There just no shaking that feeling that after being picked up by Bandai-Namco, developer Tarsier lost track of their original focus. It’s uncannily similar to a section in Another World (aka Out of this World) – a twenty-six-year-old game. There’s also an instance where Six becomes trapped in a cage and must break free by rocking it back and forth until it topples over. Or to be blunter, ideas we’ve seen dozens of times before. Such tasks as opening draws on a filing cabinet to create a makeshift staircase and swinging on a rope to gain momentum feel less like puzzles and more like mere obstacles. As something clearly intended to appeal to fans of Limbo, Inside, Oxenfree and (possibly) Unravel, it borrows from its peers far too heavily.Ī puzzle involving weighing down a physics-enabled seesaw to keep it upright had us rolling our eyes. Indeed, Little Nightmares isn’t anywhere near as clever as its disturbingly vivid exterior. The remaining two chapters are full of trial-and-error stealth sections and chase scenes that are little more than memory tests. This kitchen scene takes place during the third chapter, and sadly it’s where the game peaks. It’s apparent a lot of time was spend perfecting their AI routines and watching them bumble around as they try to pinpoint Six’s whereabouts is oddly hypnotic. This theme is evident elsewhere, with one standout moment taking place in a kitchen inhabited by two unnervingly grotesque chefs. Little Nightmare’s original name was ‘Hunger’ and this theme still plays a key role, with Six occasionally becoming so ravenous she falls to the ground while clutching her stomach. There is a minor attempt at character development, mind. Although Six’s animation is mostly impressive, she doesn’t show much in the way of emotion due to her face being cloaked by her bright yellow rain jacket. She also can grab small objects and climb over short obstacles but is otherwise dwarfed by the world of giants around her. This is used solely to light up dark areas, rather than to set objects ablaze. Small in size and stature, Six has no means of defence and carries just a cigarette lighter to assist in her quest. You learn more about the Six’s confines and her captors through natural progression, but she remains an enigma throughout. Haunted by an image of a stern-looking woman, it’s clear that Six is trapped in a dark and sinister place from which she must escape. The only reason we know they’re referred to as ‘Six’ is because it’s mentioned on the back of the game’s box. Outside of an achievement pop-up, the heroine’s name isn’t even muttered once. There’s no plot to speak of no dialogue, cut-scenes, or inner monologues. Some explanations wouldn’t have gone amiss, certainly. Set in a nightmarish realm, it’s very much an experience left open to your own interpretations. This eerie puzzle-platformer provides lots of thought provoking moments, but by the time the ending credits roll you’ll no doubt be left with a dozen unanswered questions. Those who can’t tolerate questions being left unanswered will doubtlessly find Little Nightmares problematic.
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