Very Little Nightmares+ is the Apple Arcade version of Very Little Nightmares, a puzzle-platformer game made specifically for mobile devices. It's available for both Android and iOS and serves as a prequel to the original 2017 console game Little Nightmares. The latter is also being ported and will soon be available on mobile devices this year.
The gameplay of Very Little Nightmares+ is centered around solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles to progress through the levels in a point-and-click control manner. Players control a yellow hooded young girl who must navigate through a doll-house-like world filled with danger and strange creatures. Throughout the game, players must use their wits to solve puzzles, avoid traps, hide from enemies, and collect items.
The puzzles in Very Little Nightmares+ are well-designed, and they often require players to think outside the box to progress. They are a little bit toned down from the original 3D side scrolling gameplay of Little Nightmares, but it stands well on its own as an isometric view point-and-click puzzle platformer.
The game does an excellent job of gradually introducing new challenges, ensuring that the player never feels overwhelmed, but ultimately, it is a very simple game overall. As players progress through the game, the puzzles become increasingly difficult, and it can be quite satisfying to figure out a particularly challenging puzzle, especially the timed ones or ones where you need to avoid enemies or detection.
There is no dialogue, and the whole game is told via the characters' muted actions and journey throughout the levels. The storytelling is basically nonexistent, leaving players to draw their own conclusions about the nature of the game.
Very Little Nightmares+ is a short game, and is entirely beatable in a single seating within two to three hours. When I played it for the first time, I was surprised to see that I had already completed 20% of the game within just a few minutes. However, don't let the short playtime turn you off. Despite its shortness, the game offers a substantial experience that's well worth playing.
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2023-05-14