A VHS tape is heard being inserted into a VCR. The slogan and logo for Playtime Co. is shown, before cutting to the intro of a cartoon:
Afterward, the video cuts to the exterior of DogDay's house. It's nighttime and windy. It then cuts to the interior, showing a clock (with bones in place of clock hands) reading 10:06. The camera pans to show the Smiling Critters—except CatNap—in the living room, each under a blanket, looking restless.
A tree branch outside snaps, scaring CraftyCorn, who hides under her blanket.
CraftyCorn: [whimper] "I can't sleep!"
DogDay: "Hey, we'll be okay, guys, I promise. All winds blow away...eventually..."
The critters continue looking on anxiously until they hear knocking at the front door. It creaks open, revealing a grinning CatNap. The other critters are ecstatic.
All: "CATNAP!"
Bubba Bubbaphant: "Please, help us go to sleep, CatNap!"
PickyPiggy: "We need it, CatNap!"
KickinChicken: "Please help us!"
Hoppy Hopscotch: "Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!"
The critters asleep.
CatNap proceeds to exhale a red gas. The others laugh hysterically as it fills the room, showing close-ups of CraftyCorn, Bobby, and DogDay. The laughter distorts before it cuts to show the critters asleep, except CatNap, who sits on the couch. The cartoon's credits roll:
"Produced by PLAYTIME PICTURES Television Animation Crew
Executive Producer - TIMOTHY TOWNLEY
Supervising Producer - CARMEN ADAMS
Associate Producer - NEAL SALE
Director - RICHARD STOCKTON
Story Editors - DENISE WOLFE, SUSAN SCHOEBER
Written by - SCOTT TELLMAN, ELIZABETH TELLMAN"
The video shrinks to the top left corner, showing a news broadcast by WLE-4.
The show's logo appears in the top left.
CatNap's controversy on the news.
An image of a CatNap toy appears.
Cut to a video of an individual holding the toy.
A light gas exits the toy through the mouth. Cut back to the Newscaster.
Newscaster: "Seems innocent enough. However, parents across the country report their children experiencing strange and often violent nightmares. And beside them, their little, grinning, CatNap doll."
Cut to a panning shot of the Playtime Co. factory.
Newscaster: "Now, with controversy growing, Playtime Co. has announced the recall of all CatNap toys from the Smiling Critters line,-"
An image of the line of Smiling Critters toys is shown, which then fades to an image excluding CatNap.
Cut to an image of a CatNap toy.
CHAPTER 3
Opening
The Player wakes up to find themselves being carried by a purring CatNap. He walks over to a hatch and opens it, dropping The Player into a chute. They land inside a trash compactor which begins closing.
NEW OBJECTIVE: FIND A WAY OUT
The Player escapes through a piece of the compactor that got stuck and makes it to the upper level. They leave the area by parkouring over some pistons. During this, they catch a glimpse of CatNap crawling up a vent. Crawling through another vent, The Player finds themselves back in the room with the chute, where they may find and watch the "Claire Harper Debrief" VHS tape.
The Player finds two batteries used to power a blue hand switch that opens the exit. They then find an interactable cardboard cutout of Bubba Bubbaphant in the hallway.
Bubba Bubbaphant Cutout:
"I'm Bubba Bubbaphant! Hey! I remember you!"
"An elephant always remembers!"
"Want to know what I remember about you?"
"(screaming)"
Continuing, The Player hears a phone ringing behind a locked door. They power the door using the green hand and answer the phone, hearing a child-like voice:
Ollie: "Hey, hey! Can you hear me? You look kinda lost. I don't want you to die, so, I'm gonna help you! Check this out. Look at the tube thing on the back wall. Ready?"
A battery exits said tube.
The aftermath of the train crash.
The battery unlocks the door. The Player enters a tunnel where they see the fiery wreck of the Train.
Ollie: "Woah... Did you do that? I guess that's where CatNap found you... I know you're probably mad at Poppy for not letting you escape, but she needs you. We need you. You are our mission! Together, we can save a lot of people! Including you! Playcare is straight ahead. It's the home of CatNap, one of "The Smiling Critters". There used to be...eight of them, I think? Now it's just him. Playcare is his church, his hunting ground. Whatever he wants it to be. You better get moving quickly... We'll keep in touch. Oh, and by the way, my name is Ollie. Nice to meet you!"
The entrance to Elliot's Express and the cable car.
