipes are pretty good I made one of the recipes and it tasted really good. The book is mostly just for fans who are new or just reading for tips and tricks. The creepiest part about the book is the final page seeing baby with a crab hand. I know FNAF6 is just dead but looking at it is it might by the end for the FNAF series. FNAF 2 is the creepiest one of them all in my opinion. The book is not scary and is not cool it's decent a nice book through all of the games and telling you about the characters in the book series like Charlie,Theodore the plush bunny,Jess a lot of details. Yes I'm talking about the Twisted One but it's in the book! I loved researching the game for anything in any of the games i know a lot but i don't FNAF i look at every detail looking for a open door with a light. The game is not scary at all a once you get addicted to it because it never scares me. I'm rating it 5 stars because anyone can use it and it's really cheap for me honestly. Thank for reading this review and goodbye :) :) :)
• 
  Ana Mardoll

  The Freddy Files (Five Nights at Freddy's) / B06X9C7K2L
  
  I am the biggest FNAF fan. I'm not good enough at the game to play past the first couple of nights, but I've seen a million youtube videos and am a particular fan of Markiplier's vids. I've surfed the FNAF wiki for countless hours of my life and read all the fan theories and lurked on forums while they were argued and hashed out. I own both the novels, and I think they're incredible and recommend them whenever I get the chance. I'm that level of invested, so of course I was going to buy this guidebook.
  
  I'm glad I did! The guidebook is *beautiful* with glossy pictures on my screen (I bought the kindle version) and high quality images. A lot of work went into making this book both accessible for newbies who would have no idea what is going on but still interesting to fans who know all the basics. There's additionally a lot of interesting material regarding the actual gameplay: the sections for each game include maps of the facilities, little dotted-line tracks that show the paths of the animatronics, and player hints and tips. Even for a non-player like me, the tips were interesting to read, which is a hard balance to maintain! That was well done and I'm impressed.
  
  So where's the downside? Well, this book is short. 160 pages and you can tear through it in about an hour. Not all the secret screens are shown, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me because (a) the writers clearly had access to the screens and (b) that's kinda what a lot of us are here for. References are made to "opening up the game files" for ourselves to look, but that's what I bought a book for! Don't get me wrong, there are some secret pictures here--good ones!--but there are quite a few missing. Similarly, if you couldn't get into the novels don't expect a plot summary here; the material covering the novels is more like spoiler-free "teaser" material to pique your interest. On the one hand, I'm okay with this because I *like* the novels, but on the opposing hand I'm not sure why you would include them in a guidebook if there's no actual guiding through the material.
  
  The other thing that I'm not sure how I feel about is the "fan theories" in the guide. The guide has done a great job assembling and summarizing quite a few of the major fan theories and that's awesome! But Scott Cawthon--the game designer and writer!--is listed as an author to this guide as a selling point, i.e., this is the "Official" guide and not yet another fan creation. In which case, I was coming into this hoping for... something more than I could find on the FNAF fan wiki? some official "Word of God" material from the actual creator? I didn't expect Scott to answer all the questions surrounding the series, but a few new tidbits of information would have been nice.
  
  [side note] This book covers material from FNAF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Sister Location), and the two novels (Silver Eyes and Twisted Ones). There is no mention of the RPG spin-off (FNAF World), which is something of a shame because while I'm dimly aware that it was a disastrous train-wreck of a game, I would have enjoyed seeing its inclusion in this guide, its secrets (if it had any!), and some discussion of what went wrong. I understand not wanting to include one's failures in a guidebook that is trying to be accessible to bring in new fans, but I would have liked to see it here regardless. [end side note]
  
  As it is, I don't think there's anything here in this guidebook that you can't get for free online. And that's okay! I think it's useful to have the "bare essentials" of the story and fan theories all bound up in a single beautiful edition. Collectors should buy the book and fans will love the stroll down memory lane. It's a good book and I have no regrets, and I'll almost certainly refer to it in the future if another game in the series comes out. But I'm a teeny tiny bit disappointed by the absence of any new material--in a perfect world, I would've liked some teasers released in this, or at least an announcement of a new installment in the series!
  
  ~ Ana Mardoll
• 
  H

  OMGOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! I have knowledge of every single game! Now I can beat all of them no matter what! I´m excited to see how this goes! I played the games regularly on my phone before it broke and hopefully if I can fix it, I will be able to play with all the cheats and knowledge to beat every game. This should be fun!
• 
  JoshuaG gates

  this book would be very useful if you want to know the secrets of the five nights at freddy's universe.
• 
  Mkittysamom

  Really great at game walkthroughs and Lore!!
  
