Little Nightmares broke the platforming mold with the original game’s release in 2017. It expertly blended 2D and 3D platforming with horror elements, with developer Tarsier Studios releasing some DLC, a mobile entry, and a full on sequel over the years. With Little Nightmares III, Supermassive Games (of The Dark Pictures Anthology fame) has taken the reins to release the series’ first fully co-op adventure. I got to play an exclusive behind-closed-doors preview during PAX West, and walked away impressed and eager for more.
In Little Nightmares III, you and a friend take control of co-protagonists Low and Alone (if you’re playing single-player, your partner is controlled via CPU) as they work together to solve puzzles, evade terrifying enemies, and traverse the macabre world. My demo took place around midway through the game, during the dark and dreary Carnevale chapter. Story details are still mum, but this roughly two-hour chapter saw Low and Alone collaborate to escape this twisted fun fair. I played as Low, who uses a bow and arrow to help solve ranged puzzles, while my partner (shoutout to IGN’s Logan Plant) used Alone, who wields a massive wrench.
The puzzle and level design really emphasize the idea of this being a cooperative adventure, and we had to work in tandem every step of the way to finish the demo. Some of the platforming and stealth sections were pretty tough, where one or both of us would fail or get caught, and we’d have to retry. But the checkpoints were extremely forgiving, and we only had to backtrack a room or two at worst. Returning from the original games is contextual environment interaction. One of the parts we failed at the most was towards the end of the demo, where a spooky old man with a ventriloquist dummy for a hand that comes alive (shudders) chased us around his apartment. We had to sneak around his furniture and make it to the next room, but if we caught his gaze, he’d chase us and we’d have to restart. There are no visual and audial clues to know when to go; watching where the old man was actually looking was all we had, and sometimes he’d be off screen, making it a bit tough to predict where he was looking. I actually appreciate this sort of lack of handholding and difficulty. Not a lot of platformers offer this much of a challenge.
Another aspect I enjoyed during my time with Little Nightmares III is its combat. There’s a part about midway through the demo where we were attacked by super scary dolls that ran at us relentlessly, easily causing us to fail. As Low, my goal was to use my bow and arrow to shoot the head off the doll, then distract it enough for my partner to smash the disembodied plastic with Alone’s wrench to kill the ghoul for good. Gauging the reach of the doll’s body was honestly a bit frustrating, as oftentimes it felt as though my character’s body would just magnet over to the enemies outstretched hands. I can’t count how many times we said, “alright, this is the one”. Eventually, it was the one, and we came out on top, and with a much better understanding of the mechanics and how to defeat these freaky foes. We only fought them a couple of times throughout the demo, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more encounters and then some in the finished game.
The co-op elements shine even brighter when it comes to puzzle solving. There are many areas where working together is crucial, with progress being locked otherwise. I’m curious to see how this plays out without a human partner, but figuring out how to progress together was intuitive and we weren’t stuck on one puzzle for too long. One such puzzle that stands out is from early on in the demo, where one of us would have to hold open the door to a furnace while the other would have to lob coal in to light it, activating the moving platforms to allow us to ascend. It’s a simple, yet elegant, design that helped showcase the importance of working together to move on, and I’m sure later in the game will feature deeper and more dynamic obstacles.
Visually, the game is stunning. The Carnevale stage we explored used lighting well, blending shadows and dim light in perfect ways to create a tense and disturbing atmosphere. Each character is equipped with a flashlight to toggle on and off to help visibility, but I found myself clicking mine on at times when the tension became a bit too much – I never knew what was lurking around the next corner. The NPC and enemies designs are grotesque and highly stylized like the rest of the world, and every asset serves the art direction flawlessly. The music and sound design are crucial for a good horror experience, and Little Nightmares III nails it in this regard as well.
