Little Nightmares

If you enjoy dark, metaphorical games such as Limbo and Inside, chances are this eerie platformer will be right up your alley. Little Nightmares' artistic direction is instantly arresting, creating a dark and foreboding world that almost feels as though it were pulled from a stop-motion animated film thanks to its constant attention to detail, sometimes jumpy animation, and occasional diorama-style perspective. And Six is nothing if not sympathetic. She may be tiny and frail, but she's also courageous and determined. You'll desperately want her to survive the nightmare into which she's been dropped. Her enemies, meanwhile, are as horrific as Six is lovable. The janitor's blinded and wrinkled face, stubby legs, and unnaturally long, searching arms make him extremely unsettling, while the bloated forms of the guests -- who will stop at nothing to shove Six into their ravenous mouths, even though piles of food lie all around them -- are mindless gluttony made flesh. The moral of the story couldn't be clearer -- or more effective.

Little Nightmares stumbles occasionally but never fatally. It's controls are a little confusing thanks to odd choices for buttons assigned to running, jumping, and grabbing hold of things. Some of the action scenes -- which require quick reflexes and perhaps rely a little too much on trial and error -- are a bit frustrating if you find yourself repeatedly pressing the wrong buttons. Still, it's a small price to pay for this deeply creepy but equally thoughtful little platformer adventure.