As December gradually comes to a close, Xbox Live Gold members are looking toward the month of January to claim their next group of freebies. The list was recently revealed and it looks to be a solid lineup overall. Included in it is Little Nightmares from Tarsier Studios, the puzzle-platformer with horror elements sprinkled all throughout.
It’s a solid offering that follows along a young girl named Six, who’s forced to confront her fears and defeat an evil entity known as The Maw. They’re essentially corrupted souls that chase Six throughout this grand adventure and well-written tale of overcoming one’s fears however great the odds may seem.
Little Nightmares does a great job at immersing you in a frightening world, making you feel tiny as you move around large objects, structures, and of course, The Maw. And you can’t just run throughout the levels hoping to have success.
You have to be careful about when you run out in the open, especially if The Maw are lurking about. The entire time, you’re on edge because you feel like you could be caught at any minute. It’s the same recipe that a lot of horror titles use, but in Little Nightmares, that tension really comes through in every segment.
It’s not surprising that the original did so well and compelled the developer to follow it up with an equally impressive sequel. Now, the mechanics aren’t the most advanced because this is a platformer, but that’s okay because you’re instead focused on the gripping atmosphere and stealth-based tactics.
Every movement in Little Nightmares feels like it truly does matter in the grand scheme of things. You’ll go through area after area solving puzzles, gaining access to different locations, and trying your best to avoid detection.
If all of this sounds like a grand old time or perhaps you still wish it was the Halloween season around Christmas time, then this freebie is one you don’t want to miss if you have an Xbox Live Gold membership. The game is available for the first half of January on both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
You’ll appreciate the creative direction the developer took with this puzzler-platformer, even if you don’t know much about this franchise as a whole. It certain delivers in the tension department and has a lot of great visual elements that you just have to see to truly appreciate.