  I loved the pictures! The presentation of the book was spot on, meaning it pretty much adapted into similar design as the games and books! Plus it was fun to read! I loved the Easter Eggs and Cheats too, I am not a great game player but I've watched others play FNAF 1-4 and read the books! I did play the first and second game but they got to hard for me. My kids have fallen for Bonnie, Freddy, Chica and Foxy since the first FNAF came out and we have all 3 grown together experiencing all kinds of FNAF gameplay, fan art, watching you tube creations and reading together! I have always been curious about the story behind FNAF and I seem to have pieced it together from the mini games and books. My kids and I all agree on the purple guy is the killer and the Animatronics are sprits of the kids and trying to help save other kids! I think that Scott has come up with a ingenious idea.. Freddy Fazbear's could really be called his creation and it is really caught on! I have never seen so much love for a horror game especially within such a wide age range of players from 3 years old to my age 32. My oldest is seven and I think he was 3 or 4 when FNAF 1 came out so my youngest now 5 was introduced to it his whole life, so I started with age 3 because that is when they could comprehend the characters, and also my youngest picked out a Chica toy for Christmas with Grandpa! I was really amazed that he knew exactly who Chica was and he wanted it enough to explain it to Grandpa (who instilled in me my own love for all things horror). I guess that just goes to show how big a phenomenon FNAF really is. Now.. they just need a movie....
• 
  Emmy

  This book was actually pretty handy, covering the first five games and the first two books. There were some spoilers for the game sections, so I would avoid reading about games you've not played yet--unless you don't mind the occasional spoiler. The section on the novels was brief and did not give much away (which makes sense, considering Scholastic totally wants you to buy their other FNAF books, too).
  
  This guide is clearly written for a younger audience, but not so young that an adult like me couldn't enjoy it. I found the theories to be a lot of fun, too, although I had heard many of them (or something similar) from YouTube personalities like MatPat from The Game Theorists. Still, it was fun to see different ideas outlined and compare this to my own thoughts on the FNAF lore.
  
  Short review: Would recommend to FNAF fans, but mostly to those who have already played the games, as there will be spoilers. Older readers might be a bit disappointed with a tone that is clearly written for a younger audience, but don't let that discourage you. This is still a very good book.
• 
  Kayla Jones

  Five Nights at Freddy's: The Freddy Files
  By; Scott Cawthon
  160 Pages
  Fiction
  
  In this book you learn different tricks and facts you may not of knew about the beloved Five Nights at Freddy's franchise. It starts you off by telling a little bit about the game, stating that it is a horror game that has you ( a security guard) working at an old pizza place, where you have to survive the five nights at your lousy job, without being attacked by the famous animatronic mascots that roam the floor at night. As you dive deeper though you start to wonder what is really going on, as you start to see unsettling images and messages from your helper seem unclear. Later in the book it talks about the different characters in the game, and how to avoid them at all cost. It also starts to talk about different theories that gamers have and how they link up to different parts of the game.
  When the book has finished telling you what you need to know about the first game, then it starts talking about the rest of them, following the same pattern of information about the game, what you learn from your helper, character inventory, glitches, rare screens, and fan theories. It continues this cycle until every game has been mentioned, and it even added in recipes to try at home. Lastly in the book it talks about the other books in the series, and tries to explain them. The book ends with unfinished answers, hopefully trying to make us wonder what will happen next.
  
  You see I really like this book, and no not just because it showed me which order to play all the long and confusing mini games in order to get the "Good Ending" in FNAF3. But I like it because Scott is really spilling out all his secrets in this book, and yet he's not. He made this book to help and confirm some of our theories and questions that we've been having, like he finally admitted that the Puppet was a boy, but he didn't mention Funtime Foxy's gender. In this book he is just taking scraps of answers and placing them here and there, without giving us the whole picture. And that is just amazing, he's spent years working on the wonderful masterpiece of this game series, and always leaving us for more. With that I can say that I really love this book, and how I can't wait for the next one to come out!
• 
  Jessica

  I'm a huge FNAF fan (there may be a bunch of plush toys sitting on the top of the couch behind me right now, with Springtrap and Bonnie leaning forward to see what it is I'm doing), and so it felt like a no-brainer to pick it up, if only so I can have some more merch to hoard.
  
  As a guide, it's very good. If you're new to the series, it helps you figure out each night of the game and piece together some of the information you get along the way to try and figure out what the story is. Which of course, we still don't have the full story of, but it's helpful.
  
  I also like that it covers the novels as well, and not just the games.
  
  If you're a fan of the series already, you're probably not learning anything new. It's still a nice little book to have though.
• 
  Ian

  I've always been a big fan of FNAF. I've read all the books, and I've spent hours looking at the lore of the series. This book basically wrapped up everything I've ever researched about FNAF. The book does a very good job of explaining lore, and even including fan theories from the series. I've learned facts about the series that I've never known about before. If you are a fan of FNAF then you have to read this book. There is no way an FNAF fan would rate this lower than 4 stars.
• 
  Addison Morris

  I think that this book was exciting to read. It gave FNaF fans a lot of information on the lore of the series.
• 
  Hidekisohma

  So there isn't much to say about this book. It was more of a palette cleanse for me after reading several other books. My nephews and friend like FNAF and i haven't played a single game.
  
  I figured this would be the best way to get to know some of the lore as well as have a nice, easy read. And for that, I have to say it lived up to expectations.
  
  The art was very nice. It is, in essence, a lore helper and also kind of a game guide for some helpful hints. However, it doesn't read like a walkthrough and actually reads quite well. I also got some insight into the lore of the universe as well as how each of the animatronics work.
  
