Despite its cutesy exterior, Little Nightmares is one of the scariest series I’ve ever played. It’s great! Playing it on GeForce NOW Powered by CloudGG, can help to make the horrors more palatable; however, by taking the game on the go with my laptop, I can play in crowded, well-lit spaces where the monsters can’t get me. Right?
Little Nightmares has a unique take on horror. Bringing back childhood nightmares, it focuses on threats larger than what we could possibly hope to deal with and stuffs them into the doughy, deformed shapes of adults.
Adults that hunt you through the levels, mallet-like hands crushing their way through your hiding spaces in search of you. It’s made agonisingly clear that these adults' goal is to devour you, alongside the rest of their feast on the terrible restaurant galleon known fittingly as the Maw you find yourself trapped in.
Don’t ask for the kid’s meal at this restaurant.
It's Spooktober! So, as the scariest night of the year draws close, I thought it fitting that we turn our eyes to the darker corners of the cloud for this Spotlight. Little Nightmares fits the bill perfectly, being a truly eerie title that takes the familiar and twists it into the horrifying through the warped perspectives of children.
It’s a fantastic game to take to the cloud thanks to its gameplay being broken into little chunks by puzzles and perils, perfect to enjoy on your laptop or tablet over the course of a lunch break and then digging your teeth into in the evening.
I could get deep into the lore of Little Nightmares; it’s been my maddening obsession for some time now. But that’s best left to the realms of theory and lore YouTubers, far more suited to it than my 500-word (or so) bi-weekly slice of paradise.
Instead, let me sell you on the vibe and the gameplay. At its core, Little Nightmares is a 2.5D (Moving into and out of the background, but primarily on a 2D plane) puzzle platformer that sees you negotiating traps, monsters and more to escape the dangerous situation you find your tiny self in.
What turns this from any old platformer into a true gem is the atmosphere, oppressive and unearthly; it feels like being trapped in something between an impressionist painting and a meat processing plant. Everything ordinary is blown out of proportion, twisted and mangled into new horrifying forms. Because of this game, the word ‘janitor’ now sends a shiver up my spine. You are an infinitesimally tiny victim of a vile operation infinitely larger than yourself.
There’s nowhere out of reach for the janitor. No dust or runaway children can escape him.
But you are far from defenceless, and that’s one of the most shocking things about this game. Little Six is hardly as innocent as she appears, and you’ll find numerous surprising ways to have your revenge on the world around you, building in intensity as Six’s fear turns to fury and, darker still, hunger. Six is always hungry…
It’s a story that has to be seen to be believed, and it’s my recommendation for a spooky title to enjoy this Halloween. There’s no better way to enjoy it than on GeForce NOW Powered by CloudGG. Upgrade to a Priority or Ultra membership, and you have a chance of clearing the game in a single Halloween night, making it the perfect spooky treat this Halloween. See you beyond the walls of the Maw for Little Nightmares II; if you survive, that is…
This Spotlight was written by CloudGG member “Motley” and does not represent the opinions of CloudGG or NVIDIA.
