Little Nightmares 3 preview: small but mighty

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

As a child, I was always told that if I smashed a mirror, I’d suffer seven years of bad luck. An effective bit of superstition that has added extra layers of anxiety to any instance of moving furniture. It’s entirely fitting, then, that my time with the platforming horror puzzle game Little Nightmares 3 began with its dual protagonists, Low and Alone, barreling through a pane into the game’s uncanny world. Anyone who knows this series will tell you their luck has undoubtedly run out.

At Gamescom 2024, I dug into the uncanny world of the threequel with a buddy in co-op, toiling my way through Supermassive Games’ labyrinth of dread-inducing curiosities.

I was immediately struck by Little Nightmares 3’s oppressive atmosphere, which summoned the same unnerving feelings I’d associated with the first two entries in the series. The starring duo are trying to escape ‘Nowhere’ and have found themselves trapped in The Spiral, a smorgasbord of disturbing areas designed to prey on their childhood fears.

Who's afraid of the dark?

My first steps were met with whirring machinery that created a white noise soundscape as scaly, Vogon-like NPCs populated the desolate background. The mega-capitalist worldbuilding brought a choking ambiance to Little Nightmares 3, and the simple, explorative control scheme allows you to soak it all in.

Alongside my partner in crime, we ticked off all the platforming basics – running, jumping, sneaking, and manipulating objects with our designated tools. Each player wields a unique item that assists in solving puzzles and platforming through areas. Alone’s wrench can smack unwieldy chains or buttons, whereas Low’s bow can knock things down at a distance. All of the above coagulates into a theater of consideration as you trial and error through a maze of rooms towards a level’s conclusion.

Much like its predecessors, the aggravated horrors of Little Nightmares 3 are constantly lurking, and you’ll have to use your limited skillset to avoid certain death. Across the demo, I bested a lurching wretch with patience and staved off hungry bugs with the power of light, all among a slew of platforming challenges.

Admittedly, though, I didn’t find anything too complicated in my time with Little Nightmares 3. I hope that deeper into the game, more involved puzzles rear their heads. Yet, regardless, the ambiance of the larger world and the charm of the creepy-cute duo kept me searching for answers.

A puzzling place

Speaking to the game’s broader horror ambitions, I was always terrified and slightly delighted by how powerless Little Nightmares 3 made me feel. Each time I was plucked by a monster or rag-dolled in an environmental hazard, I was quickly reminded that the only way through was my wits.

Making it past a particularly confusing puzzle felt like a massive win. This can only be further celebrated when considering the co-operative element. Adding another brain to the mix creates complications when performing finicky platforming maneuvers, but it also exposes how rewarding Little Nightmares 3 is to play with another person, with intuitive puzzles around every dark corner.

When it launches, players can tackle the darkness of Little Nightmares 3 alone with an AI-controlled partner or a friend in online co-op. It’s a shame about the lack of couch co-op, as the game’s dark, enrapturing atmosphere feels particularly suited to a spooky mate date.

Regardless, I felt a kinship with my buddy as we discussed our mistakes and plotted our success, and I’d be keen to test my friendships when Little Nightmares 3 launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC in 2025.