Little Nightmares II

Little Nightmares II – Surviving Horrors with a Friend

A Terrifying Sequel for Both Fans and New Players to Enjoy

Return to Horrorville

The Little Nightmares franchise consists of three thrilling puzzle adventure games that trap players in a dream-like world filled with nightmarish horrors. It's the edge-off-your-seat type of horror that many gamers love to experience, watch, and just survive in general. The sequel, Little Nightmares II, refines the experience into a less frustrating, more enjoyable horror survival game. 

The suspenseful game is available for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Face Your Fears with a Friend

Players assume the role of Mono, a masked boy in a world of horrific adults waiting to snatch him up. Mono is trying to piece together where he is and, most importantly, how to escape the nightmare that is his life. Early into the adventure, players will meet Six, the protagonist of the first Little Nightmares game.

Concept Rating: 4/5

A Gorgeous, Nightmarish World

Little Nightmares II feels like playing inside of a painting, despite the oddity of the world. The game's overall aesthetic inspires curiosity; you're left almost dumbstruck at some of the levels and set pieces within them. The way the soundtrack blends beautifully with the visuals is something to enjoy about the game, too.

Graphics & Audio Rating: 5/5

Tense Times Ahead

Both Mono and Six need each other to survive the trek into the city center. Little Nightmares II consists of five levels, each with a different visual theme. Four of the five levels are so large; they could be their own game. One is a school dominated by a harsh schoolmarm and a hospital stuffed with prosthetic mannequins that move around in the dark.

While the game does feature two characters, it doesn't have co-op support. Players only control Mono, while the computer's AI does a competent job of controlling Six. Six isn't there to be an escort mission, and she mostly stays out of the way while helping you on your journey.

Six can boost Mono to reach higher places, catch him if he falls, and even carry important items. She does them all automatically, assisting the character much like Elizabeth from the Bioshock series of games. She becomes a character the player wants to protect, even more instinctively for series fans' who controlled Six in the first game.

The level design in Little Nightmares II features plenty of platforming opportunities. Environmental puzzles can hide rewards that will help you escape the twisted world. New to the game is the ability for the player to wield a weapon. It's pretty rudimentary, but it adds a new dimension to defending yourself.

For example, during one sequence, your player can pick up a pipe to defend themselves. These attacks are slow and unwieldy, adding to the terror of facing the adults in the game. All of the adults have well-telegraphed animations for their attacks, but it is still horrifying going up against them – especially in the hospital.

The levels and the way the story is drip-fed to the player lead to tons of exploration opportunities. Little Nightmares II addresses many of the 'there aren't any gameplay' concerns some people had about the first game. You can finally defend yourself, and the hospital requires clever flashlight work to survive.

Gameplay Rating: 4/5

A Nightmarishly Worthy Sequel

Little Nightmares II isn't a story sequel, but it is better than the original in every conceivable way. The controls aren't as great as they could be, but they are more precise than the original. It's an overall improvement that is noticeable when switching between the two games.

Replayability Rating: 5/5

TL;DR

Little Nightmares II is a fresh look at horror from a smaller perspective that's worth playing for old and new fans alike.