Hey folks, I'm Ash and I dug into Little Nightmares 3's demo as a complete newcomer to see if it's worth playing without any of the backstory - and to break down what it does well, and where it falls flat on its face.

How dark is too dark?

The first thing that stood out to me is just how dark the game is - not thematically, but literally. The recommended settings make most areas so pitch black that you barely see what you're doing. That's not spooky atmosphere, it's just annoying. So make sure to bump up the gamma and you'll get all of that creepy atmosphere while actually being able to see weird stuff like... whatever this is!

Video version of this article (~10 minutes) 

What is going on?

While I knew I’d like the setting going in, the weird world Little Nightmares 3 takes place in ended up grabbing me even harder than I expected. Coming in fresh without any context just made it even more fascinating. Why is every room built for giants, or are we impossibly small? Why is the city a barren desert, its people transformed mid-step into stone husks?

And then there’s the giant baby doll, all wired up with a bunch of electronics. Why? How? Who even does that? The questions just kept piling up, and honestly, that’s a very good thing.

A beautiful nightmare

But it's not just the weird premise - the presentation is stellar, and I can definitely see why Little Nightmares grew into a series. Everything is beautifully horrific: packed with little details and personality, yet utterly drained of warmth or joy. There's animals everywhere, yet the world still feels lifeless.

I especially love how the game doesn’t tell you anything. No dialogue, no text, nothing aside from the occasional tutorial prompt. You’re left to piece together why reality has become a hellscape purely from environmental clues: a ruined house here, a circle of petrified cultists there, a giant baby rattle jammed into the floor. You know, the usual horror stuff! It’s a genuinely bold choice to say nothing, but Little Nightmares 3 really makes it work.

The world really is fascinating... even if I don't understand anything about it!

A barren world

That said, there is a limit to minimalism - a point where leaving things out makes the experience worse rather than more intriguing. For me, that weak spot was the exploration. Throughout the demo I stumbled into a handful of secret-looking paths that led to... nothing. No loot, no hidden lore, not even a scrap of environmental storytelling. Just dead ends.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a linear game. But when the zones are deliberately designed to spark curiosity, yet give you zero payoff for exploring them, it feels like wasted potential. And that’s a shame, because those spots could’ve been perfect for little bits of extra worldbuilding.

There's a lot of cool places to see, but nothing to see in them

Musical musings

And while you’re doing all of this wandering the music is mostly absent. And that's a good thing as the silence really helps build an atmosphere of dread. The music only really kicks in for the intense, dramatic moments, and otherwise you're just stuck with the low, quiet groans of a collapsing city... and the far, far nastier groans of something you really hope stays hidden.

Yet, at the same time, I kind of want to see what it is - because the game has crafted such a fascinating little nightmare that I’m desperate to learn what insanity comes next. Perhaps a murderous toy car? Honestly, given what I’ve seen so far, it really wouldn’t surprise me.

Is this gameplay?

I wish I could be this excited about the gameplay, but unfortunately it's Little Nightmares 3's weakest link. Most obstacles are solved by the simplest actions imaginable: push this, pull that, climb over, and that's it.

If these were occasional moments, or if they served as a short tutorial, that would be fine. But when the majority of the demo boils down to repeating these one-button chores, it gets old fast. To the point where I have to ask: is pulling on a wooden beam really what the second player is supposed to be excited about?

I really hope these 'hold a button together' barriers don't stick around for long

A friend in need

I certainly hope not, because I can definitely see the potential for co-op puzzles to be one of the game’s big highlights. Solving problems under pressure - whether with an AI partner or a real one - feels like the kind of thing that could both raise the stakes and really crank up the horror. So here’s hoping the whole 'pull a wooden beam' thing is just early-game fluff, and that the full release gives us more creative challenges.

If that ends up being the case, I’m happy to say that the AI companion seems surprisingly competent. In my experience they trail behind you just enough to stay out of the way, but step in very quickly whenever you’re puzzling around. For the simple stuff, you don’t even need to tell them what to do. They’ll see you struggling with a crate and just rush over to lend a hand, which is genuinely nice to see.

When things get more complicated you'll have to give them commands, but it’s thankfully quick and painless. Just call their name, and they’ll usually figure out what needs doing without too much fuss. The demo’s puzzles were simple, sure, but even so the companion impressed me with how little micromanagement they needed.

The demo puzzles were simple, but still a nice bit of fun

Does co-op ruin the horror?

I also really liked how they sometimes wander off to inspect little details in the environment - things like a dead bug or a person frozen in a bizarre pose. So in a funny way, having a second character around actually helped flesh out the world rather than detract from the horror atmosphere as I originally feared.

That said, despite its name, Little Nightmares 3 isn’t actually scary. It’s tense and atmospheric, but never actually terrifying. A big reason for this is the enemies: they look too normal. The bugs you fight aren’t nasty cockroaches - they’re oversized beetles that, honestly, look kinda cool with those massive pincers.

And the mega-baby that stalks you through the whole demo? It's weirdly adorable. Sure, it’s falling apart and trying to kill you, but it looks more dopey than dreadful. It's less a nightmare-monster, and more a curious toddler who doesn’t understand it’s wrecking everything in its path.

So as long as you don't mind some dark themes and the occasional jump scare, Little Nightmares 3 should be perfectly manageable - even if you hate horror games.

See what I mean? It's kinda cute!

Sluggish combat

And since I mentioned the beetles, we might as well talk about the combat. And I say 'talk' loosely, because there really isn’t much to discuss here. Your weapon locks on automatically, so as long as you’re vaguely pointing in the right direction when you swing, the game will take care of the rest.

It's functional, but a bit clunky. But then again, that clumsiness extends to the general controls as well. Everything has a slight delay, which is not game-breaking by any means, but enough to make your characters feel just a touch sluggish.

What I can say is that you do get used to it fairly quickly. So if you try the demo and end up slamming face-first into walls like I did, don’t sweat it - you’ll settle into the right rhythm soon enough.

The combat really could use another layer of polish

Is it worth playing?

So, is Little Nightmares 3 worth playing even if you skipped the first two? I’d say yes, but with a small caveat.

The game stands on its own. You don’t need to study the lore to enjoy it, and in a way, going in blind actually makes the world feel stranger and more fascinating. The only caveat is the gameplay. It’s not terrible, just forgettable. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter as the presentation carries the whole experience.

So if you're here for clever puzzles and tight platforming, you'll be disappointed. But if you want to wander through a world that feels like a waking nightmare, Little Nightmares 3 really does deliver.