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Review of Little Nightmares II
In 2017, Tarsier Studios surprised everyone with “Little Nightmares,” a perfect experience for fans of Playdead games like “Limbo” and “Inside.” Four years later, we now have “Little Nightmares II,” which surpasses the original in every way and opens the door for exciting new ideas that could make this series massive in the future.
Like the first game, “Little Nightmares II” doesn’t rely on a traditional narrative. You can enjoy it even if you haven’t played the first game, though fans of the original will recognize many characters and Easter eggs that enhance the experience.
In “Little Nightmares II,” you play as a new character named Mono. Like the first game, it begins with Mono waking up alone in a forest. Your journey begins here. Within the first few minutes, you meet another character: Six, the protagonist of the first game. (This was revealed in trailers, so no spoilers here.)
The story is told through the environment around you, without dialogue or explanations. Tarsier Studios uses environmental storytelling, leaving players to interpret the narrative themselves. This approach leads to various fan theories spreading online, as seen with the first game. The playtime is around 5 to 6 hours, double that of the original.
The gameplay revolves around solving environmental puzzles, like finding keys or activating buttons. Some puzzles are straightforward, while others require cooperation with Six. Although you don’t control Six, she plays a significant role in helping you, making the experience more engaging.
As a horror game, “Little Nightmares II” delivers plenty of scares. Tarsier excels at lulling you into a false sense of security before suddenly surprising you. This mastery of pacing makes the scares genuinely effective.
While exploration is the main focus, there are moments of action where you can defend yourself against smaller enemies. In some areas, you must eliminate enemies to progress, adding a fun action element to the game.
The flashlight mechanics add to the tension, especially in dark areas where enemies charge at you. You must use the flashlight to stop them. However, the flashlight controls can feel imprecise at times, leading to unnecessary deaths.
Another minor issue lies in platforming and puzzle-solving controls, which occasionally result in missteps or falls. These moments are rare and don’t detract from the overall experience.
Like the first game, “Little Nightmares II” features unique boss encounters that require creative strategies to overcome. Each region introduces a new boss, culminating in a thrilling final chase or confrontation.
Built on Unreal Engine 4, the game showcases stunning environments. From a vast forest to the eerie Pale City, each area feels fresh and detailed. Unlike the first game, assets are not reused, making every stage visually distinct.
The lighting, shadows, and reflections are more advanced this time. Dark areas lit only by your flashlight create incredible visual effects, hinting at the potential of ray-tracing in future installments.
The music by Tobias Lilja enhances the atmosphere, with haunting ambient tracks during exploration and intense scores for chase sequences. The sound design is equally impressive, immersing you in the terrifying world of “Little Nightmares II.”
The game is fully localized in Arabic, including menus and tips. However, since there’s no dialogue, the localization focuses on text elements.
I played the game on Xbox Series S, where it ran at 1080p and 30 FPS, similar to last-gen performance. A future update will enhance resolution and frame rates for next-gen consoles.