The Player (if they didn't already) walks down the tunnel to the train stop for Playcare. Figuring out the rotating power node, they power a turnstile allowing them entry to Elliot's Express. They come across a KickinChicken cutout.
KickinChicken Cutout:
"Hey, I'm KickinChicken! Wanna go outside and hang out?"
"It's lookin' pretty rad outside!"
"I've... never been outside before."
"Will you come with me? I'm scared..."
"Here, follow me. I'll step out first."
"(screaming)"
Continuing, The Player pulls two switches that open Elliot's Express's cable car. They step inside.
Playcare
The cable car closes and begins moving. A recording plays over the speakers along with a video on a TV in the top corner.
A portrait of Elliot—his face censored—appears on the TV, with "Elliot Ludwig - Founder of Playtime Co." below it.
Elliot (recording): "When you look around at the world today, what one thing do you think it needs more of? I asked around once: "Money, I never have enough." "Understanding, I can never get any." "Faith, the common man has lost it." Each answer was different... and I could perhaps see some little truth in each. But I think each was also missing something. Something... simple."
In a large cave system, a giant dome—the cable car's destination—comes into view.
Elliot (recording): "You see, not one of them could muster a smile... (brief pause) A smile is hope. A smile is love. A smile is understanding. And there is nothing more gratifying to my soul than being the reason for a child's smile. To be the spark that ignites all their hopes and dreams. For it is only through hopes and dreams that we may create a better world. One where our children need not be afraid. One where they are protected. After all, this company and its toys are nothing without them. These children deserve to smile, they deserve to love, and they deserve a safe... home."
After passing through a cloud of red smoke, the cable car enters the dome: Playcare.
Elliot (recording): "That is why it is with enormous pleasure that as the founder of Playtime Co., I announce... PLAYCARE! Our very own onsite orphanage. But it's not only that. It's a school, a playhouse, a place to belong. Our very own ecosystem beneath the surface, dedicated in every inch and detail to ensuring a child's smile. It's teachers and counselors, mothers and fathers, until such a time they have all of that in you. May Playcare bring joy, inspiration, and smiles to all who enter these doors! For what gives life its meaning, if not a smile?"
The Player enters Playcare.
The cable car reaches the bottom and opens, and The Player steps into the partially ruined orphanage. Ollie reappears on the phone:
NEW OBJECTIVE: GO UNDER THE STATUE
If The Player looks around for a bit:
The Player goes under the statues of the Smiling Critters but doesn't find Ollie. Instead, they open a door with a tube behind it. A key suddenly slides down the tube, which The Player takes.
NEW OBJECTIVE: ENTER THE GAS PRODUCTION ZONE
Ollie: "So, you got the key. Now the question you're probably asking yourself is: 'Where does it go?' Well, head back out, and you should find a door just to the left of the cable car you took down here."
The Player unlocks said door and continues down a hallway.
Gas Production Zone
The Gas Production Zone and its machine.
The Player finds themselves in a large room. A giant machine with three tubes—containing the red gas on the right—stands in the center without power.
Ollie: "Welcome to the Gas Production Zone, the beating heart of the whole evil Playcare system. All that gas you see coming from the machine is made right here in the factory. It's called 'The Red Smoke'. Right now, it's all headed off to the right. We need to make that Red Smoke go left instead. That's how we can get to him. The machine will probably have a few dumb safeguards for you to work around, but I think you can do it. I'll call you once it's done."
NEW OBJECTIVE: FIND A WAY TO DIVERT THE GAS
In a room with a large hatch, The Player finds a battery and a CatNap cutout that only plays snoring-like noises, which progressively become louder. They use the battery to enter a small room, where they find and watch a VHS tape labeled "GrabPack 2.0 Prototype". The video introduces a working prototype of the GrabPack 2.0, which has an extended wire length, easy hand swapping, and air jets to break long falls. The Player obtains the GrabPack in a broken locker, now having a right purple hand. The hand launches The Player upward when touching labeled receivers, which they use to access the backroom for powering the gas machine.
Completing an electrical puzzle, The Player returns to the machine and restarts it. Automatically, the smoke proceeds to transfer to the middle tube, but as it finishes, the power to Playcare cuts. Ollie calls The Player:
Ollie: "Oh no! Someone killed the power. Okay, I sent you another key. It's under the statue. Use it to get into Home Sweet Home. Then once you're inside, find the building's backup generator. Good luck!"
