Just as last time with the thoughts on FNAC 2 post this post will contain heavy spoilers regarding everything about FNAC 3 so if you haven't played the game I'd recommend you do so, the link to the games GameJolt page is right here: Five Nights at Candy's 3 (Official)

Intro

Long before i came to Freddit and had ever played the game for myself i had watched quite a bit of FNAC 3. I don't remember much about the game from those times but i did vaguely that remember out of the three FNAC games that it had the most horror out of the trilogy and had incredibly unique gameplay.

More recently i had watched TheBones5 play through the hardest challenges of the "FNAC 3 but better mod" and given that i had also just finished FNAC 2 (Thoughts on it right here) i decided to finally give this game a shot. And for the most part i was not disappointed!

Gameplay/Horror

Going into FNAC 3 i already knew what to expect and most of the mechanics but even then dear god this game was horrifying. The ambience, Mary's sleep music, the banging and knocking sounds all of it made me feel on edge the entire time.

(About Mary's sleep music tho it is really good, take a listen to it yourself without anything else going on and it is really good sleep music even if a bit eerie)

The gameplay however did get a bit... repetitive as the nights went on. For the most part the Night gameplay from Nights 1-5 was almost identical besides Rat getting slightly more aggressive as the nights went on and Cat just kind being there from Night 3 onward.

Speaking about Cat he was a nice addition but he was far more of a nuisance then a threat although i do have to say it is incredibly nerve-wracking to hear his breathing especially during Rat's attacks inside the room as you just have to pray Rat will go under the bed in time so you can flash away Cat. Besides situations like that however Cat was incredibly mediocre.

Although Cat does make for some pretty funny moments like for example:

(As you might have seen recently i did post this moment on this sub)

Also for some reason on Night 1 at 5 AM i ran into this incredibly funny glitch where Rat just for whatever reason stayed at the door staring at Mary the entire time:

\"Can i come in?\" (Also posted this on this sub)

The only time the gameplay got difficult was on the Sixth night with Vinnie where Mary faces the source of her trauma head on. That Puppet wannabe was genuinely one of the most frustrating enemies i have ever faced in a FNAF Fan game. OH MY GOD he was aggressive, he does not let you breathe even for a moment like take a look at this.

Story/Timeline

This is where just as FNAC 2 and to an extent FNAC 1 that this game really shines. In my opinion FNAC 3 singlehandedly has the best story out of the trilogy. Mary blaming herself for what happened between the actors on the Night 5 minigame:

The Truth...

And dealing with the trauma of the event is incredible story-wise and i loved that Mary associated the Rat and Cat as being nightmarish due to the incident and Vinnie being the final true antagonist of the game. I also found the build-up of her usually playing hide and seek with the actors and going into the employees only room to not get found as usual to be pretty neat.

I also really liked the Night 6 ending showing that Mary has finally gotten past what happened and that she can finally move on:

Safe at last...

My only major criticism of FNAC 3s story that i have would be on their being a full year between when the incident happens and when FNAC 3 actually occurs. To be more specific i found that Mary's younger brother having an accident with Rat (As seen in the last minigame of FNAC 2) being what activates her trauma again to be slightly weaker instead of FNAC 3 simply happening right after the incident with Mary a week after the incident revealing what really happened instead of a year after the fact.

On the topic of story I want to get into my personal favorite part of the story that being the Dreamscape levels, each night before the night actually begins:

How Mary's old room looks like in the Dreamscape right before the First Night

These were incredibly fun and unique and in general something I'd never seen in a FNAF Fan game. I loved the concept of Mary traveling through her deepest memories trying to uncover what really happened all that time ago. Finding newspapers, her old toys and arcade games with her slowly remember what her old room looked like:

Mary's room right before the fifth night

Quite literally the only thing i disliked about the Dreamscape was the last level of it before the fifth night as i was just getting incredibly bad luck on the Shadow Rat spawns:

HATE this damn rodent

That was until i watched a YouTube guide which is when my dumbass found out that you could just walk west from the first rock and then up and boom there was part 3 of the third arcade game.

Last thing about story it's about time i update my understanding of the FNAC timeline! (This is mostly reused from my thoughts on FNAC 2 post)

-Rowaboatics Corp is founded. (1962, throughout the years the working conditions at the factory of Rowaboatics Corp would result in six total casualties, this factory is also the setting of FNAC 2)

-The actors at Rat and Cat theater get into a fight leading to the deaths of both the actor of Rat and Cat traumatizing the young Mary Schmidt

-Mary's brother has an accident with Rat triggering Mary's trauma. (1963???)

-Mary starts seeing a therapist (1963???)

-The first five nights of FNAC 3 takes place, Mary after traveling through her memories for five nights is able to remember what happened on that day revealing the truth of what had really transpired. (1963???)

-Mary the night afterward faces Vinnie finally getting rid of her horrific nightmares once and for all. (1963???)

-Candy's Burgers and Fries opens it's doors. (1964???, probably given that this is the earliest in the timeline Old Candy is seen, also Rat is either brought to and stored at the restaurant or performs there for a short time before being shoved into storage, as for where Cat is? I genuinely have no idea)

-A "Mistake" happens??? (November 13th, 1964, the mistake probably involves poor working conditions leading to death as in the Night 6 cinematic Rat and Cat are active and moving which take place on the same day as the Night 5 cinematic where Vinnie says into the camera "A mistake" and "A problem"-"Your problem")

-Old Candy is well-liked by children and is seen as a friend. (1976)

-Old Candy confronts and presumably attacks an abusive parent. (Early to Mid 1987)

-In reaction to what new versions of Candy and Cindy are designed and produced, Old Candy is put in storage at the restaurant. (Late 1987)

-Two twins are killed by the machinery at the FNAC 2 factory. (September 22nd-23rd 1987)

-The twins (potentially) end up possessing Candy and Cindy. (September 25th 1987

-FNAC 1 happens with Mary Schmidt as the Nightguard (November 15th to 22nd 1987)

-Mary Schmidt is fired on Night 7. (November 23rd 1987)

-Chester after entering Rats storage room is destroyed by Rat. (1989)

-Penguin gathers the scattered parts of Chester from across the restaurant and brings them to Parts & Service (1989)

-Mary gives birth to her daughter Marilyn Schmidt is born. (1990, for context FNAC 2 takes place in 2007, with Marilyn being 17 meaning she was born in 1990)

-Kids for years afterward continue to question where Chester is implying he was never given a replacement. (1991)

-The Nightguard at Candy's Burgers and Fries is murdered, most likely by Rat prompting a Police investigation and likely shutdown of Candy's. (1993)

-The animatronics are moved to the FNAC 2 factory, possibly in preparation to reopen at another location. (1993)

-The FNAC 2 Rowaboatics Corp factory is closed for good after one final fatality. (1993)

-Marilyn Schmidt loses a bet to her friends and has to spend a week at the FNAC 2 factory thus beginning FNAC 2. (August 2007)

-The FNAC 2 factory burns after either Marilyn burns the cursed place to the ground or the faulty and decaying wiring finally got the best of the equipment. (August 2007)

Overall

I absolutely adored the story here my only real criticism of it would be the time distance between the incident and when FNAC 3 happens. The gameplay was kinda mid... but the horror was on-point.

As always thank you for reading! :D