Following the borderline flawless entries of Six's story in Little Nightmares, I knew Supermassive Games would have big shoes to fill now that Tarsier Studios has moved on from this otherworldly dream. But how would the interactive horror powerhouse fare when it came to adorable miniature characters trapped in a violent, unforgiving world?
We've moved on from Six after that spectacular ending in Little Nightmare's prequel. Now, two new and equally cute characters are trapped in a fresh version of bedtime horrors, where Low and Alone must jump through mirrors and across decrepit lands with the usual cast of hostile monsters.
Little Nightmares III was high up on my list as one of my most anticipated games of 2025, and while Supermassive Games got the look just right, something was missing—the nightmare of it all.
The premise is simple: Escape
You wouldn't think Little Nightmares III was made by another developer, as I felt right at home in the immersive, atmospheric locations with fluid, linear level design. The intricate details in the gorgeous color grading, creepy sound design, effective use of lighting, and believable heroes and villains make Nowhere feel like a real place we should all fear.
Where it starts to falter is within its pacing and storytelling. Rather than the usual feeling of following both the protagonists on a precarious endeavor, where each location behaves much like an ecosystem or giant entity housing more terrifying residents within, Little Nightmares III instead plays like an arcade game. You jump from level to level, totalling four chapters that are loosely held together by a single, slowly-unravelling cutscene, the focal point you keep revisiting.
The scripted horror missed the mark this time
Priced at $39.99 and taking me roughly five hours to complete, I found myself spending most of my time searching for collectibles rather than enjoying the story. I quickly noticed a pattern in how Little Nightmares III's four chapters worked: Move from point A to B using vents and platforming, occasionally outsmart an enemy, and flee from the chapter's antagonist to conclude the section. While this is similar to what the previous titles did, the sequel's problem lies in its repetitiveness and how there's a crucial element missing: its overarching antagonist.
With no new mysterious antagonist to ponder over, it felt a little stop-start. The Lady had theories centered around the iconic Six, and the Thin Man delivered great storytelling without the need for ambiguity. They're vastly different, but each had a significant impact in the series. Yet a leading antagonist was nowhere to be seen, and was instead replaced by a main antagonist per chapter.
The perspective of Nowhere's monsters gets a bit messy, for nothing makes much sense. There's no uniform or clear aesthetic, since each monster has its own rules and design, making the band of monsters a total mismatch. Some fit, others didn't. No monster was particularly memorable or scary, especially since you either fought off a random wave of smaller enemies or ran from the antagonist until eventually defeating them. This meant the chapters felt more like individual nightmares Low and Alone had to overcome, rather than exploring the expansive world where Six, Mono, and many other children were once held captive.
The Janitor, Chef, Hunter, Teacher, Viewers, Guests, and even the Patients immediately come to mind when I think of Little Nightmares. Yet, I don't think I'll remember anyone aside from the Kin and Supervisor, who already exist via the tabletop and audio-fiction series. The behavior of monsters mostly referenced previous titles, thereby lacking anything new to make them stand out.
Little Nightmares III wants to continuously remind you that Nowhere is a hellscape manifestation of children's biggest fears
There aren't many references to the previous games either, aside from the Nomes, televisions, paintings, and chapter-exclusive figurines. Of course, that all-seeing eye makes its return in multiple forms—which you could theorize is the overarching antagonist of this title—but that much-needed intrigue to pull you into its dream once more is weakened. This would explain why the sequel feels so different as a standalone story.
The underutilized mechanics and monsters
I strongly believe this game isn't catered to the solo experience. Rather, Little Nightmares III is a multiplayer game with a singleplayer option. Each chapter left me wanting more, and I felt unfulfilled by the ending, assuming satisfaction is only guaranteed through the Expansion Pass.
There were a lot of gaps, both in its gameplay and content. There's the shout feature that you have to use in singleplayer to get the AI to do anything, but this, alongside the throw mechanic, is used only once and to distract a monster. Most of the frustration came from the fiddly platforming, where I found myself dying way more than I should have. This obviously lowered the overall scariness of the entry (which was already weaker than the last two games), increased the frustration, and extended the time I spent on an otherwise short section because I had to wait until the game wanted me to move.
My biggest qualm with this title, however, is how there's no couch co-op. Little Nightmares II worked as a solo experience because Six followed you around. This time, both characters are equally important because of the unique tool each carries. The AI is smart enough to carry key items and to fight without being told, but this would work infinitely better in co-op. Having to run to one spot and call your companion over so they don't get hit by a monster or debris gets old very fast, whereas co-op would remove this obstacle altogether.
Little Nightmares III is worth your time if you're playing with someone
This type of horror game is the perfect place to start for gaming novices or for those who scare easily. Its immersive atmosphere is one you can quickly lose hours in, and in a strange way, you'll never want to leave, which only makes saying goodbye to Little Nightmares all the more painful. While it's a quick game to get through, this sequel expands on Little Nightmares' basic platforming gameplay. However, you shouldn't pick this entry apart for symbolism, secret lore, or make it bigger than it is.
Low and Alone's story takes place in Nowhere, and sadly, that's where the story ends up.
The post Little Nightmares 3 review – All style with a lack of substance appeared first on Destructoid.
