Bandai Namco was able to give us an early hands-on session with a Little Nightmares 3 demo, and this time, it wasn’t just a quick taste — we were given a hefty two-hour demo, which we managed to finish in around an hour and 20 minutes. Needless to say, this early build left me both unsettled and even more hyped for the full release. Here’s our Little Nightmares 3 Hands-on Impressions.
For those new to the series, Little Nightmares has always been about eerie and atmospheric settings filled with puzzles and chases as you try to make your way in a twisted world filled with grotesque monstrosities. For this third installment, however, the game has a new twist where you need to get through the game as a duo. Yes, a two player set-up is indeed mandatory but the game does allow you to achieve this in 2 ways – either through online play or, if you really have to play solo, you can do so with an AI companion. It is however still highly recommended that you play this with a friend.
Players will be taking control of one of the two protagonists – Low or Alone, each with their own distinct look, gear, and role. Low wields a bow and arrow, which you can use for both puzzles and combat (but don’t expect to Legolas yourself out of an encounter especially against the bigger foes in the game). He can also use his bow to hit hard-to-reach switches, pop balloons, and more. Don’t worry about running out of ammo. Low comes with unlimited arrows so all you need to focus on is on being creative with your problem-solving instead of ammo management. Low also has the ability to do a call out that attracts the attention of enemies. Alone, on the other hand, carries a wrench which is ideal for smashing obstacles, breaking through barriers, and even finishing off smaller foes.
The magic of Little Nightmares 3 lies in how these abilities synergize for cooperative play. For instance, Low might blind an enemy by breaking its mask with an arrow, while Alone sneaks behind it for a decisive strike. You’ll also perform tandem actions like boosting each other to higher ledges or solving multi-step puzzles that require both players’ tools.
While I’m not sure if it will be like this for the whole game but, in our demo, Low’s kit did seem to do more unique things during the run. Of course, this can mean that there are also other areas where the game will shift its focus more to Alone’s gear. Regardless, no one character can solo this as teamwork really is a must to get by and make progress. One player can’t just simply carry the other. Coordination and timing are everything if you wanna survive THIS nightmare.
Our demo took place in a nightmarish carnival, a setting that perfectly fits the series’ unsettling aesthetic. Think carnival rides and game booths, but decayed and twisted into something sinister: rusted gears, broken rides, and shadowy figures lurking in the corners. We had to trudge through creepy rooms and areas that, at times, would have blood and guts strewn about.
As mentioned, the central experience is usually a mix of puzzles rooms and chase scenes. For puzzle rooms, the biggest thing to do here is just to observe your surroundings and experiment. Either that or you run screaming through intense chase sequences, where you have to make split quick observations to determine your path as well as quick decisions on what to do and how to do them while terrifying creatures hunt you down. One of the standout moments was a boss fight against a towering figure with a sentient puppet for a hand. At one point, the puppet detached and began chasing us independently, creating a frantic two-front battle which had us in a panic — exactly what you’d expect from the franchise.
Like its predecessors, Little Nightmares 3 rewards careful observation and timing. Not doing so can actually cause you to get stuck. Some puzzles we encountered involved watching enemy behavior: when they turn their backs, when they patrol certain areas, and when it’s safe to move. For example, during our demo, I noticed that some people were took longer in a certain room because it required you to really pay attention to certain timings and not just rush through. You really do need to know when to take your time to look around and when you need to just zoom on through. Chase scenes, on the other hand, demand a different kind of focus — quick reflexes and fast decision-making. You won’t always know where to go, so spotting environmental cues like ladders, windows, or climbable ledges in the heat of the moment is crucial. If you get stuck, experiment with your tools: maybe Low’s bow can trigger something hidden, or Alone’s wrench can break a barrier you initially overlooked. It’s a real rush as these all need to happen WHILE you’re being hunted down by a foe.
Playing co-op actually enhances the experience rather than diluting it. Whether you’re calmly planning your next move or frantically yelling instructions during a chase, there’s a special kind of thrill in surviving together. It’s reminiscent of other recent co-op hits and it’s nice that we get that experience in this more immersive horror environment. By the end of our session, I really did want to just play more and, now, I just can’t wait for the game to come out. Little Nightmares 3 doesn’t fully reinvent the wheel, but the addition of online co-op feels like an awesome evolution for the Little Nightmares games. The puzzles, collectibles, and terrifying boss encounters we’ve come to love are all here — now paired with the thrill of solving mysteries and escaping nightmares alongside a friend. All while you immerse yourself in horrifyingly amazing visuals and an art style that strikes a delicate balance between haunting and beautiful, making every environment worth exploring (and fearing). I personally can’t wait for us to get our hands on the full game.
Little Nightmares 3 launches on October 10, 2025 for PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.