Review: Little Nightmares 3

Developer- Supermassive Games

Publisher- BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Namco Bandai Games America Inc.

Platforms- PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC

Review copy given by the Publisher.

Little Nightmares 3 is here, and it’s darker, smarter, and creepier than ever. But should you play it or skip it? You play as a Low and Alone, trapped in twisted dream worlds that feel alive. The puzzles are clever, the co-op adds real tension, and the sound design is absolutely chilling. It nails atmosphere and has no cheap jump scares. The game is short, around 6 to 8 hours, and solo AI can be clunky, that’s what I feel. A few camera issues return, and if you want clear answers, you will not get them. It’s beautiful but mysterious to a fault. Play it if you love emotional, artistic horror that sticks with you, but skip it if you need long gameplay or player storytelling.

If you’re new to the series, these games are all about dark, twisted, fairy tale-like worlds where you play as small, fragile characters trying to survive against giant, grotesque enemies. They’ve been more about atmosphere, tension, and combat. This formula has made them stand out in the horror space. This time around, there’s been a big shift behind the scenes.

The original team that created the first two games has actually moved on to a new IP. Little Nightmares 3 has instead been handed to Super Massive Games. This team has built its reputation on cinematic, choice-driven horror. So, it’s really interesting to see them now tackling something that is much more gameplay-oriented like this.

So, while it’s still unmistakably a Little Nightmares game in tone, you can definitely feel the new studio DNA creeping in, especially with the addition of co-op, which is actually a first for the series. What I’ve got here is basically a vertical slice of the experience. Story-wise, it doesn’t spell much out. You wake up in this strange world. You’re controlling one of two characters that we know very little about, and you just start exploring. I’d assume it’s about escaping, but the game never actually says that. What it does do, though, is end on a really strong moment. They got me wondering where it’s all heading.

Now, gameplay then is pretty much what you’d expect from Little Nightmares. The movement is still quite cinematic, meaning slightly drawn-out animations, and now we’ve got co-op 2. I didn’t get to try it that way, but I really like the idea of it. And even solo, you’ll have that second character alongside you. So, the puzzles are very much leaning on having two characters. The AI as well actually very good. You also then get the classic series tension with enemies.

The big change, though, is the setting. Instead of the damp, claustrophobic interiors that you’ve seen in Little Nightmares one and two, this feels like some kind of desert nightmare. There’s sand everywhere and broken bridges. There are strange structures in the distance. And I actually really like that shift.

I think it does a good job of really showing you what Little Nightmares 3 is about, and I really like the elements. The gameplay, the world, and the way it feels like an evolution for the series while still keeping that unsettling core.

The gameplay focuses heavily on the feeling of tension, anxiety, and exploration in dark and mysterious environments. In the game, you control two characters, Low and Alone, who need to work together. I think we need to leverage our unique abilities to overcome various challenges and enemies. The gameplay requires a lot of attention to the environment, as it’s often necessary to crouch to avoid being detected. Pass through tight spaces and use objects to create a distraction, which generates a constant and immersive experience of fear. One of the standout features of Little Nightmares 3 is the cooperation between the protagonists. This brings a new and interesting dynamic to the series.

Each character can perform actions that make the others’ lives easier, such as pulling levers and distracting enemies. I found this co-op mechanic to be very well implemented, as it requires communication and mutual help. This makes the game more engaging and challenging. I felt that the game balances the challenge well without being frustrating, since co-op is a key point. Some stages require a bit more planning and strategy, which, for me, is a high point as it rewards creative thinking.

The act of running, pulling objects, using tools, or even thinking about how to distract monsters is part of tension building. I found this combination quite satisfying in terms of gameplay. One thing that caught my attention was that the game maintains the feeling of helplessness and fear without resorting to cheap scares.

I particularly like this a lot because the gameplay doesn’t rely on jump scares, but rather on the atmosphere and interaction with the environment to create a feeling of urgency. These gameplay characteristics made me feel a mix of nostalgia for the previous games.

The graphics maintain the dark and unsettling visual identity that the series has built since the first game. However, the color palette moves away from the cold blue tones of the second title. I found this palette bold as it deviates from the expected and brings a freshness to the franchise. Although I do miss the darker, more mysterious look of the bluish colors from the previous games.

The graphical quality is clearly more advanced with finer textures and more fluid animations. The creatures and characters that appear in the desert and city seem to have been designed to cause visual discomfort. In terms of visual effects, Little Nightmares 3 seems to explore dynamic lighting and particle effects quite a bit. The combinations of long shadows and dust effects make the environment seem more alive.

Little Nightmares 3, since its announcement, has brought an expectation that it would be a visually immersive experience. On consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series, it appears to do very well in these aspects. However, the choice between optimization modes, quality, or performance reveals a preference for maintaining 60fps in most cases. The audio and visual presentation of the game is amazing.

I do think that they nailed it with most of the level design and just the ambiance of Light Nightmares 3. If you’re going to break up the game with platforming and simple puzzles, I think the platforming does need to be a little bit more engaging. I just wish it had a little bit more horror elements, but they kind of went the other way. But it is a fun co-op game, and it does have tense moments.