Little Nightmares Review – Going Bump In The Night
Official Score
Overall - 80%
80%
At $20, Little Nightmares is a bit expensive for what you get. However, if you like the idea of feeling like a helpless child in a foreign world, you will be hard pressed to find something better than this.
Little Nightmares is a horrifying puzzle platformer that leaves you feeling helpless and alone. Is the adventure worth taking, or should you just stay up late and skip the dreaming? Check out our review and find out what we thought.
Little Nightmares Review
Little Nightmares has you playing as a nameless protagonist in a yellow rain coat. You wake up in a bed after a nightmare, and are given no clues on what to do or where to go. All you really know is you are meant to escape this prison you are in. Along the way you will run into disfigured humanoids who want to do you harm and at times, even eat you. You have no idea why these humanoids hate you so much but you do know that staying out of their way it the only choice you have. The story is what you end up making of it as there are no notes, emails, or anything of that nature. The game will run you a little over two hours, and I promise you won’t see the ending coming.
The game itself is half platformer and half puzzle game. You progress room by room, solving puzzles that typically aren’t too overwhelming. There are a couple of brain teasers in the game but for the most part you will know what to do. The platforming section of the game is where most people will mess up. You have to remember to press “grab” on a ledge or you will fall and die. The controls do take a little bit to get used to, and even towards the end of the game I was forgetting to press “grab” every now and then. The other issue I had was that jump was “X” and sprint was “Square,” these were a bit too close for my liking and caused a few deaths.
The aesthetic of the game is dark and dreary. You don’t know where you are trapped, but you know you are. It is metal, dark, damp, and dangerous. Is it a ship? A prison? As you progress through the game, you will come across different rooms that give you evidence of either, or both. The sound adds to the tension as well. The humanoid creatures make grotesque sounds, almost like animals and when they spot you they scream. The music lends itself to the feeling of hopelessness and despair. It all comes together for a creepy atmosphere that will keep you on edge for most of your playthrough.
At $20, Little Nightmares is a bit expensive for what you get. However, if you like the idea of feeling like a helpless child in a foreign world, you will be hard pressed to find something better than this.
