Movies based on video games definitely don't have the best reputation. If anything, they're pretty much always completely torn apart by critics and fans alike. However, it's hard to resist the great ideas that come from games when they have an established fanbase and seem like they could translate really well to cinema. This is why studios continue to make them.

Many of these great ideas come from massive series, with big worlds and tons of fan-favorite characters. Maybe that's not the direction studios should be going. Maybe they should be taking ideas and worlds from smaller games with only one or two entries, with a world that has a distinct style and characters but is mysterious enough that they can build on it. Enter puzzle-platform horror adventure game Little Nightmares.

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Developed by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the first Little Nightmares was originally released to PS4 and Xbox One in 2017 before coming to Switch in 2018. It follows the story of Six, a little girl stuck on board a ship filled with horrifying monsters. As a whole, it received pretty positive reviews and has a solid fanbase. There's generally no combat in the game, and players must instead hide and escape from their enemies to beat the game.  A prequel was released in February of this year.

little nightmares 2 review

The vibe of Little Nightmares is incredibly creepy, and the storyline is disturbing. This could translate really well into a grimy and gross horror movie for adults, that's genuinely scary. However, there is also this element of whimsy and coziness to the game. This means that a children's horror film could also fit this premise, in a really effective way. No matter which way someone making this film decided to take it, the story has enough established fans to be successful. It also has enough appeal and intriguing elements to get new fans interested, especially members of the horror community.

The monsters in Little Nightmares can be very intimidating and scary to escape. They're ugly and big and gross. They make horrible noises and they chase you. It's frightening! If this was turned into an R-rated grimy horror movie, that could really make audiences lose sleep. With the disturbing storyline and elements of murder, kidnapping, and cannibalism... there's a lot of pretty nasty stuff to work off of here. The right director and set design could turn this into something completely messed up.

On the completely opposite side of the spectrum, Little Nightmares could be a really fun addition to the children's horror genre. Yes, there are some really gruesome moments and the overall story is dark. However, there are also those elements of the game that feel very comforting and almost whimsical. There isn't very much combat in the game, and it's mostly hiding and problem-solving to escape so the character stays safe. This adds an element of adventure to the game. It still feels intense and at times quite scary, but there's also some fun. This isn't dissimilar to films like Coraline, which has a super dark story and some very scary part, but was largely made for children.

The monsters in this game also feel like they're begging for some kind of film adaptation. They all have a sort of gross but also fantastical element, not unlike something you would see from an artist like Guillermo del Toro. With some great practical effects, these enemies on the big screen could look so cool, and so scary.

Little Nightmares Leech Room Screenshot

Whichever direction a Little Nightmares film took, it has the potential to be really good and really successful. The world of the game is established enough that it has elements that are really recognizable, as well as a dedicated group of fans. However, the nature of the game leaving so much up to the player to figure out leaves enough room to play with. It wouldn't be too difficult to take this story, this character, and these monsters and some of the little puzzles, and put together a story that feels different and unique. The atmosphere and vibe is very appealing and even if a film didn't follow an exact plot set up by the game, an adaptation could still work really well.

Little Nightmares has a tone and aesthetic that is very popular right now. It's very creepy and kind of weird, with an offbeat and cozy yet terrifying sort of feel. For some reason, people love that kind of vibe. Looking back at so many Halloween-time classics and spooky movies people love, so many of them are like that. This is why Little Nightmares is so popular, but it's also why a film adaptation that inhabits the same tone could do really well. It's not just established fans of the game that would want to see this movie, it's anyone who loves spooky stuff that's a bit different.

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