Little Nightmares II review

Little Nightmares II is the sequel, or should I say prequel, to Little Nightmares. The game takes place outside of The Maw, where the first game took place, and offers a new world to explore that is filled with a better variety of environments that contain more secrets and nightmares to discover.

Developed by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, Little Nightmares II is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC.

Little Nightmares II Details

Platform(s): PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Stadia and PC
Reviewed on: Stadia
Developer(s): Tarsier Studios
Publisher(s): Bandai Namco Entertainment
Genre: Puzzle-platformer
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Trapped in a world distorted by the humming transmission of a Signal Tower

Little Nightmares II‘s story is centred around Mono, a young boy who wakes up trapped in a distorted world by the humming transmission of a distant Signal Tower. Together with Six, the main character from the first game, they set out to discover the secrets of the Signal Tower while trying to escape the monsters who are out to capture you. Throughout the journey, the game’s story explores the bonds between both Mono and Six.

Much like in Little Nightmares, the story in Little Nightmares II is up to what you make from the world, your encounters and the events that unfold throughout the game. I don’t want to give too much away about the events that take place in the game. However, I will say that the game’s ending was totally unexpected. My jaw literally hit the floor in awe.

The story is something that you have to experience. There is nothing I could tell you that would even come close to experiencing it for yourself and the reaction you’ll have moments before the credits roll. If you are familiar with any of the movies by M. Night Shyamalan such as The Sixth Sense, then you will know exactly what I mean.

Expanded gameplay that offers more depth and open exploration over its predecessor

Overcoming the dangers in Little Nightmares II requires resourcefulness and patience. A new combat mechanic has been added to the game, which allows you to fight back some enemies. This is done using weapons or utensils in the environment around you that are necessarily meant for kids. And, these weapons are particularly heavy and challenging to wield.

For those enemies that you can’t fight back, you must use Mono’s diminutive size to your advantage to sneak around. Quite often this involves crawling through air vents, while other times it means stealthily tip-toeing under furniture. Puzzles in the game require thinking “outside of the box”. While you can’t play as Six in Little Nightmares II, just watching her will give you clues as to where to go or what to do next.

Scattered throughout the game are hats to collect, which will give you a brand-new look and ghosts of lost children to uncover. Without saying too much, collecting them all gives you an extra added “bonus” in the game.

A beautifully grim and rotten world from the inside out

The art direction in Little Nightmares II is incredible and totally unique. It’s gloomy and darkly whimsical, exactly how you’d picture a young child’s worst nightmare. You’ll find bouncy balls to play with, stuffed animals to throw around, and building block towers you can knock over. Heck, there are even beds you can jump on for good measure. This contrast of innocent childhood moments mixed with creepy moments of horror is what really sets this game apart.

Enhancing the grim mood is a spooky soundtrack that instantly sent shivers down my spine. Sounds are often ambient, like rickety boat creaks and unsettling gushes of heavy wind or rain. However, during encounters with the grotesque denizens the tension gets ratcheted up several notches. These moments are often filled with startling tunes heavy on bass, and loud, sudden noises. The sound design and soundtrack play a very important role in the game and there is even a puzzle that you must listen to sound cues to solve. Overall, the game’s audio does wonders to enhance the moment-to-moment action.

Little Nightmares II has a story worth experiencing and one that you will not soon forget

Little Nightmares II is even better than I expected. Having played Little Nightmares last year for the first time, I was itching to get my hands on this latest entry. I found that Little Nightmares II‘s gameplay offers more depth and allows for a greater freedom to explore than the previous entry in the series. I also liked that the game’s story is filled with twists and a jaw dropping ending that I was not expecting.

One little gripe I have about that game revolves around it’s gameplay. Little Nightmares II‘s gameplay takes place on a 2.5D plane that works great for the majority of the time. However, in certain instances, I did have issues jumping to grab onto items suspended in the air. At times, this made things a little bit difficult but luckily these instances were few and far between.

If you’re not a fan of horror games, you don’t have to worry with Little Nightmares II. The game isn’t scary per say and there aren’t any jump scares. It’s more creepy looking and feeling than it is scary. Although, that’s not to say that the chase sequences won’t have your heart pounding. In the end, Little Nightmares II offers a fantastic experience that is one I highly recommend. Come check out my gameplay videos of Little Nightmares II over on my YouTube channel.

+ Eerie soundtrack
+ Challenging, yet not too difficult, puzzles
+ Gameplay offers more depth and open exploration over its predecessor
+ More detailed and varied environments
+ A story that is worth experiencing and one you will never forget

– Sometimes it can be tricky jumping to objects in midair
– No co-op mode

OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF LITTLE NIGHTMARES II

Gameplay: 3.75/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability: 4/5

Overall Rating 4.1/5 (82%)

Get Little Nightmares II for PlayStation 4
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