Little Nightmares 3 is adorable. It’s also entirely terrifying. In the mix of of these aspects, Supermassive Games is clearly shaping a memorable, creepy horror game, but one that’s certainly not for everyone. If you have a dislike for oozing pus, spilling intestines, clearly haunted candy factories with giant eldritch machinery, or a deep-seated fear of anything bigger than yourself, you’ll likely find Little Nightmares 3 is a bit too much.
At the very least, with a friend by your side, you can ease the atmosphere of fear and anticipation that lingers across its many puzzle stages. During a recent preview, I was able to get hands-on with Little Nightmares 3 with co-op aid from former GamesHub managing editor, Edmond Tran – and while it remained frightening, I found the game far more approachable alongside friendly conversation.
This is the first Little Nightmares adventures with a focus on co-op adventuring. It’s the first time you can play Little Nightmares alongside a real human player, and have virtual support in your many quests. It goes a long way towards making Little Nightmares feel more approachable, particularly for those with weaker nerves.
In the game, you and a friend (in solo, this friend will be an AI companion) take the role of Low and Alone, two tiny heroes who must chart a dark world filled with all manner of beasts – long-limbed, hunch-backed, slimy-sticky, and everything in between. It’s reflects the adventures of childhood through a lens of pure fear – you are so very small, and the horrors of the world are so very big.
In the first segment of my gameplay preview, Low and Alone were tasked with journeying through an office, as overseen by a crone-like automaton being with long, spindly limbs. Surviving turned out to be a process of observation, paired with some trial and error.
There’s a pervasive fog of creepiness that defines each step in this adventure, and one that encourages you to attempt a speedy run – mostly out of sheer panic. I see a towering caretaker with spider-like movements, and my instinct is to move, and move fast. But Little Nightmares 3 doesn’t reward panic. It requires you to think carefully about your movements, talk with your companion if necessary, and then plan well ahead.
In the office stage, it was a matter of analysing the roving caretaker’s movements, to figure out when her attention waned enough to hide underneath her desk. The first attempt ended quickly in loud squeaks: if you forget to crouch, the caretaker will snatch you. If you poke your head out too far, the caretaker will snatch you. You can time your crouching walk to when her back is turned, but if you aren’t fast or direct enough in your route, she’ll turn around, and snatch you.
Read: Little Nightmares 3 announced, developed by Supermassive Games
The impact of defeat is never lessened, even as you’re snatched again and again. It only increases the pressure to do better, to watch more carefully, and to find a way to survive. In this case, it meant creeping slowly, and finding novel places to hide. Under a desk, then behind a box, then by climbing a ladder to pick your way across beams.
In the next segment, the novelty of Low and Alone’s dual weapons presented. Low, the boy in the raven mask, has a bow and arrow that can be used to hit switches from a distance. Alone, the girl with the gas mask, has a wrench that can break chains and hit certain objects.
Beyond the office, these dual abilities came in very handy, as both myself and my companion worked to figure out who was most helpful, and where. Light conversation about where to hit an object, and where to fire an arrow, helped to calm the nerves well – and while that meant some of the creepier aspects of the game were dulled, personally, it helped me get over the sweaty terror I’d experienced in past Little Nightmares games. This was also down to my companion choosing to waste time by hitting everything and anything with a wrench, for fun.
That didn’t quite help when the caretaker spotted us, and ran at full speed to the person that was lagging behind in a sudden chase sequence.
Our demo ended on a brief teaser for what’s to come – and I suspect what’s next will push me over the edge for what my feeble non-horror loving brain can handle. Crawling across drain pipes and climbing up ladders, Low and Alone entered the heart of an eldritch candy factory, filled with loose lollipops and other sticky candy that will no doubt present unique obstacles to escape.
If you’ve ever had gum stuck to your shoe while walking, you can imagine the sensation – and how it might be exploited for some true goosebump-inspiring horror.
To end the experience, Low and Alone stood in the bowels of the candy factory, stumbling through mounds of lollies, until the atmosphere grew colder, with the promise of a terrifying beastie to come. When the end came, it was to my delight. While the experience was wonderfully layered, and the co-op works very well to make the game more like team puzzle, I think I’d be less likely to embarrass myself with a squeak of fear in my own home.
Whether I can summon the courage to continue alone is another matter entirely.
Little Nightmares 3 is currently set to launch in 2025.
