Gamescom 2023 kicked off with the reveal of Little Nightmares 3, which is retaining the franchise's signature style while adding co-op to the mix. The Gamescom 2023 reveal trailer gave horror fans a brief look at Little Nightmares 3, but Game ZXC was shown an extended gameplay session that revealed even more details about what the game will bring to the table when it launches for various platforms in 2024.
The first two Little Nightmares games were developed by Tarsier Studios, but Little Nightmares 3 is instead being helmed by Supermassive Games. Franchise fans can rest easy that Little Nightmares 3 has found itself in capable hands. Supermassive Games has made a name for itself as one of the industry's premiere horror gaming studios, after all. But while its Dark Pictures games are hit or miss, games like Until Dawn and The Quarry have been far better received by the horror gaming community.
A new studio isn't the only big change coming in Little Nightmares 3. Whereas the first two Little Nightmares games were about Six, Little Nightmares 3 features a pair of brand-new protagonists: Low and Alone. Little Nightmares 3 will be playable in solo with an AI partner, but it can also be played through in online co-op. It's unclear at the time of this writing if the game will have any local co-op support.
The presentation started with Low and Alone exploring a world known as The Spiral, described by the developers as a "cluster of dystopian lands built upon disturbed delusions." The specific area of The Spiral featured in the gameplay presentation was a harsh desert city called Necropolis. The game retains the side-view and general art style of its predecessors, though this desert area looks nothing like any of the places franchise fans have explored before.
Low and Alone have some tools at their disposal to make traversing this dangerous area a little easier. Alone is equipped with a wrench that can be used to break through walls and activate certain mechanisms, while Low can use a bow to shoot distant objects. An example shown in the presentation saw Alone use the wrench to extend a bridge across a gap. This in turn allowed Low to cross to the other side and then shoot an arrow at the counterweight, locking the bridge in place and making it possible for both characters to continue. This kind of cooperation seems to be a big focus of Little Nightmares 3, and should open the door for fresh puzzles and unique challenges. Not only that, but the tools will also be used in light combat encounters, with Low and Alone having to fight off some bugs in one sequence. Low and Alone will be able to get their hands on new items as well, with an umbrella available in Necropolis that expands their platforming capabilities when paired with helpful air currents.
Low and Alone may stand a much better shot at survival if they stick together, but the odds are still against them. There will be times when the game separates Low and Alone, forcing the two players to solve individual puzzles to reunite with each other. There will also be enemies to fight off and of course, the kind of looming monstrosities that have helped make the Little Nightmares franchise famous.
The Little Nightmares games have turned heads for their grotesque monster designs, and it seems like Little Nightmares 3 will be sticking with tradition. The monster in Necropolis is referred to by the developers as Monster Baby. Monster Baby smashes through buildings and attempts to get its hands on Alone and Low multiple times as they try to make their way to safety. The presentation ended with Monster Baby finally about to get its hands on Low and Alone, only for the perspective to shift to what appeared to be a hospital psyche ward. Black smoke surrounded Low and Alone and the presentation reached its conclusion.
Based on what's been shown so far, Little Nightmares 3 looks like it will greatly appeal to fans of the franchise, but it may also be opening the doors to new fans who may be more inclined to play a horror game if they can do so with a friend. Little Nightmares 3's co-op could be the difference maker that really puts the game over the top and helps it exceed the high bar set by the first two games in the series.
Time will tell if Little Nightmares 3 lives up to expectations. It looks like a natural evolution of the franchise's unique brand of horror. And while Supermassive may best known for its "playable movie" games, it has side-scrolling roots, and should be more than capable of delivering a game that lives up to legacy of the first two. Horror game fans can look forward to exploring The Spiral for themselves next year.
Little Nightmares 3 launches in 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
