Little Nightmares Review

Review Little Nightmares | LifeisXbox was invited for the Little Nightmares launch party, so we got an inside look from a development person and afterwards we could play the game, in the dark with sound pretty loud at home. The way it’s meant to be played! So, what do I think about this new fascinating creepy game? Let’s find out in this review! 


THE GOOD

  • The mix between the cute and creepy atmosphere is one of the stronger points from Little Nightmares. You are having fun jumping on a mattress,  a few moments later you are facing a horror-character from your nightmares with seemingly endless arms. Having a little kid as a playable character, named Six is a neat concept to play. So playing with a orkest monkey doll or jumping on a bed is totally normal, we all want to unleash our inner child and Little Nightmares can provide that. You just have to take the creepy horror elements with it …
  • If you played Little Nightmares I’m 100% sure that you will remember Chapter 4, twenty years later. It is such a memorable experience. The game is full with visual surprises and fascinating visual set pieces. To be honest, every character is simply unforgettable and will haunt your nightmares.
  • If you are a regular visitor from LifeisXbox you know that I don’t like to compare games with other games. For Little Nightmares I have to break that rule, but for a very positive reason. The animations are from another level, just like INSIDE it is a pure joy to see the world and character in movement. Seeing how Six interacts with objects is fantastic, and I really want to say congrats to Tarsier Studios for providing gamers with such a high quality game.
  • That sound. I can still hear the insanely creepy music when Six isn’t doing something “good” that slight humming from unknown voices.. gosh … so freaking creepy.  Same with the atmosphere sounds, just like the animation it’s way better than most other games. Tarsier Studios has done an excellent job giving players an uncomfortable feeling and genuinely scaring people, with sound alone.
  • Throughout the game you will never do the same things twice, constant switching between exploration, platforming, solving puzzles, and running away from hideous monsters gives Little Nightmares a unique feel. I never got a repetitive feeling and I never wanted to let go from the game to play something else. It just totally sucks all your attention.
  • The disturbing look and beautiful visuals is another reason why Little Nightmares is a must play game. The physics from the game are outstanding, you quickly notice the subtle side-to-side swing in rooms, hinting that you aren’t on vast land. It’s expertly crafted and I’m sure everyone will love all the small details.
  • The good visuals are extra highlighted with the tremendous lighting engine, the natural lighting is yet-again creepy. Using the characters light source shows how much work was spent on this engine.
  • Vague, mysterious, you just want to know why Six is in this place and why everything is after you. It takes a while before you begin to understand what is going on but Tarsier made sure that players keep guessing and trying to understand why things are happening.

MIXED FEELINGS

  • I wanted more, seriously… just like INSIDE, Little Nightmares is a pretty short game. You can finish it in five-six hours. The game is that brilliant and memorable that you just want more, a lot more.

THE BAD

  • 67 seconds, that’s how long I waited before the loading was finally done. It is such a big shame that an excellent and memorable game has such an issue. I died a couple of times while trying to dodge scavengers on a table, ten seconds gameplay and five or six times a 67 seconds loading screen. Frustrating, annoying and inexcusable. Nobody likes looking at a dark screen waiting to finally continue. Even the chapter select needs to load quite some time.
  • I didn’t notice any performance issues at the launch event, it was likely played on a PS4 Pro system. On Xbox One however, frame rate noticeably dips a little now and then. Nothing game breaking but still worth mentioning.

Score: 91% | Extraordinary, Little Nightmares is truly an unforgettable game. The dark and creepy places you visit is straight out of nightmares. My advice, buy it now.