  Overall, it was a nice quick read. i would give it a 3.5/5 but once again, goodreads doesn't allow half stars for some strange reason, and in all honesty, i can't give a 4. So i'm giving it a 3. Not because it wasn't good, but there's not a lot of substance, but in terms of fnaf lore, it's very helpful.
• 
  Jack

  This is such an interesting book. It totally changed my view of FNAF, revealing the hidden lore and dark secrets of the its weird universe. Most people think that the Five Nights At Freddys is just a jump scare horror game, but this book helps you realise that it is so much more than just a game.
• 
  Harry W

  I really liked this book.(even if it gave me nightmares.) a well written book about the lore and gameplay of Five Nights At Freddy’s FNAF fans will love this book.
• 
  Jessie The Librarian

  As someone who has played (or watched other play) the FNAF games, I know these things inside and out. That being said, this book is virtually useless for fans of the game. Especially considering a lot of the clues hidden in the book have already been decided by fans and more specifically highlighted by MatPat. Nonetheless, it’s well written and good for helicopter parents who don’t like to play video games.
• 
  Jackie

  This guidebook, no doubt, is invaluable to those that play Five Nights at Freddy’s. I’m not one of them. Lots of tips and tricks, hints and secrets are revealed. Instructions on how to navigate through the different nights and games seems overwhelming to me...yet again, I am not a video gamer.
  
  It’s really not fair for me to give a rating, but I feel I should. For me, I thought it might be important to learn a little bit about this game that I’ve heard so much about from students. It is evident that it is helpful to those interested and its details are rather descriptive and enlightening.
  
  FYI: Not appropriate for elementary school.
• 
  Timothy Pitkin

  This book was an interesting take on a walk through as it not only provides a lot of tips for beating the series of games from Five Nights 1 thru Sister location but also helps explain the plot of each game. Another interesting thing it does discuss a lot of the theories that the fans have made about the series but it does not attempt to answer the question of whether or not the theories are correct. This book is not about helping solve the mysteries of series but just to provide some clarification for some of the more confusing aspects of the series. It is a nice book for those who want to understand the story of the game series better.
• 
  Amanda

  This is a book about the games and going through the nights. Which is cool, but I'd rather have analysis on the lore. (I always want lore). It needs expanding. The books only get a few pages. FNAF world isn't mentioned. I was thinking this was about FNAF as a whole, not a play guide to the games, so I was a little disappointed. But it's okay.
  A great game guide. The illustrations are awesome, so definitely check it out!
  I just wanted more focus on the plot across the franchise. (Then again, that's what Game Theory is for.) So take my review with a grain of salt.
• 
  Wiki

  The memories of 2014 when I was playing this game 24/7 with my cousins after it just freshly came out of the game oven♡
  
  This book is great for any FNAF fan,new or old!Even if I knew most of the stuff either through own gameplays,videos or HELLO AND WELCOME TO GAME THEORY(but like seriously,someone get MatPat a therapist after all the stuff Scott did to him skdjwj), I still enjoyed reading through all the little gameplay tips,facts,minigames,theories and most importantly:EXOTIC BUTTERS.
  
  I am so happy to say that I am a proud owner of both the old and updated copy(I just need the ultimate version now >:)) and I do have to say,if you are a fnaf fan:Don't walk to your next bookstore...RUN!!!
• 
  Wilder

  This was awesome. It includes in-game-order sections for storyline refreshers, gameplay tips, animatronic profiles, and theories for each. It makes a few slight mistakes (showing a picture of Bonnie in shadow when it's talking about Freddy in FNAF1), but for the most part it's thorough and well-organized. None of this is something you can't find online for free, but it manages to be both detailed and simplified, which is something the internet has trouble providing. Needless to say, it's a resource fans will appreciate.
• 
  Giselle Marquez

  Such. A. Good. Book. Okay listen, it’s a guidebook but still it is amazing to read and a good addition to my other FNAF books collection (the actual stories). I definitely recommend taking a look at this book if you love the series. You don’t have to use it as a guide through if you don’t want to. I personally just bought it to read it and look at its total beauty. There is so much to offer in here; tips, secrets, theories, inside views, and tons more!
• 
  Steven

  I've never actually played a FNAF game, but I am still absolutely obsessed with them... their visuals, their game play, their ridiculously convoluted and deliberately obscured back stories. I've read so much about them that I feel like playing any of the games at this point would almost be redundant and overflowing with the very real potential to let me down. That being said, if I ever do play any of the games, I'll certainly have this book on hand to guide me through my five nights.
• 
  River-Jay Swinburn

  Really good book, gives a nice insight into the games and the programming behind the animatronics. It also includes a few theories I didn't realise were floating about in the fanbase, so it was nice to see them. The walk through for the end of night mini games is also really useful and easy to understand.
• 
  Kristin

  The style of this book fit great with the overall theme of FNAF. It has helpful tips for gameplay, though you may want to avoid reading some of the details until you play a game as it can spoil the storyline. I personally found this to help bring cohesion to everything in the FNAF universe. It was a helpful and enjoyable read.