Introduction
Basic information
- Developer Name: Tarsier Studios
- Full Name: Little Nightmares
- Release Date: April 28, 2017
- Released on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Cross Play: Not Available
Initial thoughts
For my wife’s birthday, she had been eyeing Little Nightmares, and naturally, we ended up getting the bundle with both Little Nightmares 1 and its sequel. I was eager to watch how this eerie and unsettling game would unfold as she played it, especially with its dark, atmospheric style. I expected an intense and immersive experience—and that’s precisely what we got, though not without a few hiccups.
Story and setting
Plot overview
Little Nightmares follows a young girl named Six as she attempts to escape a nightmarish world known as The Maw. While the game has an intriguing premise, the story itself is not fully explained, leaving numerous gaps. This works to a certain extent by heightening the mystery, but by the time we reached the end, it felt like too much was left unanswered. The ending, while shocking, left us scratching our heads, feeling like the game had more to say but didn’t quite deliver.
World building and immersion
The world of Little Nightmares is oppressive and haunting, with grotesque environments that pull you into its unsettling atmosphere. The immersion is strong, but the lack of context or deeper explanations makes it difficult to fully grasp the world you’re navigating. The Maw itself is creepy and disturbing, but it never fully clicks in terms of understanding why things are happening as they are.
Character development
There’s little in the way of character development. Six remains mostly a blank slate, which works for the minimalist storytelling approach, but it also makes it harder to connect with her journey on a deeper level. While the eerie atmosphere is engaging, it’s hard to invest emotionally in Six’s fate beyond the basic desire to escape.
Emotional impact
The game delivers on tension and a sense of dread, but the emotional impact is somewhat muted by the lack of narrative clarity. There are moments that freaked us out and kept us on edge, but the open-ended nature of the story left us more confused than moved by the end.
Rating for story and setting
I have visited multiple aspects of the story and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with a 6.5
This game had some shocking moments!
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
The gameplay in Little Nightmares revolves primarily around stealth and puzzle-solving, and for the most part, these mechanics are well-executed. Navigating through the dangerous environments requires careful timing, and many of the puzzles are satisfying to solve. However, there are moments where the mechanics can feel a bit clunky, especially during chase sequences where precision is key.
Difficulty and balance
The difficulty is fair, though some sections feel more frustrating than challenging due to the controls. The stealth sections are tense, and while the puzzles are generally intuitive, a few of the puzzles felt repetitive toward the end. The balance between stealth and puzzle-solving works well, though some trial-and-error moments can lead to unnecessary deaths.
Pacing of the game
The pacing is generally fine, with short, intense bursts of action followed by slower, more methodical puzzle sections. However, certain chapters feel drawn out, and the repetition of similar stealth mechanics in different environments can wear thin after a while.
Innovation and uniqueness
The game’s art direction and blend of stealth and puzzle-solving are unique enough to make it stand out in the horror genre. While it doesn’t break new ground in terms of gameplay mechanics, the tension and creativity in its level design keep things interesting.
Controls and user interface
The controls are simple, though not as responsive as they could be. There were moments when we struggled with the precision required for certain platforming or stealth sections, which took away from the immersion.
Microtransactions
There are no microtransactions in Little Nightmares.
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with a 7
If you are looking for a fun, but creepy horror game, then Little Nightmares is perfect for you!
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
The art direction is one of the game’s strongest aspects. Little Nightmares leans into a dark, twisted, and unsettling aesthetic that makes every environment feel grotesque and horrifying. The visual design is top-notch, and one of the chapters had a disturbing twist that made us question why it was necessary—it was visually unsettling to the point of discomfort.
Technical performances
The game generally performs well, with no major frame rate drops or technical glitches during our playthrough. The environments are detailed and atmospheric, though there were some clipping issues and occasional awkward camera angles that made navigating certain areas trickier than they needed to be.
Environment and design uniqueness
The environments are creatively designed and evoke a strong sense of unease. Each chapter brings new horrors, and while the environments don’t always make logical sense, they are consistently creepy and unique.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with an 8.0
I am still a bit freaked out by that certain scene.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
The sound and music are arguably the strongest aspects of Little Nightmares. The haunting score enhances the unsettling atmosphere and keeps you on edge throughout the game. The use of music to build tension is masterful, and it often feels like a character of its own, heightening the experience.
Sound effects quality
The sound effects are well-crafted and contribute to the overall eerie atmosphere. From the creaking floors to the grotesque sounds of the monstrous enemies, every sound feels deliberate and unnerving.
Voice Acting
There’s little voice acting in the game, but the few vocal elements that exist (such as the occasional grunt from enemies) fit perfectly within the game’s world.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 9
The music is what makes or breaks a horror game!
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
Little Nightmares is relatively short, clocking in at around 4–6 hours, depending on how much time you spend exploring. While it’s a compact experience, its length feels appropriate for the type of game it is.
