Little Nightmares 3: A Sequel That Slips Into Madness
October 10, 2025
Supermassive Games
Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Little Nightmares 3 was supposed to be the nightmare reborn, a fresh journey into darkness, now with co-op, new mechanics, and the eerie world we fell in love with. But after spending time in The Nowhere as Low and Alone, I can’t shake the feeling that something didn’t quite land right. The game looks beautiful, sure, but for many, including me, the promise of innovation feels half-fulfilled.
Co-op: A Welcome Feature, But It’s Flawed
One of the biggest selling points is that little nightmares 3 finally introduces online co-op, a long-requested change. But rather than feeling like a bold evolution, it often feels like a burden.
The lack of couch co-op is a huge miss. As much as I tried to play with a friend, the experience required two consoles, no split-screen. That decision kills part of the intimacy that made the original games so special.
And when you go it alone? The AI partner is competent, almost too competent. In my playthrough, it solved puzzles before I even began to think about them, deflating some of the tension.
Short, Sweet… and Too Short
I finished the four-chapter campaign in about five hours, and by the end, I was left wanting more, I really expected better value for money here.
The game to me feels more like a polished demo than a full sequel. I get it, Little Nightmares has always been compact, but in this one, the shorter runtime makes every design misstep hit harder.
New Tools, But Shallow Execution
Low wields a bow, Alone a wrench, and these tools were clearly meant to open up new puzzle possibilities. In theory, they do, shooting ropes, smashing barriers… it’s there.
But in practice? The mechanics feel undercooked. The bow feels imprecise, and the wrench is rarely used outside of opening or reinventing the same puzzles. In my own experience, the novelty wore off fast.
Gameplay That Plays It Too Safe
There’s no denying the art direction is stunning. The environments feel eerie, lush, and haunting, a hallmark of the series.
But the pacing and structure feel “safe.” The big reveal was telegraphed, and the plot doesn’t quite grip the way Lodge’s or the Maw’s stories once did.
Chase sequences are still here, but they lean into trial-and-error more than real tension. It’s like the game wants to scare you, but also doesn’t want you to rage quit too hard.
Technical Faults and Frustrating Checkpoints
It’s not just the design, there are real bugs, too. I have had glitches that stop progress entirely.
Depth perception is another problem. I died more than once because the camera warped, jumps felt less precise, and my character’s footing was suddenly in question, especially in co-op, where coordination matters. A lot of that came from awkward camera angles, which destroy the flow during scary platforming.
A World That Feels Familiar, Rather Than Frightening
Supermassive’s Nowhere is visually lovely and thematically dark, but it lacks some of the creative horror beats that made the first two games so memorable. Environments feel like rehashed nightmares, the same puzzle rooms, the same chase mechanics, but without the shock and awe. For fans like me, it’s bittersweet, beautifully made but emotionally lighter.
If you love atmospheric worlds with creeping tension and emotional storytelling, check out the breakdown of Hollow Knight Silksong: The Sequel Every Metroidvania Fan Needs. Both games show how even the most beautiful worlds can hide their own kind of danger.
To stay updated on patches, developer notes, and future improvements to Little Nightmares 3, visit the official Bandai Namco news hub on their website.
So, how melty is it?
Early Eerie Setup: 6/10
The intro feels promising. The atmosphere, the characters, the world, it all looks amazing. But I sensed early on that co-op and new mechanics might be more surface than substance.
Mid-Game Let-Down: 8/10
The new tools and co-op shine, but puzzles feel recycled, and the AI does too much for you. On solo runs, the thrill slips away fast.
Late-Game Frustration: 9/10
Depth perception issues, imprecise mechanics, and short runtime become glaring. The creative ambition feels half-realized.
Peak Unease – The True Meltdown: 10/10
When the final chapters arrive, you feel both awe and frustration. The reveal is underwhelming. The mechanics that were meant to evolve the series feel shallow. You want to love it, but part of you wonders why it wasn’t bolder.
Total Melt Score: 8.3/10
Little Nightmares 3 is atmospheric, polished, and emotionally resonant, but it’s also safe, short, and occasionally uninspired. A sequel that trembles, rather than terrifies.
I’ll be honest, Little Nightmares 3 is haunting, imaginative, and visually astonishing, but the experience is far from seamless. The atmosphere is flawless, the world-building is unforgettable, but the uneven mechanics and co-op frustrations still linger beneath every beautifully crafted nightmare.
Sure, some updates have smoothed out rough edges. The input lag isn’t as sharp, companion AI is slightly more responsive, and a few progression glitches no longer swallow your save file whole. It’s progress.
But fixes don’t erase first impressions.
And for many those early stumbles left marks almost as deep as the monsters chasing you through the ruins of the Spiral. The game wants to be the next evolution of the series, yet it still occasionally trips over its own ambition. The foundation is powerful, but the execution wavers in moments where precision matters most.
Still, I can’t deny something important, the developers are active, vocal, and clearly committed to supporting the game. They’re listening to feedback, acknowledging issues openly, and pushing updates that show they genuinely care about improving the experience.
There is hope that Little Nightmares 3 can become something great.
