We always think that kids can’t do what most adults can do. But when trying to survive, even kids can surprise you. Little Nightmares 3 is the latest installment of the Little Nightmares franchise, where you have to platform and solve puzzles in the hopes of surviving. However this game isn’t the kind of nightmare that will have you wake up in the middle of the night.

You will travel through dimly lit areas, while you focus on two entirely new children, Low and Alone. When you start the game, you select one of the pint-sized heroes to play as, while the second hero is controlled, either by the AI or by a second player in online co-op. Both players share the same abilities like jumping, crouch-walking, and grabbing objects, but both characters are equipped with a unique tool for puzzle-solving and the occasional combat section. Low has a bow that can be used to shoot ropes to drop boxes or activate switches, while Alone carries around a giant wrench that she can use to smash through weakened walls or manipulate the controls of certain basic bits of machinery.

The game however doesn’t change much from previous installments or even experiment with either character’s unique action. Low will typically only raise his bow to fire if there’s a target nearby that he needs to hit and most puzzles seem pretty obvious to solve. Some puzzles require both players to coordinate their abilities, and to be hornets the puzzles aren’t that hard to solve, especially compared to the previous games. Plus in the option menu you can have it so any object that can be interacted with is highlighted making the puzzles even easier.

The story still feels like a story from a nightmare which is what you expect from this franchise. The disturbing imagery makes me feel like I’m in a nightmare and you won’t know exactly when a creature will come out to take you out. The first level alone made me jump when the giant baby came out of nowhere and tried to eat me. This is what I expect from a nightmare and while it isn’t as horrifying like the other two games, it still fits the narrative.

The game has an option to play with another player which is a first for this franchise. While this is the selling point, it is by no means required to play the game. The AI will control the other character completely, so any solutions requiring the AI controlled character will do their role completely so you only need to worry about your role in the puzzle. Even in combat the AI will help. If Low is AI controlled, anything that needs the use of the arrow for, whether for puzzles or combat, the AI will shoot first, ask questions later.

The levels are dark and eerie, adding to the atmosphere of the world. As you go through the levels, you can’t help but wonder, what is going on and you ask yourself, what is real and what isn’t. While not as scary as the last game, it still gives off fear and uncertainty if you can even survive. The levels themselves are well designed, but the depth can make it hard to tell if you’re going to make a jump, which can lead you to falling down a cliff. There are also some chase segments that don’t give you enough time to react if you don’t know ahead of time that it’s going to happen.

When it comes to the controls, they work, but the game doesn’t tell you the controls right away. It took me quite a while to even solve the first puzzle, not because it was hard, but because I didn’t know how to pick up the rock to throw at the button or even how to throw it. It wasn’t until the third puzzle that it started telling me the controls. Luckily the puzzles weren’t dangerous, so I didn’t have to rush to figure out the controls.

In conclusion, Little Nightmares 3, while a fine game in the franchise, doesn’t change enough of the formula to make it stand out in a sea of platformers. This game played it safe and only used what worked in the past games and didn’t add anything to it. This game takes, “what isn’t broken, don’t fix it” and takes it to literal. I only recommend this game if you’re a fan of the franchise or if you want an easy way into the franchise.

Score: 6 out of 10

Reviewed on PlayStation 5