Even though this entry is from a new development team, Supermassive Games understood the assignment, capturing the feel, look, and spirit of the original games that’s inspired and, frankly, very fun to play. I’m excited to jump back into the Nowhere and escape with a friend when Little Nightmares III launches October 10 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Little Nightmares broke the platforming mold with the original game’s release in 2017. It expertly blended 2D and 3D platforming with horror elements, with developer Tarsier Studios releasing some DLC, a mobile entry, and a full on sequel over the…
Little Nightmares broke the platforming mold with the original game’s release in 2017. It expertly blended 2D and 3D platforming with horror elements, with developer Tarsier Studios releasing some DLC, a mobile entry, and a full on sequel over the years. With Little Nightmares III, Supermassive Games (of The Dark Pictures Anthology fame) has taken the reins to release the series’ first fully co-op adventure. I got to play an exclusive behind-closed-doors preview during PAX West, and walked away impressed and eager for more.
In Little Nightmares III, you and a friend take control of co-protagonists Low and Alone (if you’re playing single-player, your partner is controlled via CPU) as they work together to solve puzzles, evade terrifying enemies, and traverse the macabre world. My demo took place around midway through the game, during the dark and dreary Carnevale chapter. Story details are still mum, but this roughly two-hour chapter saw Low and Alone collaborate to escape this twisted fun fair. I played as Low, who uses a bow and arrow to help solve ranged puzzles, while my partner (shoutout to IGN’s Logan Plant) used Alone, who wields a massive wrench.
The puzzle and level design really emphasize the idea of this being a cooperative adventure, and we had to work in tandem every step of the way to finish the demo. Some of the platforming and stealth sections were pretty tough, where one or both of us would fail or get caught, and we’d have to retry. But the checkpoints were extremely forgiving, and we only had to backtrack a room or two at worst. Returning from the original games is contextual environment interaction. One of the parts we failed at the most was towards the end of the demo, where a spooky old man with a ventriloquist dummy for a hand that comes alive (shudders) chased us around his apartment. We had to sneak around his furniture and make it to the next room, but if we caught his gaze, he’d chase us and we’d have to restart. There are no visual and audial clues to know when to go; watching where the old man was actually looking was all we had, and sometimes he’d be off screen, making it a bit tough to predict where he was looking. I actually appreciate this sort of lack of handholding and difficulty. Not a lot of platformers offer this much of a challenge.
Another aspect I enjoyed during my time with Little Nightmares III is its combat. There’s a part about midway through the demo where we were attacked by super scary dolls that ran at us relentlessly, easily causing us to fail. As Low, my goal was to use my bow and arrow to shoot the head off the doll, then distract it enough for my partner to smash the disembodied plastic with Alone’s wrench to kill the ghoul for good. Gauging the reach of the doll’s body was honestly a bit frustrating, as oftentimes it felt as though my character’s body would just magnet over to the enemies outstretched hands. I can’t count how many times we said, “alright, this is the one”. Eventually, it was the one, and we came out on top, and with a much better understanding of the mechanics and how to defeat these freaky foes. We only fought them a couple of times throughout the demo, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more encounters and then some in the finished game.
The co-op elements shine even brighter when it comes to puzzle solving. There are many areas where working together is crucial, with progress being locked otherwise. I’m curious to see how this plays out without a human partner, but figuring out how to progress together was intuitive and we weren’t stuck on one puzzle for too long. One such puzzle that stands out is from early on in the demo, where one of us would have to hold open the door to a furnace while the other would have to lob coal in to light it, activating the moving platforms to allow us to ascend. It’s a simple, yet elegant, design that helped showcase the importance of working together to move on, and I’m sure later in the game will feature deeper and more dynamic obstacles.
Visually, the game is stunning. The Carnevale stage we explored used lighting well, blending shadows and dim light in perfect ways to create a tense and disturbing atmosphere. Each character is equipped with a flashlight to toggle on and off to help visibility, but I found myself clicking mine on at times when the tension became a bit too much – I never knew what was lurking around the next corner. The NPC and enemies designs are grotesque and highly stylized like the rest of the world, and every asset serves the art direction flawlessly. The music and sound design are crucial for a good horror experience, and Little Nightmares III nails it in this regard as well.
Even though this entry is from a new development team, Supermassive Games understood the assignment, capturing the feel, look, and spirit of the original games that’s inspired and, frankly, very fun to play. I’m excited to jump back into the Nowhere and escape with a friend when Little Nightmares III launches October 10 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
by Myles Obenza