NEW OBJECTIVE: OBTAIN THE KEY TO HOME SWEET HOME
The Player returns to the dome, which is now only lit by a few dim light sources. Returning to the room under the statues, they see Playcare's generator has been sabotaged. A screen near the tube shows gas production is at 0%. The backup generators for Home Sweet Home, the School, the Counselor's Office, and Sky Dome are offline, while the Toy Store and Playhouse lack connection. Another key is sent down the tube, which The Player uses to enter Home Sweet Home.
First Dream
The fake Home Sweet Home.
Going downstairs, The Player encounters a room filled with red smoke. Entering and inhaling the smoke, they find their GrabPack and the door behind them have disappeared. The Player goes further downstairs, finding themselves in a labyrinth of long hallways lined with dim lamps and doors. Not seeming to be going in the intended direction, they come across a radio at a junction playing a news broadcast:
Radio Host: "Tragic news this morning. As of 9:45 AM, local authorities report that the body of a young boy has been found on the estate of the late Elliot Ludwig, an esteemed toy maker and originator of the Playtime Company. At this time, an identity for the child awaits official confirmation. Found in an upstairs bedroom in a large duffel bag, officers on-scene report that the remains appeared to have been disturbed. Organs as well as key bones from the skeletal structure were reported missing from the body. It is unknown at this time whether this extraction was, in fact, the cause of death."
At another junction, The Player finds another radio:
Radio Host: "Following recent events, Playtime Co. was asked for any comment regarding the discovery. This is what they said to say, quote: "It's sickening. Elliot Ludwig was a great man, and those who knew him understood that he was not capable of violence, let alone what others now claim. He had a deep love in his heart for children like this one, making the actions of whoever planted this body all the more sick. We look forward to clearing his good name, both in the public eye and in the eyes of the law." STAY TUNED FOR MORE..."
Walking aimlessly, The Player hears a phone ringing, soon finding the room with it. Ollie's voice comes from it:
The Player turns to catch a brief glimpse of CatNap stalking them from the doorway. The Player continues wandering the labyrinth, finding another radio at a junction.
Radio Host: "Despite Playtime's proclamation of Ludwig's innocence, many believe his reclusive and mysterious nature displayed over the previous decades lends suspicion to this claim. When questioned, Ludwig's neighbors indicated that he would often return to his home in strange hours of the night, and depart again before sunrise. Some believed he was sick, others, that-- DON'T MOVE. DON'T MOVE AN INCH. --Playtime Co., it seems, intends to keep Elliot's name within its brand regardless. What is sure to be a long legal battle will follow."
The Player continues wandering, hearing footsteps, banging on a door, and seeing CatNap walk away from the end of a hallway. They then find themselves stuck in a looped hallway, while a reversed, angry message by the radio host plays on a radio:
Radio Host: "You come in here and you kill and murder; you pillage and destroy! Your presence was demanded 10 years ago and you didn't show up. 8/8/1995. You were supposed to be here. Why weren't you here? You missed the event, you missed the meeting, you missed the party! You have no right to be here."
The loop ends and The Player proceeds down a hallway where they hear CatNap purring. At the end, they see an office-like room behind glass, with "GUILT HAUNTS YOU" written on a board. They go down another hallway, where on another radio at a junction, they hear a man repeating "Get up". Continuing down the labyrinth. The Player hears the cries of children coming from a room at the end of a hallway. On approach, the door opens, and the crying stops upon entering the room. They find a VHS tape labeled "Welcome To Playtime", and put it in a VCR connected to a TV in the corner. Huggy Wuggy's face appears on the screen.
Supervisor (video): "Greetings, Employees, and welcome to your first day here in Playtime! We're certain that in the days to come, you'll find your new family here every bit as loving and supportive as your own. Feel free to wander the halls. Sit in the mess for lunch! Or watch our children play and learn to their little heart's content. Join the Innovationists, where the bounds of science are continuously pushed! Or join the Counselors of Playcare, whose diligence and care for our children will help shape a brighter future, just you see... Now, every one of you has your part in that future, so should you come back tomorrow feeling unhappy for where you are, or what you've done... worry not, for your supervisor is here and happy for you to listen! And... should you come back... years later... your conscience finally getting the better of you..."
Huggy Wuggy's face fades to a more nightmarish version, with black eyes and sharp teeth. The Player finds they're unable to look away.
