Little Nightmares 2 is an adventure game full of twists and turns as you navigate a mysterious land. It is the third installment of the Little Nightmares series, but you do not need to have played the other games to understand this one. It is playable on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Stadia, and PC. You play as a young boy named Mono, who after rescuing his new friend Six (the main character of the first game), explores the ruins of the Pale City and unlocks what lies in the Signal Tower. This game is similar to Limbo or Fran Bow.
Each chapter you enter has its own unique areas and enemies, from an abandoned hospital to a creepy boarding school. Enemies often have distorted bodies—many feature drooping faces and unnaturally long body parts. Each antagonist has their own design and abilities, and they all have an amazingly creepy design that makes good use of shadows and lighting. One of the best levels has to be the dim-lit hospital you must navigate through while avoiding the “patients.”
The enemy will do all it can to win this game of cat and mouse.
No one ever really speaks in the game, aside from Mono and Six simply saying “Hey” or “Hi” to call each other over. So, it can be extremely unsettling when a sudden cry from a monster or the shriek of a child breaks the silence.
The music that plays in the background is absolutely beautiful. One of the songs, Togetherness 1 is a favorite, featuring a soothing but eerie tone.
I think it is important to mention that the game does have a few glitches. Occasionally, characters or tools will stop moving momentarily. At one point, Six disappeared when I needed her for a puzzle, so I had to restart the game. Glitches like these can be annoying in certain fights and while trying to figure out puzzles, but they often can be fixed by dying or restarting the game.
Hidden away, all sorts of traps lay within this world.
It can also be difficult fighting enemies, as it is often hard to judge where to hit them due to the viewpoint of the game. This can also make it tricky to grab ropes and ledges or determine where to hide from enemies so they can’t hurt you.
Aside from running and jumping, you are able to call out to Six so she can help you in game and there is even a button to hold her hand. There was a “hug to save” feature, but that has been cut and the game now saves automatically at certain points instead. You cannot play as Six to add on a second player, but she is often used as a guide to show where to hide from bosses or what to do next. Very rarely do you fight in the game: you may be equipped with a weapon to fight a few times, but you mostly have to run or hide from bigger enemies.
Though it has suspenseful moments, the game will never show any blood or gore. Similar to the first game, it’s full of puzzles like playing chess to open a door or trying to find a key using an x-ray machine.
Aside from some minor flaws, the game has an enjoyable story full of mystery and horror that will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more.
Raven Arroyo is a senior that grew up in Fremont. This is their second year at the Hatchet and they are interested in writing about books, movies, tv shows, and video games. They enjoy reading, riding their bike, taking care of their plants, painting, and writing short stories. Raven can often be found carrying around a notebook to write down ideas for possible stories. They hope that someday they will be able to publish a book of their own.