Table of Contents
You know when a children's song is used unpredictably in a horror movie? Almost subconscious confusion is quite effective in giving you the chills, right? Multiply that by 10 and you have Little Nightmares 2, a game where you control a miniature person in a climate that manages to be, at the same time, disturbing, terrifying and fantastic. Available for the past generation and soon for the current generation of consoles, this sequel to the 2017 indie game brings improvements to the formula, being a respectable quality from the Swedish developers of the Tarsier Studios.
In the game, you are in the shoes of the boy Mono, who must understand who is behind the harmful TV broadcast (emitted by a giant tower, in the middle of the city), visiting haunted corridors and deserted streets accompanied by the young Six, the protagonist of the first game. After hours of tension and exploration, I'll tell you how my experience with the game was, among the main qualities and the few flaws. Remembering that all images below were captured by me, unedited, on Xbox Series X.
Scenery and Atmosphere (Scary)
As usual in game reviews here on the site, the “traditional” would be to approach the history of the analyzed title before any other point. But except for those who read articles or fan posts online, Little Nightmares 2's story seems abstract (too much). Ironically, the simplest way to understand what's going on between the two games is with the 2019 release. Very little nightmares, exclusive to mobile.
Therefore, what is most impressive about the game is the linearity of scenarios and events without depending on a connected story. For some, the lack of depth can result in a less engaging experience, but all it takes is being guided through unique scenarios and running away from disgusting monsters to be immersed in these harrowing nightmares. Besides, you don't lose anything if you want to play this one without knowing the story of the first Little Nightmares.
This time you have to cross a school, a forest, a hospital and a city. In every level you are chased by giant creatures, like a redneck and a teacher. Shocking and dark events (through audio and video) keep the atmosphere tense – for example, you are on a street and bodies fall to the ground, like suicides jumping off a building. And there's nothing "worse" than you being right below one of the creatures (which kill you with one hit) and having to wait for an action/movement from it, until you can escape.
A lot of the pressure of a horror game is that you feel vulnerable to attack. Good thing Little Nightmares 2 implements certain mechanics to counterattack, both on huge creatures and smaller enemies. Even so, scenes “off the script” surprise you. An example of this is getting used to the movement of the camera, which moves away/approaches at certain times. With the pattern breaking, you are taken by surprise.
Sharing the scares with a friend could make for a more comfortable experience for many people, through a local co-op mode (or online, with a local server) that unfortunately doesn't exist in Little Nightmares 2. We have to make do with the artificial intelligence created for help you only when needed. It's not a defect, but having games like Unravel Two as a reference of a “sidescroller platform”, the idea gets even more interesting.
Six, the protagonist of the first Little Nightmares, is your companion throughout this game. The comfort created by this company is a huge contrast when compared to the tension of other situations. The detail of being able to hold her by the hand was an unexpected welcoming feeling. To some extent, you (as a player) also hold yourself responsible for Six's life, given that there are threats around every corner.
Were 5 hours until I finished Little Nightmares 2, including time stuck in some puzzles. For those who want to collect special items and explore each region to the fullest, it's at least 6 hours of gameplay – double the first. there is also collectibles, as a distraction to the weather: oscillating remains to interact; hats to find, unlock and equip to make the atmosphere a little friendlier. In all, there are 5 chapters and 30 collectibles.
Gameplay
Exploration and puzzles
Anyone who played the first Little Nightmares knows very well that it is based on a gameplay that is almost 100% made up of trial and error. You need to understand the chasing cycle of one of the monsters, figure out the right rhythm of when to run or dodge objects, when to climb or slide. Nothing changes in this one, as sudden deaths and attacks act as a “push” to leave you in a constant state of alert.
For some more “pampered” gamers, the logic of needing to learn from their mistakes can create an unsatisfying experience. This intention of always keeping you aware of the environment can be interpreted as injustice, but it is up to the player to take it with them as they wish. Your path is linear and so are your goals.
The main thing to consider in the question of presenting the puzzles is how easy the (apparent) solution is. If you know you need to go to that room with a padlock, a key is hidden somewhere. If there's room for fuses, they're close by. Unlike features that resemble the metroidvania genre, there are no inaccessible doors/passages in that section. All that you come across should be explored at some point.
If the player is a natural explorer, it is inevitable to find random items that serve as an easter egg to unlock hats or achievements, but these are very well hidden and don't "get in the way" of those who just want to finish Little Nightmares 2 levels. By the way, you no longer need to carry a heavy key by dragging it around the scene like in the first game, as this time it is automatically added to the inventory.
The game is cinematic, being a stylistic choice difficult to change (just because it's part of the scary essence). However, a constant error caused by the camera angle is the false notion of depth. In a game that relies on platforming, escapes, and item collection, knowing the exact location of your interactions shouldn't be a problem. By repeating sections/quests, you get used to it, so at least on your second playthrough of looking for all the collectibles you'll know what to do.
escape and combat
A notable quality of the game was the subtle active evolution, in terms of survival. Little Nightmares forced you to run away from enemies and defend yourself as best you could, but now you must go on the attack and look for tools to strike – and even kill, when you can. Each enemy requires a certain rhythm of attack, like a “flinch” right before he attacks you. Again, we have trial and error enforcement as you have to restart at the checkpoint whenever you get caught by someone.