Supervisor (video): "May you descend into the dark and the dust, finding all that awaits you are incomprehensible horrors... each hungry for your return, each eager that they may find you. Perhaps they'd smile at you from a shadow, their smiling mouths full of teeth and meat and plastic, watching and waiting patiently for their turn at a warm welcome... Or perhaps, they won't allow you such time to figure your place in the world you'd left. A world that's theirs now. Welcome home."
Huggy Wuggy crawls out of the screen.
The corner brightens as the nightmarish Huggy Wuggy proceeds to crawl out of the screen. The Player starts running back down the hallway, the creature rapidly pursuing them. A wall appears at the end, trapping The Player. Huggy Wuggy catches them, opens his mouth astonishingly wide, and eats The Player.
Home Sweet Home
The Player wakes up in the first room of Home Sweet Home, the whole ordeal being a dream caused by inhaling the red smoke. They enter the main room, coming across cutouts of Mommy Long Legs and Daddy Long Legs (and non-interactable Baby Long Legs), which only play static noises. The Player then obtains a gas mask in a hole they enter, which they use to navigate the now seemingly lethal red smoke. Via a GrabPack handle, The Player gets up into the right half of the building, sees CatNap walk through a hallway, and finds and watches a VHS tape labeled "1322 Report: Void". In a bedroom, The Player sees Kissy Missy sitting on a bed, staring at a portrait of a girl. Kissy does not notice them.
Required to find batteries to activate Home Sweet Home's backup generator, The Player finds the first battery in the room with the slots, then goes to the 2nd floor to find the second battery in a fallen Bobby BearHug statue, hearing glass breaking somewhere upon finding it. Pressing a button, 50% power is generated, opening several gates. Making their way to the other half of the building, The Player briefly hears laughter and footsteps from downstairs. They find a PickyPiggy cutout.
PickyPiggy Cutout:"Hi there! I'm PickyPiggy, let's eat!"
"Roast beef? Delicious!"
"Grilled chicken? Down the hatch!"
"Seared elephant? Yum!"
"Flayed unicorn? Mmmm...!"
"Still hungry... Hey, what do you say you and I be friends?"
The Player enters a lounge-like room, where the "Samuel Lee's Last Day" VHS tape can be found. They continue through dilapidated dorms, finding the next battery in a room on another Bobby BearHug statue, which rotates to face The Player when close. They grab the battery through another entrance to the room, deactivating the statue. The Player hastily uses their green hand to unlock a room with a toy racecar, getting startled by a falling CatNap toy. Also in the room is a Huggy Wuggy cutout.
The racecar is used to destroy wooden boxes blocking the area with the final battery. Putting it in the battery slot room and pressing a button, 100% power is generated, which sets the building into "Day" mode that opens the remaining gates along with the exit and activates the backup generator. An electrical puzzle opens the way to an elevator that sends The Player back to the first room, finally allowing them to leave.
Arriving back at the dome, The Player is suddenly grabbed and slammed to the ground by Kissy Missy, but Poppy appears and intervenes:
Kissy Missy and Poppy find The Player.
The Player gets back up to see Poppy on Kissy's shoulder.
The three begin walking toward a panel.
There, Kissy crouches and puts Poppy in her hand to allow her to unlock the panel with a key. She pulls a switch that reveals a hidden lift. The trio board it and it starts going up.
Poppy: (to the Player) "Listen... I'm not your enemy, but I can't just let you leave. What's happening down here is bigger than all of us! And I need you... so we can revenge on those monsters who've tortured you... who've tortured us! They didn't act alone. They're disciples of the original: The Prototype."
The lift reaches a platform.
Kissy goes to sit in the corner of the lift while The Player pushes a big red button, which restores power to the dome. They return to the lift to go back down.
Poppy: "The Prototype knows we're coming by now. You try to escape, he'll kill you before you ever reach that front door. He's the reason I was trapped in that... god-awful case for so long! You have no idea the things he's done! Let me help you kill him! Let me help you save everyone. We've all seen you, how capable you are. You killed Huggy, you killed Mommy, you freed me! You are perfect for this."
The lift reaches the bottom, where The Player exits. Rattling is heard behind the walls.
Kissy and Poppy go back up the lift, followed by Ollie calling The Player:
From the platform above, Kissy waves at The Player.
NEW OBJECTIVE: ROUTE THE POWER FROM HOME SWEET HOME
The Player finds and drags the absurdly long cord to the room under the statues, to an outlet next to the screen with the generator statuses, which now show Home Sweet Home and the Sky Dome to be online. The Player plugs the cord in, and the screen now shows gas production to be 50%.
