It's rare for horror games to be 2D side-scrollers, but Little Nightmares shows that it's a style that may very well be worth exploring for horror game developers. Little Nightmares is the creepy story of Six, who has to solve puzzles and survive against all kinds of terrifying sights.
First released in 2017, Little Nightmares earned strong reviews at the time of its release, with critics heaping praise on the game's ability to create a suspenseful atmosphere and for its disturbing art style. Like many other horror games, Little Nightmares also received high marks for its sound design, which, combined with the visuals, help create the game's chilling atmosphere. While some criticism was aimed at the actual gameplay, which some found to be frustrating, Little Nightmares was generally a hit with critics.
Little Nightmares' critical success translated into sales success. While a horror-themed puzzle platformer seems like it may have limited appeal, Bandai Namco has confirmed that the game has sold over 2 million copies. Considering Little Nightmares' success, it's no surprise that the developers have moved forward with a full-fledged sequel that's currently scheduled to launch for various platforms early next year.
From what we've seen of Little Nightmares 2 so far, it looks as though it will be more of what made the original game, with haunting character designs and all kinds of twisted environments for players to explore. Whether or not it lives up to the legacy of its predecessor remains to be seen, but fans will find out when it launches early next year.
Little Nightmares is out now PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One.