Little Nightmares 3 is the latest installment in the fan-favorite Little Nightmares franchise. As someone who’s played every game in the series and is quite fond of them, I had a lot of expectations going into it. While the game retains many of the elements that make the series so great, it also loses much of its flair and novelty, and one could wonder whether the developer shift from Tarsier Studios to Supermassive Games is to blame.
An Familiar But Underwhelming Narrative
Little Nightmares 3 follows two friends and new characters to the series, Low and Alone, in a mysterious, foreboding, and malicious location known as the Spiral within the world of the Nowhere. The two work together in order to escape their unfriendly circumstances and location.
Players control them as they traverse multiple locations including the mysterious desert of Necropolis, a bizarre gloomy factory, a menacing fun fair, and more. As players progress the game, they encounter and must escape the clutches of several threatening foes much larger than our protagonists, and with each successful escape and encounter, they learn more about the characters through flashbacks revealing their past and motivations. The game also features references to previous games along with some nice, familiar details that series fans will enjoy.
However, there are still some underwhelming parts about the narrative. For one, it feels like the story took a back seat to the gameplay, as this entry notably lacks a stronger focus on world-building and an overarching narrative. Little Nightmares 2, despite lacking dialogue and multiple cut scenes, told a cohesive, incredibly engaging narrative with stakes. Little Nightmare 3’s story, in comparison, isn’t as engaging, and it doesn’t focus on the world around the characters as much, save for its monsters and enemies, some of whom are, frankly, too similar to those in previous games. It’s also harder to feel as attached or even concerned about these new characters coming from the previous title. However, this isn’t to say Low and Alone aren’t good characters, as the flashback scenes do a good job of instilling some personality in them at the very least. All in all, narratively, it feels like Little Nightmares 3 includes all the standard Little Nightmares traits and elements without the soul or novelty of previous games.
A Refreshing Gameplay Experience
Gameplay-wise, however, Little Nightmares 3 provides the best experience in the series so far. Players progress each unique level by solving puzzles, traversing platforming segments, avoiding monolithic monsters, and fighting creatures similar in size to the characters.
The gameplay flow is similar to Little Nightmares 2, but both characters are more involved, and they must use their items and weapons for players progress, which is a great new inclusion. The game also has positively thrilling encounters that take wit, quick thinking, and quick reflexes to overcome. These moments are further enhanced by playing on the PlayStation 5 thanks to the Dual Sense’s haptic feedback. It simulates heartbeats, sounds, and more, creating a more immersive gaming experience.
Lastly, the monster designs are great, as every monster looks threatening in different ways—but some are also quite similar to previous designs in the series. Newer monsters with fresh designs would’ve enhanced the experience along with more monsters in general, as the selection is admittedly sparse. Though with the game’s short length of about 6 hours, this isn’t a surprise. Aside from that, the co-op mode is also a great new inclusion, as being able to play the whole game with a friend offers a new level of enjoyment. The feature also works great without harsh penalties for either failing or dying in monster encounters.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Little Nightmares 3 is a highly serviceable new entry to the Little Nightmares series that both new players and returning fans can enjoy. Its major drawback is its underwhelming narrative, especially compared to previous titles. As such, it’s hard to recommend the game to players looking for a similar experience to the second installment in the series.
The Review
Little Nightmares 3
Little Nightmares 3 is a highly serviceable new entry to the Little Nightmares series that both new players and returning fans can enjoy. Its major drawback is its underwhelming narrative, especially compared to previous titles.
PROS
- Great new gameplay inclusions
- Some good monsters
CONS
- Narrative is a bit underwhelming
- Not many wholly unique monster designs
