REVIEW – Whenever a franchise changes developers, the difference is immediately noticeable – and Little Nightmares 3 is no exception. This time, the project wasn’t handled by Tarsier Studios (currently busy with Reanimal) but by Supermassive Games, best known for Until Dawn. The result? A sequel that keeps the eerie soul of the series alive but loses the delicate, grotesque charm that made Tarsier’s work so captivating. Let’s be honest: this third chapter falls well short of the bar the Swedes had set.

The concept remains the same – tiny heroes in a gigantic, oppressive world – but the atmosphere and emotional impact feel decidedly different. Supermassive tries to replicate the formula but doesn’t always land the tone or tension quite right.

Life After Embracer

After Tarsier Studios was acquired by the Embracer Group, publishing rights remained with Bandai Namco Entertainment. The Japanese publisher had to find a new studio, and Supermassive Games was the natural choice. The British team, with its experience in narrative tension through The Dark Pictures Anthology and Until Dawn, seemed a perfect fit. They wisely didn’t overhaul the core formula – but somehow, it just doesn’t work as before. In Little Nightmares 3, players control two new protagonists: Low and Alone – hauntingly childlike figures navigating a series of thematic environments. Doll-sized, yet facing towering dangers, they improvise ladders or lift each other to reach new areas. The setup clearly borrows from Josef Fares’s co-op philosophy (It Takes Two, A Way Out), but here cooperation is optional. Unfortunately, it’s online-only – no local couch co-op, a serious missed opportunity.

The synergy between the two characters could have been brilliant, especially since their abilities complement each other: Low wields a bow and arrow for long-range attacks, while Alone relies on a wrench to break through barriers up close. The puzzles involve pulling levers, flipping switches, balancing on planks, and handling fuses, but their combinations never evolve beyond the basics. The challenges are brief, straightforward, and often predictable. Thankfully, the AI companion is reliable, acting independently and even signaling points of interest. Without that, frustration would skyrocket, as LN3 often fails to communicate what the player is supposed to do. It’s not always obvious which objects are interactive, and despite the game’s appealing visuals, dim lighting frequently hides critical details.

Small Heroes, Big Nightmares

Atmospherically, Supermassive nails it. The sound design, shadows, and visual grotesquery all blend into a dark fairy tale that’s easy to sink into. The tension peaks when a massive, fleshy hand bursts through a wall to snatch the tiny protagonists — it’s genuinely unnerving. Played in co-op, the experience becomes even more intense. Yet, while the atmosphere and graphics impress, the gameplay falters. Too often, players don’t know what to do, dying repeatedly until a solution reveals itself by accident.

What starts as intrigue soon turns into trial-and-error fatigue. After just three hours, repetition sets in hard. The puzzles and encounters loop too quickly, draining momentum. Even the DualSense’s tactile feedback, meant to enhance immersion, can’t mask the monotony. You can feel the effort — but not the soul. The concept is promising, but the execution? Supermassively botched.

Back to the First Two Nightmares

Little Nightmares 3 earns its 6.5/10 fair and square. It has striking moments and a distinctive aesthetic, but Low and Alone’s journey simply can’t live up to the legacy of Six and Mono. The developers need to take bolder creative risks; otherwise, the fourth game might be remembered for all the wrong reasons. For now, this is a stylish but uneven follow-up that feels more like déjà vu than evolution. Give it a year, and you’ll probably see it in the PlayStation Plus Essential lineup. Honestly, we’d bet on it.

-Gergely Herpai “BadSector”-

Developer: Supermassive Games
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Genre: Puzzle Platformer, Survival Horror
Release Date: October 10, 2025