Conventional wisdom dictates that having a companion by your side makes handling a stressful situation easier. But after a 30-minute demo with Little Nightmares 3, it seems conventional wisdom doesn't apply to The Maw, the macabre setting of all Little Nightmares games. Little Nightmares 3, scheduled for release in 2025, will bring players to never-before-seen areas of The Maw, some of which I got to see for myself in a recent hands-on demo.
The big headline for this horror sequel is the addition of two-player co-op, and as a horror fan, I was happy to learn your co-dependent relationship may amplify the scare factor. In my demo, I played through a level set in The Maw's "candy factory," featuring sweets that make gelatin seem as appetizing as a Wonka confection. Assembly lines of dead or dying bodies creaked slowly through the shadows in the background of the oppressive workspace as my co-op partner and I controlled the game's new dual protagonists, Alone and Low.
One is equipped with a heavy wrench, which can be used to solve puzzles that require a melee whack, like hitting a button too big for the minuscule characters to affect by jumping on it. The other holds a bow and arrow, used for other puzzles in which something is out of reach, like a switch hanging above an electrified puddle. Because each of these characters has a unique skill that the other will frequently need, the game's design philosophy is clear and enticing: Rely on each other… or die.
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