Ollie: "Awesome, look at that! Remember that generator you turned on inside of Home Sweet Home? Well that was a backup generator for just that building. And every building should have one! Now you've just taken Home Sweet Home's backup power and routed it here! We're already halfway done! Hmmm, but where to go next... everywhere is pretty dangerous around here. That Playhouse especially. Yuck! So... your best bet is probably the School. CatNap usually leaves that place alone. Sending you the key now!"
NEW OBJECTIVE: RESTORE POWER IN THE SCHOOL
The Player uses the key to enter the School.
School
The Player finds themselves in a dark hallway, with messy classrooms and blood splatters.
Ollie: "Okay, make this quick! Turn on the generator, leave, and plug the School's power cord into the center! Be careful in there, I don't think I can connect to you on that side of the dome! And you won't be alone. (breaking up) There's someone else in there too. They're not your--"
Static fills the phone after losing connection with Ollie. Later, a cheery female voice appears on the School's PA system:
The Player opens a gate with their green hand and continues further. Down a hallway, the lights flicker as Miss Delight exits a room and limps to the left, a gate closing behind her. She soon reappears on the PA system:
Instead of leaving, The Player finds two batteries that power a green hand charger used to open the gate. Entering the room where the VHS tape with a scratched label can be watched, The Player's flashlight suddenly breaks, with Miss Delight seen walking behind a door. In the next room, The Player enters a vent via a GrabPack handle, seeing Miss Delight walk through a room below as they crawl through it. Dropping into the room, Miss Delight's nowhere to be seen, instead reappearing on the PA system:
The Player uses the room's green hand charger to open a gate to a room with a Miss Delight cutout.
Miss Delight Cutout:"Hello, students! Find my sisters and I to learn facts across a variety of subjects. Press my button to hear some facts on anatomy!""Did you know that there are 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body? For comparison, the Earth around the equator is almost 25,000 miles!""The smallest bone in your body is the stapes in your ear. Still, damage it, and you risk losing your hearing.""Want to learn more about human organs? Pay close attention in class."
Miss Delight begins her persuit.
The Player finds the School's backup generator in the next room, completing a simple electrical puzzle to activate it. Upon doing so, Miss Delight enters the room and uses a morning star-like weapon—Barb—to smash the generator, a battery popping out of it. She turns to face The Player and freezes, now only moving when they look away.
NEW OBJECTIVE: RUN
With the way to the School's exit now locked, The Player uses the battery to open a gate to find an alternate exit. They make their way through various hallways and classrooms, finding green hand chargers to open more gates while not letting Miss Delight get too close to them, who laughs and breathes heavily as she chases them.
Miss Delight is killed.
After opening a gate requiring two batteries that power a green hand receiver, The Player enters a hallway where Miss Delight abandons her "look away" movement and runs after them. The Player reaches the end where they pull a switch to close a gate. Miss Delight tries to stop herself but fails and is crushed and killed by the gate, which also causes her right leg to fly off.
NEW OBJECTIVE: FIND A WAY BACK TO THE DOME
Continuing to the end of a hallway, The Player finds a Hoppy Hopscotch cutout.
Hoppy Hopscotch Cutout:"I'm Hoppy Hopscotch! Wanna try hopping to the moon with me?""On three, with me! 1... 2... 3! ...Heh, didn't get very far, did we?""Again! 1... 2... 3! Nope. Still didn't make it."Listen, this won't stop until we make it to the moon!""1... 2... No, no, don't look at your feet! None of that matters! Again! Again!""JUMP! JUUUUUU-- (static)"
Next to the cutout, an orange GrabPack hand is found in a damaged locker. The hand shoots a maximum of five flares at a time, one replenishing after about five seconds.
The Canverns.
The door then open The Player move into a bridge room, they grab the battery, open the door and go into the Caverns. There they can watch a tape labeled ”Stuart And Rich”, The Player use the purple hand to leap over the the broken bridges then they suddenly found a puzzle which they have to power the purple jump pad by the green hand then switch to the purple hand to jump through catwalks and found another puzzle. The puzzle power the elevator and let’s The Player to move closer to the Playhouse.
Catnap:*Praying to the prototype shrine*.
The Player then scan the hand the open the door then they arrived at the Playhouse.
Playhouse
TBA
(creds to PurpleResources)