Little Nightmares is a very short, polished foray into allegorical storytelling. The game is aesthetically gorgeous but a tough value sell due to its short length. The game itself can be finished within 4 hours, moving at a reasonably slow pace. I myself replayed several areas, listened to the music for a bit and was AFK having lunch for a few hours. The game's graphics, courtesy of Unreal Engine 4, are absolutely stunning, with lighting, reflective and texture assets showcasing a vibrant, yet creepy world motif. The character designs, animations and personalities all convey extreme amounts of charisma. As odd as it is to affirm, Little Nightmares is probably one of the top 20 best-looking games on Steam both technically and by design. The game's plot is an ambiguous, yet disturbingly unsettling tale with no real closure. Voice acting is non-existent. Sound effects and music are absolutely fantastic, however, and most puzzles are reasonably easy but satisfying.

While the game is gorgeous, wonderfully orchestrated, atmospheric as all get-out and genuinely tense at times, Little Nightmares is not without some key flaws. While the story of abandoned Six is dark and compelling, it is ulimately weak due to the staggering lack of clarification concerning the game's ending. I myself have some theories and have included them after the spoiler symbols below. Additionally, while the side-scrolling mechanics are often clever and sometimes well-realized, the controls are sufficiently lacking that death can result from an imprecise or a poorly-translated key press. In fact, expect a good 30% of your playthrough to be comprised of trial-and-error replays as you struggle with the often unintuitive control scheme to execute the correct action that you already figured out...four deaths ago. The game lacks co-op and multiplayer, and can be buggy at times, as the game crashed to desktop twice for me.

Still, as a whole, the art design, technical prowess and amazing atmosphere in Little Nightmares, as well as some truly vicious plot twists are sure to justify a steam sale purchase. The game can still be picked up for 15 dollars and that price may be viable for many. The game is definitely worth a price of 10 dollars and you should absolutely pick it up then. It is, after all, a truly tense, creepy and enjoyable experience.

Recommended.

8/10.




****************** Spoilers ******************
****************** Spoilers ******************
****************** Spoilers ******************
****************** Spoilers ******************
**************************************************
**************************************************
**************************************************
**************************************************

It is my belief that the Maw is a representation of a resort for satisfactions and pleasures of the flesh. As such, it's possible that the Maw is in fact a brothel. The Lady, Six' archenemy and patron of the Maw, is actually Six' mother, who abandoned and cast her daughter out for a variety of reasons. Six, cast out after the apparent suicide of her father (the hanging man in chapter one of Little Nightmares), threatened both The Lady's inherent vanity, since she is the only thin and beautifully-framed adult in Little Nightmares, as well as reminding the mother of her of her own sinful preoccupations. The brothel-like Maw offers visitors a never-ending source of gluttony and lust, represented in the form of cannibalistic consumption and, in turn, the patronage by the visitors fed The Lady's inherent need for "life force" which can be construed as money, wealth, status, security and 'eternal vitality' (attractiveness).

The gnomes and, indeed the children theselves throughout the ship, were subject to the predations of the Visitors. It is therefore, possible to interpret the gnomes as the empty, broken vessels of indentured children that were trapped within the Maw. Six' own metamorphosis into a monster of vicious vindication represents wrath at her mother's sinfulness and desire to escape the Maw at any cost. Her final slaying of the Maw 's inhabitants, as well as The Lady promoted the idea that the brothel was ultimately destroyed by Six' unwillingness to die or capitulate to the predations of the visitors. As such, she becomes every bit the monster that her mother is and, ultimately, the game does not represent a series of nightmarish vignettes but, instead, Six' transformation *INTO* the "Little Nightmare".

At least that's the way I interpreted it. Ymmv.


**************************************************
**************************************************
**************************************************
**************************************************

Little Nightmares is a very short, polished foray into allegorical storytelling. The game is aesthetically gorgeous but a tough value sell due to its short length. The game itself can be finished within 4 hours, moving at a reasonably slow pace. I myself replayed several areas, listened to the music for a bit and was AFK having lunch for a few hours. The game's graphics, courtesy of Unreal Engine 4, are absolutely stunning, with lighting, reflective and texture assets showcasing a vibrant, yet creepy world motif. The character designs, animations and personalities all convey extreme amounts of charisma. As odd as it is to affirm, Little Nightmares is probably one of the top 20 best-looking games on Steam both technically and by design. The game's plot is an ambiguous, yet disturbingly unsettling tale with no real closure. Voice acting is non-existent. Sound effects and music are absolutely fantastic, however, and most puzzles are reasonably easy but satisfying. While the game is gorgeous, wonderfully orchestrated, atmospheric as all get-out and genuinely tense at times, Little Nightmares is not without some key flaws. While the story of abandoned Six is dark and compelling, it is ulimately weak due to the staggering lack of clarification concerning the game's ending. I myself have some theories and have included them after the spoiler symbols below. Additionally, while the side-scrolling mechanics are often clever and sometimes well-realized, the controls are sufficiently lacking that death can result from an imprecise or a poorly-translated key press. In fact, expect a good 30% of your playthrough to be comprised of trial-and-error replays as you struggle with the often unintuitive control scheme to execute the correct action that you already figured out...four deaths ago. The game lacks co-op and multiplayer, and can be buggy at times, as the game crashed to desktop twice for me. Still, as a whole, the art design, technical prowess and amazing atmosphere in Little Nightmares, as well as some truly vicious plot twists are sure to justify a steam sale purchase. The game can still be picked up for 15 dollars and that price may be viable for many. The game is definitely worth a price of 10 dollars and you should absolutely pick it up then. It is, after all, a truly tense, creepy and enjoyable experience. Recommended. 8/10. ****************** Spoilers ****************** ****************** Spoilers ****************** ****************** Spoilers ****************** ****************** Spoilers ****************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** It is my belief that the Maw is a representation of a resort for satisfactions and pleasures of the flesh. As such, it's possible that the Maw is in fact a brothel. The Lady, Six' archenemy and patron of the Maw, is actually Six' mother, who abandoned and cast her daughter out for a variety of reasons. Six, cast out after the apparent suicide of her father (the hanging man in chapter one of Little Nightmares), threatened both The Lady's inherent vanity, since she is the only thin and beautifully-framed adult in Little Nightmares, as well as reminding the mother of her of her own sinful preoccupations. The brothel-like Maw offers visitors a never-ending source of gluttony and lust, represented in the form of cannibalistic consumption and, in turn, the patronage by the visitors fed The Lady's inherent need for "life force" which can be construed as money, wealth, status, security and 'eternal vitality' (attractiveness). The gnomes and, indeed the children theselves throughout the ship, were subject to the predations of the Visitors. It is therefore, possible to interpret the gnomes as the empty, broken vessels of indentured children that were trapped within the Maw. Six' own metamorphosis into a monster of vicious vindication represents wrath at her mother's sinfulness and desire to escape the Maw at any cost. Her final slaying of the Maw 's inhabitants, as well as The Lady promoted the idea that the brothel was ultimately destroyed by Six' unwillingness to die or capitulate to the predations of the visitors. As such, she becomes every bit the monster that her mother is and, ultimately, the game does not represent a series of nightmarish vignettes but, instead, Six' transformation *INTO* the "Little Nightmare". At least that's the way I interpreted it. Ymmv. ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************************