MP1st checked out all sorts of different games at PAX West this past Labor Day Weekend. But few got us as excited as a private session put on by publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment for Supermassive Games' upcoming development efforts, Little Nightmares 3.

With the franchise now in the hands of a new developer, will it significantly alter the series' tried-and-true formula?

We went hands-on with a good chunk of the upcoming co-op horror game, and have our impressions ready right now, which should answer that question somewhat.

The Little Nightmares franchise has delighted horror video game fans since the original launched in 2017. But both earlier games were a strictly solo affair. With the change in developers, it seems the time felt right to expand the series with a (highly recommended, though technically optional) co-op campaign. It seems like a natural progression of the series, like an "of course! It's so obvious!" sort of thing, and once our game got going, it immediately felt like a normal way to play. Like Supermassive Games stumbled upon a missing ingredient to a game series that never felt like it was missing anything in particular, but can still benefit from the world of possibilities that open up whenever you throw in co-op.

For our playthrough, I lucked out and got paired with a member of the development team. This meant that I was all but assured of clearing the whole demo in the time we had been allotted for our session (approximately two hours). Each time we were at a new puzzle, the staff member would give me a couple of minutes to figure things out, but if I was taking too long or seemed stuck, they would use the game's shout feature as a way to give me a hint as to what to do next.

Some of the solutions require you to notice very subtle things within your environment. For example, a floorboard that is ever-so-slightly off-center may be something to grab or otherwise interact with, or a window might be just high enough to toss another item through. It might actually frustrate some players who want a quick dopamine hit, as, unless you are flying through a section with a seasoned player, most areas will take at least a couple of minutes to figure out.

Much like other co-op adventure games, such as the recently released Split Fiction, most puzzles will require each player to use their unique abilities in order to solve. Low might shoot something with their bow and arrow, which will then require Alone to finish off with their wrench. Either player can also hoist the other up when a platform is too high for either player to jump and grab hold of. Grabbing or holding on to switches or other devices, as well as picking items up, holding them, and later launching them into the air, all combine into puzzles that demand a good amount of thinking.

Not too much effort in those things gets frustrating, but enough that you feel clever once you and/or your partner finally arrive at the solution. I hope the rest of the game plays as solidly as what we saw in our demo.

The world of Little Nightmares 3 follows the same grotesque themes as the games before it. You play as either Low or Alone, little doll-like creatures that wield a bow and arrow and a wrench, respectively. Typically, the two of you are trying to escape some place or outsmart these humanoid beings who are much larger than you. The atmosphere is unsettling at best, with poorly kept buildings and things in disarray, and downright creepy at worst, like one of the larger creatures hacking off pieces of a corpse, which it gives to a smaller creature, which appears to be the top half of some being. The whole thing feels like a hallucination someone had, and yet it evokes a feeling of gross familiarity. Horror fans should love it.

Little Nightmares 3 felt like a natural progression for a beloved horror franchise. The co-op doesn't seem tacked-on, as each puzzle relies on both players doing well with their respective tasks. The creepy visuals and atmosphere should make for some fun moments, if not in-person, then at least over voice chat.

Grab a friend who isn't afraid to take on a horror game when Little Nightmares III launches for PC, PlayStation 4/5, Switch 1/2, and Xbox One/Series consoles worldwide on October 10, 2025.