Extra Content
There isn’t much in the way of extra content aside from collectibles, and once you’ve completed the story, there isn’t much incentive to revisit the game.
Replay value
The replay value is low. While you can replay chapters to find missed collectibles, the lack of meaningful variation in gameplay or story makes it hard to justify another playthrough unless you’re a completionist.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Little Nightmares with a 5
This game is fairly short, and one playthrough is more than enough.
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
- Clearer Storytelling: The narrative could benefit from a bit more clarity. While mystery is part of the appeal, a little more context or resolution would make the story more satisfying.
- Tighter Controls: Improving the responsiveness of the controls would make the stealth and platforming sections less frustrating.
- More Varied Puzzles: Adding more variety to the puzzles could help alleviate the sense of repetition that sets in toward the end.
Comparisons
Compared to other puzzle-platformers like Inside or Limbo, Little Nightmares shares a similar dark atmosphere but feels less refined in terms of storytelling and gameplay mechanics. The world of Little Nightmares is more grotesque and visually arresting, but it lacks the emotional weight and narrative clarity of its counterparts.
Personal experiences and anecdotes
I was both fascinated and freaked out by the progression of this game. There were moments that genuinely disturbed me, and not always in a good way. One particular twist in the later chapters left me questioning why it was included, and the unsettling visuals only added to my discomfort. While I appreciated the tension and horror elements, it sometimes felt like the game was trying too hard to shock rather than deliver a cohesive experience.
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Little Nightmares, I give it a personal rating of 6,5
I wonder what exactly will happen after the end of this game, maybe Little Nightmares 2 will dive into this.
Last words
Pros
- Incredible art direction and visual design
- Atmospheric sound and music that heightens tension
- Well-executed stealth and puzzle mechanics
- Creepy, unsettling environments that draw you in
Cons
- Clunky controls that can lead to frustration
- Open-ended story with little explanation
- Low replay value once the main story is completed
- Certain disturbing elements feel unnecessary
Little Nightmares is a visually arresting, tension-filled experience that excels in atmosphere but stumbles in storytelling and replayability. While the art direction and sound design are top-notch, the game’s controls and lack of narrative clarity hold it back from being a true masterpiece. It’s a game that will leave you unsettled and intrigued, but also wishing there was a bit more depth to its world and characters. My wife is already getting ready to play the next installment!
Final Rating
6.5
Please let me know what you think of Little Nightmares in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
If you liked reading this review, maybe you would like to share this review with your friends.
It reminds me Chicken run video game. But this one side-scroll one 🙂
Looks like a cool game, and feels like some others have been inspired by it
I played the first Little Nightmares together with a friend. It was an amazing and strange experience. The “bosses” were really creepy! I liked that the game keeps the interpretation to the player and doesn’t overexplain the story.
> I liked that the game keeps the interpretation to the player and doesn’t overexplain the story.
Exactly, and those are nightmares, after all. We can’t expect some sense in them, but we can go for days about their meanings. Characters sure are grotesque, though!
Yeah, games do inspire other games!
I have it, but I’m not a fan of horror, so it’s still stacked in my library.
I did read the reviews though.
It seems to be short and well put together so I might give it a try…🐑
Perhaps give it a chance?
I know that a lot of people like this game, but I find it little bit overrated. Not for me
It can feel overrated!
I’m not much into horrors personaly so not played this game. Of course i heard about this game before. Looks like game mostly delivers in audio-visual department to create specific climat. I think review is very good.
Gotta hand it to them, the game’s concept is actually interesting, it’s a surprise that it’s not a good game. I saw this IP quite often throughout the internet.
The first one is pretty good.
i played this game before. i like it tbh.
Glad you liked it!
this game is on my to-game-list for quite some time already 😅
Get gaming already!
excellent game for me, love the puzzles
Puzzles are fun!
Really cool artstyle and unique world! From what I’ve seen, the monsters and chase sequences look terrifying! I’ve heard the story and characters are all supposed to be a metaphor for children’s fears of the world! I think it seems really interesting, I guess they’re leaning heavily into the “show, don’t tell” approach! It sounds like it could maybe be elaborated on a bit more and made less ambiguous! Maybe it will in the 2nd one 🙂
Yeah, show and don’t tell is good, but too much and it is bad, there is a fine balance that needs to be created.
I remember enjoying Limbo! Seems like this may also be a good game in that style! 😀
Still want to try Limbo.
A wonderful addition to my (mental) list of games to play 🙂
Too many games, overload!!!
This review is awesome! I like horror and atmospheric games.
Who doesn’t?
I loved this game, one of my first “horror” games!
I agree the controls were a bit clunky (especially with the controller joystick, so ended up using the keyboard). The end… 😳
Yeah, clunky controls are the bane of my existence.
Good review as always!
Thank you!