The Little Nightmares series has always been a leader in building tension, atmosphere, and telling stories without words. From the eerie depths of The Maw from the original game to the haunting streets of The Pale City in Little Nightmares II, players have been drawn into a world where childhood fears take a twisted form. Now, “Little Nightmares III” continues the legacy, but this time with a new developer at the helm.

Supermassive Games, known for their cinematic horror experiences, takes over the reins from Tarsier Studios, while Bandai Namco Entertainment remains the publisher, ensuring the series’ dark charm lives on. Little Nightmares III takes players into the unsettling world of the Spiral, following two new characters, Low and Alone, in their struggle to survive and find their way home.

Low, the boy with the blue cape and raven’s mask, has a bow that helps him cut ropes or fend off danger, while Alone, the girl with the red pigtails and green jumpsuit, uses her wrench to smash walls, activate mechanisms, and protect her best friend. You can choose to play as either character in solo mode or team up in online co-op, but regardless, you will have puzzles to solve and horrors to survive that lurk around every corner.
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The story perfectly captures the series’s trademark sense of dread and innocence, reminding players that despite their tools, these are still just children in a world that was never meant for them. The Spiral itself feels alive, filled with eerie puzzles, strange enemies, and fleeting moments of safety that quickly turn to terror.

Boss fights particularly strike a great balance: they’re challenging enough to be frustrating at times, but incredibly satisfying to overcome when you finally succeed. Whether you’re calling out to distract monsters, shining your flashlight through the dark, or sprinting for your life, Little Nightmares III constantly keeps you on edge.

It’s a haunting journey of friendship, fear, and survival, one that expands the series’ lore while keeping its chilling heart intact.

For the first time in the franchise, Little Nightmares III introduces online co-op, and it completely changes the way the game feels. You can now team up with a friend even if they don’t own the game, thanks to the free Friend’s Pass. Currently, co-op is limited to the same platform, but the developers have announced that cross-gen play is planned for a future update.

I felt like playing with a friend made the experience feel fresh and dynamic, as communication quickly became the key to survival. There were a couple of moments when communication was lacking, which led to missed jumps, mistimed actions, and a slight hint of frustration for us both, but it was also balanced out with genuine laughter and clever collaboration.

I personally think it was a fantastic addition to the series, giving the eerie world of Little Nightmares a new layer of tension, fun, and unpredictability that solo play doesn’t seem to match.

The controls in Little Nightmares III are fairly basic, which works well for a game that focuses on atmosphere and tension rather than complex mechanics. However, I did find myself a little concerned with the response time in certain moments. In a game where those split-second decisions can mean the difference between escape and a restart, the occasional input delay was noticeable and a bit of a let-down.

It wasn’t a constant, but when it happened, it broke the immersion slightly. I also would have loved to see Low’s bow controllable; you had to ensure you had moved to the exact sweet spot for the shot to land, which became frustrating, especially when missing meant redoing sections time and time again. Overall, the simplicity worked, but a bit more responsiveness and control refinement would have elevated the overall experience.

The art design looked absolutely stunning, delivering a level of cinematic polish that feels straight out of a dark, twisted animated film. The hauntingly beautiful lighting cuts through the thick fog to reveal the meticulously detailed environments, which appear to have unsettling stories to tell if they could speak. I was genuinely surprised by the attention to detail in the character model, the different costumes, and just how much polish went into really bringing them to life.

The same level extends to the creepy creatures you meet along the adventure, each one designed with unsettling precision and personality to really make you feel uncomfortable. The overall game design was flawless, perfectly capturing the eerie mix of innocence and terror that has built this series. At times, though, the cinematic camera angles made it tricky to judge jumps or navigate certain areas, and during a few boss fights, those same angles could become frustrating.

Regardless, those moments are minor compared to how breathtaking the visuals are overall. It’s not just a game; it’s a visual experience that feels like you are watching a horror masterpiece unfold frame by frame.

I loved the sound design in this game; it was nothing short of phenomenal, perfectly complementing the eerie, suspenseful world. Ambient noises from creaking floors to distant unsettling whispers, which managed to create a constant sense of tension. The sound effects from the characters’ movements, like the subtle swish of Low’s bow or the metallic clank of Alone’s wrench, felt weighty and grounded.

Enemies had their own distinct audio cues, which made listening carefully a crucial part of playing the game. The audio in Little Nightmares III doesn’t just support the visuals; it amplifies fears, suspense, and the occasional humour, making the world feel alive in the most unsettling way.

Overall, Little Nightmares III is a worthy continuation of the series known for its chilling atmosphere and inventive storytelling. The game shines with its cinematic visuals, haunting sound design, and the fresh dynamic that online co-op brings, making the Spiral feel alive. The attention to detail in the character and creature models, combined with the eerie environments and inventive puzzles, reinforces the series’ signature mix of innocence and terror.

Written by: Hayden Nelson