A little game that will give you small nightmares
Image credit: Official art of Little Nightmares - Bandai Namco Entertainment.
Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Summary
- Name of the game: Little Nightmares
- Launch date: April 28, 2017
- Developer: Tarsier Studios
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- PlatformsPS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre: Adventure, platform, psychological horror
- ContextA bleak and oppressive underwater world named The Maw, full of grotesque and dangerous creatures. You are a little girl named Six who must escape from this horrible place using stealth and intelligence.
History and narrative
One of the most interesting things about Little Nightmares is how he tells his story without saying a single word. There are no dialogues, texts or long explanations. Everything is conveyed through the environment, the visual details and the behavior of the enemies. That means that, if you're not observant, you can get through the game without understanding much. But if you pay attention to the objects, the pictures, how the enemies move or how things are placed, you put the puzzle together little by little.
What is the game about? You are Six, a girl trapped in a kind of giant submarine called The Maw. The game manages to convey a mixture of discomfort, vulnerability and even disgust, and the most disturbing thing is that it never tells you directly, it just shows you. Seeing Six, so small in front of a grotesque world full of deformed adults, generates a brutal and very striking visual contrast.
There are no traditional secondary characters, only the bosses that are encountered and that tell you their story only with their animations and design. The final scene is impressive and very symbolic. Of course, not everything is clear, and many things are open to interpretation. But that's part of its charm. The lore is dark, weird, and generates many theories. The evolution of Six also leaves you thinking, especially because of the underlying message related to dehumanization.
Gameplay
The game mixes 2.5D platforming, stealth and puzzles. There is no direct combat, the focus is on avoiding enemies, exploring, moving objects and solving puzzles. These are not difficult, but they do require attention.
The controls are simple: jump, run, grab, duck and move. You basically use five buttons. But despite that, the control can feel imprecise, especially when jumping or calculating distances.
The puzzles are well thought out, some generate quite a bit of tension and make you think. The best thing about the game is the bosses, and they all have something memorable. My favorites were the cooks, although the final scene with the guests is an adrenaline rush. Perhaps the exploration feels a bit limited because everything is very linear, but the design manages to keep you interested.
Graphics and visual design
The art direction is the soul of the game. On a technical level, the textures are not impressive, but its dark and twisted aesthetic makes everything look spectacular. Each scenario is carefully designed, and when you unlock the concept art at the end, you understand even more of the world. I recommend you check out the exterior design of The Maw, especially if you're thalassophobic, because it's quite disturbing.
Six's design is iconic, and the boss design is made to cause discomfort, which it does perfectly. For a low-budget game, the artwork is outstanding.
Sound and music
The soundtrack is simple, but very effective. It uses soft and sharp melodies to create tension, and although it doesn't have many memorable themes, some punctual sound moments stay with you. The sound effects, such as footsteps or the breathing of the cooks, are key to immersing you in the atmosphere.
For a game with no dialogue, the audio does everything it needs to convey. Less is more, and here it shows.
Difficulty and accessibility
There is no difficulty selection. The whole game has a standard and accessible difficulty, ideal for any player. It's not difficult, but not a walkthrough either: some puzzles may take several tries by trial and error, but nothing frustrating.
In terms of accessibility, it is quite limited. It has the basics, but you can tell it was not a priority. This is an area where it could be improved to be more inclusive.
Additional content
The game is short, about 4 to 6 hours, and in speedruns it can be finished in less than 2. Its replayability is low, unless you want to do a quick run or look for collectibles, but it doesn't offer many reasons to replay it.
Of course, there are some highly recommended DLCs, especially the expansion “Secrets of the Maw”, which adds three chapters starring The Runaway Boy, another character that helps to understand more of the lore.
There are no mini-games or extra content beyond that. Everything is focused on the campaign and its atmosphere.
Technical Aspects
The performance is very solid on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. I played it on PS4 and it was perfect. On Switch it may have FPS drops, but nothing serious.
The game physics could use some improvement, but they don't affect the experience. It loads fast, is lightweight, and is well optimized overall.
Value for money
Its original price was $19.99 USD, which is more than justified. In fact, for what it offers it is better than many more expensive games. I bought it on sale for $10 and it was worth every penny. If you see it on sale, don't hesitate. But even at full price it is totally worth it.
Trophies / Achievements
- Platinum obtained: No, it does not.
- Percentage of trophies obtained60% without DLC.
- Estimated time: 4 to 8 hours.
- Platinum difficulty: 2 out of 10. Very easy, with a collectibles guide there is no major difficulty. The game does not have a platinum trophy which, although it is a small project, for a 2017 game I find it unbelievable that it does not have.
Conclusion
Little Nightmares is a short but hauntingly beautiful experience, ideal for lovers of atmospheric horror and visual storytelling. Although it does not innovate too much in mechanics, its art direction and its way of telling the story without words make it a special game, it is a game that I recommend to play something different and slightly quiet as it is a game with few mechanics and sometimes going from one that has too many to another with less is a respite for you as a player. Without a doubt this game is one of those projects from small studios that deserve all the support from the gamer world.
My final rating for Little Nightmares is:
4.0 / 5.0
