Gameplay mechanics

Run, run as fast as you can!

The gameplay involves the player taking control of a character referred to as “Six”. Six is considered to be the main protagonist in the story. The world/location in which the adventure takes place is referred to as the Maw, and your goal is to escape unharmed. 

The game encourages curiosity and exploration. You’re tasked with investigating the environment in search of objects to interact with. Attentive players are rewarded with the discovery of hidden clues, pathways and collectibles. However, this world is fraught with dangers, so players should exercise caution since they are often not alone.

Stealth is crucial in this game. There are plenty of enemies lurking around and players must utilize the environment to their advantage, hiding behind objects and timing movements in order to navigate across the hostile environment. The game incorporates platforming elements, requiring the player to climb and make precise jumps in order to avoid monsters and environmental hazards. This is the type of gameplay that would test the player’s patience and coordination.

Overall, the gameplay is a mix of platforming, puzzle solving, stealth and exploration. It is excellently designed to instill fear and a sense of urgency which enhances the horror aspect of the game.

Graphics and visuals

A unique and unnerving atmosphere

The game uses a blend of 2D and 3D. The environment is rendered in 3D while utilizing a side-scrolling perspective for 2D platforming. This is commonly referred to as 2.5D. However, there are instances where the camera shifts dynamically to make the world feel like it’s in 3D. This makes the game feel more immersive and real, giving the player an epic, cinematic experience.

Little Nightmares is well known for its dark, haunting visuals. The atmospheric lighting, and monstrous entities make the world feel like something you would only see in a hellish nightmare. The monster designs are unsettling with grotesque and disgusting features and the environment is crafted with great attention to detail. In contrast to the monsters, the main protagonist is designed in a simple manner, making them visually distinct. These design choices are all crafted in a way to make you feel like a stranger trapped in a terrifying hellscape where you don’t belong.

Overall, the visuals make the game an immersive and captivating experience for any horror fan with its unique combination of 3D environments and 2.5D gameplay.

Level design

Hide whenever you can!

The levels in the game are made in a way that invokes feelings of dread and suspense from the player. As previously mentioned, there are monsters lurking around in the game and the only way for the player to pass through unscathed is by making use of the layout of the level and tools available from your surroundings. The numerous, intense scenarios scattered throughout the journey are somehow both nerve-wracking and fun to experience.

The levels consist of cleverly made environmental puzzles for you to solve. You’re required to solve these puzzles in order to unlock new areas, avoid enemies, navigate across environmental hazards and progress through the game. These puzzles mostly consist of interactable objects, key items and intricate mechanisms that are expertly incorporated into the environment in a way that makes the setting feel realistic and interesting to explore. There are stealth sections, platforming sections and even chase sequences, adding a layer of challenge and excitement to the gameplay.

All in all, the levels are implemented perfectly in Little Nightmares to create an immersive and suspenseful gameplay experience. 

Sound design

Unique sound bytes for every action

It is clear that the developers put a lot of love into the sound design of Little Nightmares. The sound design is a vital aspect of the game responsible for creating a sense of unease as you traverse across the different levels. Every interaction in the game, from opening a door to moving or throwing objects is accompanied with its own unique sound effect.

The masterful incorporation of ambient sounds makes the environment feel oppressive and unnerving. Cracking floorboards, distant footsteps and echoing whispers really make you feel like danger is lurking around every corner, triggering a sense of paranoia.

The soundtrack of Little Nightmares is minimalistic and consists of atmospheric tones, eerie melodies and dissonant sounds. This changes as you progress through the game, shifting from scene to scene to amplify the emotional impact of key moments and sequences throughout the game. The sound design works in tandem with the visuals to amplify the eeriness that you feel when playing the game, creating an unforgettable and memorable experience.

Story and narrative

Can you find all the secrets?

The world of Little Nightmares is mysterious, with subtle hints scattered across the locations for you to notice. It is a superb example of “Show don’t tell” type of story-telling. There is little to no dialogue in the game, and the story is told primarily through the details in the surroundings. This leaves a lot of room for theorizing and player interpretation and makes it easier for the players to get engaged in the story.

