When it comes to games, there are many ways to build excitement, suspense, and general interest in players. While intense action is obviously a popular route to go down, there are plenty of ways to get all of those emotions going through more subtle means, like through smart dialogue, a specific sense of ambiance, or even visual storytelling of some kind. The Little Nightmares series has never been particularly action-oriented, but that hasn’t stopped it from being capable of getting your pulse going. Considering the generally poor showing of indie horror games in the eShop, the series also continues to stand out as being one of the best experiences with that vibe on the system.

When getting started with a new adventure you’ll have the option of playing as either the wrench-swinging Alone or the bow-wielding Low. You’ll have the option to play solo, relying on the CPU taking control of your companion, or playing with someone else online (local co-op isn’t possible). In general, it isn’t hard to imagine how playing with someone else would be preferable, as your computer-controlled companion can be prone to making odd choices one moment and sort of giving away the solution to a puzzle the next. One time in particular it seems that my CPU buddy left me high and dry, and I had to reload from a checkpoint, but in general it worked well enough to not detract from the experience too much.

The thing the game does best, by far, is give you a creepy world filled with some dark and menacing threats, with you needing to use a combination of stealth and smart problem-solving to survive. While some puzzles make you walk away feeling a bit smarter having solved them, there are also those that feel a little more prone to trial and error, or that somehow feel rehashed from past entries in the trilogy. Most of the time if you find yourself stuck, the solution will end up being to walk around a bit, as some of the environments can be pretty big, and there can be hallways or cracks in the wall you may have missed at first glance that will take you where you need to go. Weirdly, even with as dark as the game can be at times, the quick screen at the beginning allowing you to set the brightness level seems to do the trick to be sure it’s never too much, something I absolutely appreciated since it is far too often a crippling issue for games like this.

In the end, this absolutely feels like a strong effort, continuing the series with some great set pieces and epic moments. It unfortunately also feels a bit too familiar and comfortable only changing up where you are and what you’ll be facing, but not making any real changes that enhance the experience beyond its predecessors. Small bursts of action are fine, though the controls aren’t quite crisp and accurate enough to make them more exciting and fun. There are some vague story beats to glean as well, but not enough to really get you more invested in it all either. It’s definitely fun, and well-produced, but it feels like it’s a series due for a bit of an evolution of some kind.