Little Nightmares| PS4

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Little Nightmares is a welcome change from the typical puzzle-platformer; it's a dark, twisted tale that's riddled with questions from start to finish, playing upon the whimsical nature of childhood all the while. Unfortunately, it's also a game that's marginally let down by its lacklustre length. 

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​​by ​Gabriella
Petty

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​@gabriella_petty

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​Developer: Tarsier Studios
Publisher: Bandi Namco
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Players: 1

Little Nightmares follows the story of Six, a tiny, yellow-raincoat-clad girl that wakes in an underground resort known as The Maw. It's abundantly clear from the start that this is a place in which you do not belong, and, thus, must make every attempt to escape. An element of mystery persists throughout your journey to do exactly that, with developer Tarsier Studios utilising it as an engaging storytelling technique and a driving force that keeps the pursuit of answers intrinsic. ​

Be warned: it's no child-friendly tale. Little Nightmares deals with some dark and outlandish themes that form its juxtaposing world. Blue hues permeate the dark-lit areas you explore, as you're guided by little more than the flame of a lighter in navigating from room to room. It makes for an isolating experience, and a sense of abandonment is stark.

There are few to no hand-holding tutorials whilst exploring The Maw, and this is one of the game's greatest strengths. A reliance on your own intuition is essential, as you'll need the ability to respond to situations quickly and appropriately in order to survive encounters with creatures that relentlessly survey areas. These creatures, resembling those found within a Tim Burton movie, are as disturbing and uncomfortable to be around as they are to witness, playing a vital part in creating the game's grotesque and fetid atmosphere.

​One of the nightmares manifest is known as The Janitor - these critters have elongated arms capable of snatching you from long distances, and can unnervingly be heard softly wheezing in corridors. Then there are the Twin Chefs, two hideous monsters, drained of colour, who man the kitchens of The Maw and are surprisingly quick to act when they spot you. The ensuing chase scenes are frantic, but can result in some fumbled movements as you desperately try to find escape routes; this became particularly finicky when climbing or swinging to different areas (which often requires precise timing), leading to a good few restarts that kill the momentum.

You're encouraged to interact with your environment in Little Nightmares, leading to some bizarre and inventive exploration.

Being unable to take these creatures on toe-to-toe means resorting to stealth, resulting in hurried attempts to scurry under furniture for cover, or to reach the safe embrace of a cramped vent to gain a moment to catch your breath. It's exhilarating stuff, made even more pulse-pounding by the faint flicker of heartbeats that are introduced and become progressively louder the closer you get in proximity to an enemy. This strategic use of sound enforces a sense of imbalance at pivotal moments, further complemented by the likes of The Janitor's clawing swipes. The more you play, the less effect it'll have, however, as strictly scripted enemy behaviour starts to make their pathing predictable.

You're encouraged to interact with your environment in Little Nightmares, leading to some bizarre and inventive exploration. Be it clambering on top of toilet paper to reach a switch, climbing up bookshelves, or creating a string of sausages to use as a swing, these child-like solutions are fantastic at creating a playfully absurd environment. With new and imaginative ways to progress to the next level, there's barely ever a dull moment, despite the oppressive nature of The Maw. ​

Little Nightmares has combined elements of the survival horror and puzzle-platformer genres into one enticing and inventive package. With a story that gets progressively more malevolent, and an impressively eerie soundtrack to match, the game's lacking three-hour runtime never fully manages to explore the bizarre world in its entirety, however. Despite that, Little Nightmares takes a bold step in a satisfyingly fresh direction, making it an easy recommendation for fans of horror and/or puzzle-platformers.

Pros

• Creative environmental interactions
• Fresh take on the puzzle-platformer
• Create a sombre atmosphere
• Fantastic audio design & soundtrack

Cons
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• Disappointing length
• Creatures stick to scripted paths & are too predictable

8/10