Summary
- Little Nightmares 3's shift to warmer colors may give it a different vibe, but its new co-op gameplay could ruin the tense atmosphere the series is known for.
- Supermassive's take on the game looks promising, yet it is hard not to worry that the introduction of co-op may strip away the defining feeling of isolation seen in its predecessors.
- While the game's art style and lighting still evoke unease, the addition of a co-op feature could ultimately detract from the horror experience, as shown by games like A Way Out where players can mess around and distract themselves from the story being told.
Debuting back in 2017, Little Nightmares quickly made a name for itself thanks in large part to its incredible art style that blended cutesy environmental designs with horrifying enemy models and striking lighting effects. A horror game truly like no other at the time, Little Nightmares has gone on to grow quite the loyal fan-base over the last few years, with Little Nightmares 2 offering another short but horrifyingly sweet adventure in 2021. But now, it's up to Supermassive to prove to the fan-base that it has the right stuff to take over, with Little Nightmares 3 set for release later this year.
After the Embracer Group acquired Tarsier back in 2019, the Little Nightmares license stayed with Bandai Namco, and the publisher was pretty open about its desire to continue the franchise as soon as possible. Back in August 2023, that continuation was officially announced, with Supermassive developing the series' third entry. While it's incredibly sad to see Tarsier leave its creation behind, Supermassive is a very capable studio, and Little Nightmares 3's first trailer looked very promising. However, the introduction of co-op might end up being Little Nightmares 3's downfall.
Little Nightmares 3's Co-Op Could Undermine Its Tension
The Little Nightmares Series Relies Heavily on its Atmosphere
As mentioned up top, one of the defining features of the Little Nightmares series, and really the element that made it stand out in the first place, is the series' stellar presentation. Both Little Nightmares and its sequel manage to capture a truly unique horror atmosphere primarily through their use of lighting and art style, giving every inch of the game an eerie feeling. Even when the player is safe and there are no enemies on screen, Little Nightmares still evokes a sense of unease, and it's that indescribable feeling that makes the series stand out so much among its competitors and its predecessors.
Based on the trailers and gameplay released so far, it seems as though Little Nightmares 3 is opting for a slightly new, yet familiar approach for its own presentation. Rather than stick with dark colors and stark light rays cutting through them, Little Nightmares 3 appears to be using a much warmer color palette, albeit still a muted one. The vast majority of gameplay released so far shows Little Nightmares 3 primarily using orange and brown for its environments and lighting, which gives the game a less oppressive tone, but perhaps a more deceptive one.
That Same Atmosphere Might Not Be Achievable With Little Nightmares 3's Co-Op
However, while Little Nightmares 3 looks like it's building its own unique atmospheric identity, that could all be for naught thanks to the new inclusion of 2-player co-op. By its very nature, co-op paves the way for some atmosphere-breaking shenanigans, allowing players to mess around with the game's various mechanics to elicit humor in an otherwise intense moment.
Hazelight's recent games are the perfect example of this. Designed to be a gritty crime drama where the players' choices have a massive impact on the game's narrative, A Way Out can quickly devolve into comedic madness if the player's co-op partner decides to play the in-game basketball minigame for just too long or deliberately fail a quick-time event to see what would happen, or any number of other mechanics that can be exploited for humor.
Unfortunately, Little Nightmares 3 could very easily fall into this same trap. So much of the Little Nightmares experience so far has revolved around a very defined feeling of isolation, and now that's been completely removed, with the player being joined by a partner for presumably the entire length of the story. And then there's the very real possibility of co-op shenanigans, which could threaten to turn this horror series into parody very quickly.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 60%
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
Two young friends, lost in a frightening world not made for children. If they cannot find a way out of this Nowhere place, they’ll be condemned to a fate worse than death.
FACE YOUR CHILDHOOD FEARS TOGETHER
You play as Low and Alone, best friends ever since they found each other in this lonely nightmare. They each possess their own iconic item: a bow for Low and a wrench for Alone. Working together, they’ve become adept at sneaking through hidden passages, hoisting each other over massive obstacles, and watching each other’s backs.
Whether you’re playing with a friend or an A.I. Companion, you’ll depend on each other's iconic items to create opportunities and to progress. The environment is full of clues and possibilities for imaginative children to exploit. Low’s arrows can reach high targets, cut through ropes, or down flying enemies, and Alone’s wrench is just the thing for crushing stunned enemies, smashing through barriers, or manipulating the workings of massive machines.
EMBARK ON AN IMMERSIVE AND DISTURBING ADVENTURE
No matter where you go, the Nowhere is home to horrific monsters. These Residents won't hesitate to go out of their way to capture any intrusive little Visitors that draw their attention. You might find yourself playing a terrifying game of hide and seek with Monster Baby in the sandy ruins of the Necropolis, struggling to avoid swarms of voracious Candy Weevils in an unsetlling Candy Factory, or dodging heavy feet while running along the rain-soaked promenade of a filthy funfair.
You'll need to be ready to run, hide, or even defend yourself at a moment's notice to stay in one piece.
SINK INTO THE SPIRAL
Don’t be too distracted by the desolate beauty of the Nowhere. There are dark mysteries waiting for you as Low and Alone follow their mirror path across the Spiral. As each new location will become more dangerous and disturbing than the last, traumatic flashes from the past will begin to emerge. Will Low and Alone finally escape from this unending nightmare? Only you can help them, little ones...
- Franchise
- Little Nightmares
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Platformer, Horror
