4/5 ★ – PhatBaby's review of Little Nightmares II.

Ah yes, what a Valentine's Day treat for me. Sitting in the dark confines of my freezing cold (and admittedly very messy) bedroom with a glass of wine and Little Nightmares 2... I'm living the bachelor's dream, I'm telling you... Fortunately, there are definitely worse games to take on a romantic Valentine's outing. Little Nightmares 2 is every bit the astounding slice of creepy, atmospheric horror its predecessor was, boasting more of the same (and I mean that more as a compliment than a criticism). The first game managed to weave such a uniquely surreal and fast-paced ride that all it really needed to do was deliver a second helping of its Coraline-on-a-bad-acid-trip world, and luckily, it does. Shifting from the prior game's ship setting to a dreary metropolis filled with dilapidated skyrises and screen-obsessed husks, this is a fantastic new locale to explore. Each location offers something new and (mostly) memorable, whether that's a quiet, story-driven moment (which are surprisingly common and effective considering its protagonists are mute) or one of the numerous thrilling encounters with its twisted antagonists. And boy, does Little Nightmares 2 manage to crack out some big "nope" energy through its fresh rogues gallery. Although few manage to muster the staying power of Bojangles the Long-Arm Janitor or The Lady from the previous game (mainly due to their segments being slightly shorter), Tarsier didn't skimp out on the cool gimmicks. If we're going around with awards for who made me shit myself most, I guess it'd have to be a neck and neck tie. On the one hand, we have Poundland Slenderman, who's essentially a generator for creepy-ass imagery you'd find late at night on a dodgy sub-Reddit. Then we have Mrs Long-Neck Teacher, who you can keep track of by the sound of her spine detaching every time she's looking for you (She should probably get that checked out). Outside of that, there's a handful of other decently spooky ghouls and a great final monster that I won't spoil, making for a respectable roster. Yet, while the meat they're supporting is a juicy ol' helping, the bones of Little Nightmares 2 are unfortunately what lets this package down slightly. As was the case for the last title, the actual gameplay on show here can be obnoxiously frustrating. The 2.5D camera view makes judging space and precise jumps an utter nightmare, while the newly added "combat" sections are slogs due to awkward, clunky controls. My main take-away was that Mono never feels particularly responsive, as he jumps in directions you don't intend or gets stuck on terrain or objects at the worst possible times. Granted, there are some fun deviations from Little Nightmares' formula here, such as a creepy section involving mannequins in a hospital and the involvement of Six as an AI partner to help solve puzzles. There's plenty of really strong set-pieces too, making you frequently feel like you're surviving by the skin of your teeth. But unfortunately, Little Nightmares 2 has a tendency to make initially tense sections become tiresome chores. It says a lot about Little Nightmares' aesthetic, setting and story (which I've intentionally not said much about as it's best experienced blind - it's a lot of fun though, especially if you've played the original) that the gameplay is easy to overlook. Tarsier has proved again that it's one of the most original names in the horror scene at the moment, delivering a product that I'd honestly say rivals its already severely underrated predecessor. Which is better? It's hard to say. 1 definitely manages its pacing better and ultimately crafts a more well-rounded tale, but 2 benefits from some seriously creepy visual design and a handful of jaw-dropping, cinematic set-pieces. What I can say for sure is that you really shouldn't sleep on this sequel. Come on, it's February... the veritable ghost town of the gaming calendar. What else are ya gonna play? Gal Gun Returns? Actually, don't answer that...