The story follows the adventures of the main protagonist named “Six”, a young girl in a yellow raincoat. She is trapped in a dangerous place known as the “Maw” where grotesque monsters roam around and the objective is to try and escape without getting caught.

Ultimately the intriguing story of Little Nightmares does an excellent job at grabbing the attention of players and keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting. It encourages curiosity, exploration, promotes speculation and rewards attentive players with subtle hints and secrets regarding the dark history of the world.

Monsters and characters

One of the twin chefs on the maw preparing food

There is a large variety of monsters in this game, each having their own distinct traits, features and appearance. Some of them may be fast, while others may be slow. Some may even have paranormal abilities. The type of monster determines the playstyle for that section of the game, making every level an exciting venture with the player full of anticipation about what might come next. Thanks to the amount of detail put into these monsters, every encounter feels horrifying and unique.

The monsters seem to be designed to reflect themes such as gluttony, greed and over-indulgence. Their unique character designs evoke feelings of disgust and repulsion. Each monster seems to be tied into the narrative of the game and serve as a piece to the puzzle. They all seem to have unique behaviors and personalities outside of just being a threat to you, which adds depth to the game’s narrative.

This makes the monsters really interesting in addition to being horrifying. Since there is no concrete answer, there have been many debates sparked by fans regarding the nature of these creatures and how they tie into the story. 

Tension and horror

Many unique monsters to confront

The most notable feature of this game is how it instills horror and dread. Dim lighting, level design, ambient sounds and monster design all excel at creating an immersive and oppressive atmosphere of dread designed to  evoke feelings of panic from the player. Many monsters display startling and grotesque behavior, especially when encountering the player. 

Certain event sequences such as chase scenes seem to be tailor made to make your heart race with panic. The stealth sections constantly keep the players on edge. The ambiguous nature of the monsters, story and setting instills the distinct fear of the unknown; a type of horror that is incredibly difficult to pull off. The game effectively uses psychological horror and makes your imagination run rampant.

DLC and sequel game

A shot from the Depths DLC

Little Nightmares has some additional content for fans of the game who want a bit more. In addition to 3 DLCs (The Depths, The Hideaway, The Residence), there is even a sequel game “Little Nightmares II”. 

The Downloadable Content adds more chapters, levels and encounters for players to explore through. For fans interested in the mystery behind the game’s narrative, the DLC content does a good job at expanding the story, adding new details, clues and bits of lore. They all offer new and different gameplay experiences and challenges.

Little Nightmares II is a highly anticipated sequel to the first and features a new protagonist for the player to control. This game introduces an interesting companion system where you are accompanied by a side character on your journey. The second game expands and builds upon the strengths of the first game and provides the players with a new and unique experience.

Replayability

Try and find what you missed

The playtime of the game can vary depending on the player. Different players would solve the puzzles at different paces. Furthermore, some players might take the time to try and explore the locations a bit more in order to uncover secrets and hidden collectibles. Unfortunately, the game is a bit short and can be completed in approximately 3-6 hours.

However, there is something to be said about its replayability. The game has a lot of hidden secrets and items to collect, which may encourage some players to revisit the game. Some of these secrets can actually give some insight into the game’s lore and characters. Moreover, there are some achievements and challenges that a player can take on that require the completion of specific actions or challenges.

Ultimately, being a story-based horror game, the replayability is understandably not a strong suite that the game has to offer and players would generally get the most out of the game from the first playthrough.

Overall fun factor – 83/100

Run and have fun!

In conclusion, Little Nightmares is an impressive game that delivers a bone-chilling experience. The brilliant character and monster designs coexist beautifully with the clever use of lighting, shadows and atmospheric effects. The layout of the levels makes the game fun and engaging while preventing the gameplay from becoming monotonous or repetitive. 

One of the strongest aspects of the game is the use of visual storytelling using subtle clues and minimalistic details. The open-ended narrative leaves plenty of room for each player to interpret the themes and story in their own way, giving life to plenty of debates and a strong community. This game is perfect for those who enjoy uncovering secrets and hidden mysteries.

From its dark, eerie visuals to the detailed level design and masterful implementation of ambient sounds, Little Nightmares does everything right to make it an extremely immersive and memorable experience that makes it a must buy for fans of psychological horror.