Little Nightmares III Hands-on Preview

Little Nightmares returns with an all-new adventure in Little Nightmares III, following the heartbreaking ending of the second game. This installment introduces two new characters, Low and Alone, as players navigate The Spiral, a cluster of eerie and disturbing locations in Nowhere.

Ahead of its 2025 release, we had the opportunity to play an hour of the game, split between 30 minutes of co-op mode and 30 minutes of the single-player campaign. With Supermassive Games at the helm, we explored how this new title measures up to its predecessors.

No Longer Alone

Despite the protagonist’s name, Little Nightmares III ensures players are not alone in their journey. Players can choose between Low, equipped with a trusty bow, and Alone, wielding a giant wrench, to navigate the various clusters of The Spiral.

In an early portion of the game, we were thrust into the Necropolis. True to the Little Nightmares legacy, the level was filled with weird and creepy imagery. Unlike the darker settings of previous titles, this area looks to be situated in a desert, featuring beheaded figures and dilapidated stone structures, maintaining the series’ signature eerie atmosphere.

little nightmares III necropolis 5

Gameplay in Little Nightmares III retains the familiar elements that series fans love while remaining accessible to newcomers with its simple controls. The platforming is straightforward, focusing more on puzzle-solving than precise jumps. These puzzles are generally not too complex, often involving multi-step solutions such as encountering a locked door, heading to a nearby area to pull a level, grabbing the key that is uncovered, and opening the lock.

A new feature in Little Nightmares III is the introduction of tools that complement each other. In the single-player campaign, players choose between Low and Alone, and for puzzles that cannot be solved alone, they can “call” on the other character for assistance. For example, during my playthrough as Alone, I used a wrench to clear rocks blocking my path. Players using Low would need to call on their companion to take care of that part of the level, and vice versa, allowing single-player completion without needing online co-op.

One noticeable change in Little Nightmares III is the reduced scare factor due to the team-up mechanic, and some of the players during our preview echoed the same sentiments. Previous installments relied on a sense of helplessness, quick thinking, and even a little bit of trial and error to create fear. This time, the presence of an active companion who was smart enough to assist with puzzles somewhat diminishes that feeling of fear, emphasizing the puzzle aspect over the horror.

During my playthrough, I also encountered an umbrella-like tool used to navigate updrafts and avoid seemingly dead ends. This tool could potentially be part of an inventory system, as I used it again later to safely descend from a high jump that would otherwise be fatal. I’m uncertain if the umbrella can be used on other levels, though.

Playing the single-player part of the game on a PS5, Little Nightmares III didn’t feel like it played at 60fps compared to the PC build, which felt a lot smoother. I’m sure this is simply because it is an early build, and it’ll run optimally given more time, so I’m not worried about this in the slightest.

(It Takes) Two to Tango

Little Nightmares III’s main attraction is its co-op campaign, allowing players to experience the game with a friend through online play. The game also features a friend pass, enabling players who own the game to invite friends who don’t own it, similar to the system used in The Dark Pictures Anthology by Supermassive Games.

To a certain extent, the co-op gameplay in Little Nightmares III can be likened to It Takes Two, but with some key differences. Most puzzles require both players to be near each other rather than solving separate sections from different locations. During my playthrough, there wasn’t an instance where one player was in a totally different area or room handling a section of the puzzle, while the other was far away. The puzzles are generally straightforward, such as one player shooting a switch with Low’s bow to deactivate a live wire while the other opens a door.

One puzzle was particularly amusing, as it took my co-op partner and me over five attempts to solve. We overthought the solution, considering complex strategies like running for the door while the boss wasn’t looking or creating steps with drawers. Ultimately, we just needed to wait for the boss to turn around and walk away.

Unfortunately, voice chat is not included in Little Nightmares III. While this might seem like a missed opportunity, the simplicity of the puzzles didn’t require deep conversation with the other player, at least in the section we played. There may be more timing-based puzzles in other areas, so we’ll have to wait and see.

At first glance, Little Nightmares III looks to continue the series tradition of simple storytelling wrapped in a creepy atmosphere but now with a healthy co-op offering, and although my playthrough lasted an hour, I felt that it didn’t show me enough to convince me just yet. Thankfully, the game is still in development, and I hope to see and hear more about it as the months go by.


Little Nightmares III is scheduled to release in 2025 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC.

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