The frustrating thing is that certain checkpoints happen immediately before a specific animation (yours or an NPC's). It would certainly be better if this happened later, avoiding excessive repetition. I understand when this happens to create pressure, but the game fails to introduce hiding places or ways to "dribble" the creatures at first sight, in moments of despair.
Also a result of the camera angle, as I mentioned in the section above, attacks occasionally appear closer to the enemy than they actually are. Many times you will hit the ground at the feet of those who attack you instead of knocking them out for real, as you would like.
The escape of the bigger monsters is more linear in Little Nightmares 2 than in the previous one. 80% of the time, your objective in that room is to escape through some passage on the right side – for example, close to the wall. In 20% of cases, however, you need to think a little “outside the box” and opt for vertical solutions or go to the bottom of the scenario. In addition, the control does not vibrate for nothing, with each blow or step of the enemy (as in several “cinematic” games out there). Otherwise, the vibration happens sparingly, being a complement to the audiovisual.
AI and achievements
Six is controlled by the machine's artificial intelligence, replicating your actions and following you closely (without being detected by the enemy). Therefore, the game comes up against clichés of “cooperative with CPU” games that, for me, became saturated already at the time of the first Lego Star Wars – that is, for more than 15 years.
You stand still and wait for the computer to come to you to push a heavy object, or open a door, for example. It's a way to limit your progress and always make sure your friend is there to help. Despite this, the strategy of jumping in sync over a fragile floor was creative. In another instance, Mono must defeat enemies while Six removes blocks from a door, giving a new dynamic to this co-op aspect.
As expected, an AI-driven deuteragonist is not very polished, even today (on the new generation of consoles). Sometimes Six gets in her way, sometimes she doesn't hide as she should and that completely breaks the game's cinematic immersion. There were times when I wondered who should do an action, as it wasn't nearby, and I returned to the previous area. She was trapped in one of the objects, not following me.
In particular, I don't like “challenge layers” in horror games, which seems to be a norm for repurposing scenarios and making you repeat actions. An example of this is: you are in a room and you need a fuse to open the door; the fuse is behind another door, which you can only get through if you have the key to a padlock; the key is inside a teddy bear that you need to disintegrate to gain access, etc. This logic works here, but it could be worse.
A hilarious surprise was getting achievements for doing specific actions. THE transparent friendship appeared after I walked past an x-ray machine with Mono and Six holding hands; …And Stay Dead! came when I hit an enemy three times more than necessary. In case you, the reader, want to play Little Nightmares 2, I won't reveal specifics - it's just worth knowing that there are a dozen actions and respective rewards.
Visual and Audio
Little Nightmares 2 had slight graphical improvements, but the main thing was that they handled the “game” between light and shadow better. Yes, there is claustrophobia in the settings that call for this atmosphere, with the addition of an extra layer of attention when lighting indoor and outdoor areas. If for those who played the first game the light was great (and immersive), now it's even better.
The sidescroller horizontal drive gives virtually endless possibilities to the use of depth. Inside buildings, you feel like “spying” on the character you control, however, just go into terrifying corridors and see the camera follow you for, subconsciously, fear takes over.
One of the objects Mono can pick up is a flashlight (used in only one of the levels) to paralyze enemies. Since you can turn it on at almost any time to enter the ruins of an abandoned hospital, one would imagine that being in control of what you see (first applied in this way in both games) was a significant upgrade when thinking about visuals and gameplay.
Camera movements in Little Nightmares 2 are less “stuck”, also with better transitions between animated scenes and the gameplay itself. Occasionally, I was surprised to realize that I was no longer in control and that the next scene was part of the script. When the camera moves further than usual in outdoor areas, we are faced with a wide view that reaffirms the great work of the art direction team.
Another strength of the game is the audio. We recommend: play with headphones (or a 5.1 system at full volume). Being a horror game, Little Nightmares 2 convinces you by the details. There are different layers, from the ground that creaks to a certain help in predicting movement cycles of creatures. Sometimes the sound can make your attacks more pleasurable and brutal, with stealth moments more tense. And, of course, this results in even better scares.
By the way, never has a piano sound been so terrifying as in a Little Nightmares 2 situation. In one chapter, I heard an out of tune melody over and over again. As the volume seemed to increase in sync with my progress, I recognized it to be a diegetic sound – that is, the sound exists within the game's universe; It's not just for the player. To absolutely no one's surprise, it was one of the creatures (the big-necked teacher quoted above) touching him. When I got to the room in question the piano reverberated even louder, it was terrible – by that I mean it was great, being a horror game.
Conclusion
As if it wasn't enough to be a respectful sequel to the indie hit, Little Nightmares 2 injects the horror in a double charge, with the right to breathtaking visuals. Gameplay issues and the short story leave something to be desired, but since everything is told at the right pace, you have a spectacular experience. Those who haven't played the first one can enjoy it without "fear", as everything you need to know about the universe is told in this one, independently.
Sold between R$160 and R$180, Little Nightmares 2 still ranks among indie games even with a duration of about 6 hours. In a reality where a gamer sequel like the last Spider-Man game, which can be finished in just over 7 hours, reuses the predecessor's scenario and costs R$250 even after 4 months of release, let's say that the horror game has good value for money too.
Little Nightmares 2 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam). When it is released for the new generation, still without an exact date, the game will have a free update for those who have it on the previous platform. If after reading the review you haven't decided if the game is for you, it's worth checking out the free demo of the game in the respective stores mentioned.
And then, liked (and scared) with the game Little Nightmares 2? Tell us in the comments below!
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