As a gamer with years of experience under my belt, I must say that Little Nightmares 3 has certainly piqued my interest! The idea of exploring a hauntingly beautiful Necropolis with a friend by my side sounds like an exciting adventure.
Bandai Namco and Supermassive Games are captivating imaginations with their Little Nightmares series, and now they aim to do the same with a brand-new third installment. The story of this new game has no connections to the previous two titles, but it intends to bring Coraline-like horror to audiences in a fresh manner as players encounter two new endearing characters. Shacknews recently attended both the Xbox@Gamescom event in Los Angeles and PAX West 2024 in Seattle to test out two distinct sections of Bandai Namco’s upcoming puzzle-platformer.
In Little Nightmares 3, two new characters named Low and Alone are introduced. They are friends who find themselves trapped in a mysterious place called Nowhere, engulfed in darkness. Their objective is to escape by navigating through various gothic landscapes using their unique tool sets. The intriguing aspect of the game’s narrative is that both characters will be playable simultaneously, even in single-player mode.
In the one-player mode, I predominantly managed Low, a boy adorned with a raven mask and equipped with a bow. This bow isn’t intended for fighting, as combat is not the main focus of Little Nightmares. Instead, it serves as a tool for navigating platforming puzzles, allowing me to activate switches, cut ropes, or create diversions when necessary.
In this solo-player mode, you interact with an AI companion who is always ready to assist you. The dedicated button allows you to summon your AI partner at any moment. You often use your AI partner to manipulate objects like a wrench or valve. There are instances where both characters need to collaborate and help each other climb high ledges. In some areas, there are movable items that require the combined strength of both characters to move them into place. Time management is crucial in certain sections, particularly when only a few seconds are available to complete tasks. It’s worth mentioning that the single-player experience is such that the AI never hinders progress and always stays near you. During my brief playtime with the game, I never failed at stealth sections due to an uncooperative AI partner.
In a cooperative game like Little Nightmares 3, controlling another player’s actions isn’t an option. Instead, each player chooses a character and uses their unique abilities to navigate through the game’s platforming and stealth sections. Communication becomes crucial as you can’t simply press a button for your partner to use their tool. While Little Nightmares 3 could be exceptional as a co-op adventure, it’s important to mention that local play is not supported. Only online co-operative mode is available.
In Little Nightmares 3, the visuals are both creative and unsettling. The Necropolis has a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows, forcing the main characters to avoid its gaze until it’s safe to move. The Candy Factory, where I encountered the co-op section, operates similarly with a multi-armed factory keeper appearing and disappearing, showing her teeth if spotted. At the end of the demo, there’s a dark, lonely factory filled with miles of candy pieces, which seems like a sugary wonderland but is actually quite haunting.
Little Nightmares III appears to share a resemblance with Electronic Arts (EA) and Supermassive Games’ It Takes Two in terms of style, as it primarily emphasizes cooperative gameplay featuring puzzles, platforming sections, and stealth sequences tailored for multiple players. Unfortunately, the game lacks local co-op play which is somewhat disappointing; however, Bandai Namco will provide Buddy Passes to anyone who purchases the game, allowing a friend to join in on the fun. The game won’t be cross-platform compatible, but it does support previous generations, so PlayStation 4 users can team up with friends on PS5, and Xbox One players can connect with friends on the Xbox Series X|S.
Look for Little Nightmares 3 to release on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch in 2025.
This game was tested using a preview build from the Xbox@Gamescom event in 2024, as well as a private demo at PAX West 2024. Keep in mind that the final version of the game may still undergo changes.
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2024-09-03 17:30