Little Nightmares is a stunning, creepy, horror adventure game with unique 2.5D graphics and plenty of puzzle elements and a perfect soundtrack. This alluring game will suck you right in, especially if you want a break from the many combat-based games out there and you’re cool with making the most with what little you can find in your environment as you try to survive.
Maybe you’ve played a little too much Little Nightmares to enjoy the game much anymore, or perhaps this unique indie game just isn’t available for the platform you prefer to play on. Either way, check out these other games like Little Nightmares to hours of fun and fear.
Little Nightmares Game Features
 Release Date: | 28 April 2017 |
 Developer: | Tarsier Studios |
 Publisher: | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
 Platforms: | Android Google Stadia iOS Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 Windows Xbox One |
 Genre: | Puzzle-platform |
 Setting: | 2.5D Fantasy World |
 Game Modes: | Single-player |
1. Little Nightmares II
Gamers who are hungry for another game like Little Nightmares have one obvious choice — Little Nightmares II. This prequel was published in 2021 and offers the same striking graphics and eerie atmosphere you’ve grown to know and love.
This one follows Mono, a small boy with a paper bag over his head. He and Six, the protagonist from the previous title, have to team up to explore and (hopefully?) survive the Pale City.
You’ll be faced with puzzle platform elements in the process, but gamers who loved Little Nightmares and yet wished they had something to defend themselves with will be thrilled by the novelty this prequel offers — Mono might be able to scavenge some tools that allow him to fight the brand new enemies he’ll encounter.
Six also features in the game, this time as a guide.
Little Nightmares II offers a cool look at the events that precede Little Nightmares, and expands the universe. This title is a must-play, so what are you waiting for?
- Developer: Tarsier Studios
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Release Date: February 2021
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Stadia
2. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is an exciting action adventure game with a great narrative. If you’re willing to trade the world of Outer Wilds for a vast open-world setting, you’ll be dropped right into a 22-minute time loop with a terrifying outcome. The sun explodes, and you can’t have that, so you’ll try to get to the bottom of the time loop and attempt to find a way to change the course of events.
You’ll be playing as an unnamed protagonist who explores the outer reaches of the solar system while looking for clues left behind by a mysterious civilization. All the while, you’ll have to keep a close eye on your oxygen levels, health, hunger, and fuel. You’ll respawn on your home planet every time you die — at least every 22 minutes, but maybe more often.
Outer Wilds is, Like Little Nightmares, very much a puzzle game. There are clues to figure out and to progress, you’ll have to complete little quests that get you closer to your goal. Players change the way the time loop plays out by triggering certain events, after which the adventures you have access to are also altered.
Outer Wilds is, all in all, a great choice for gamers who love adventure and mystery, aren’t too keen on combat, and value artistic graphics.
- Developer: Mobius Digital
- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
- Release Date: May 2019
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox X/S
3. Stray
Stray is an indie adventure game in which players take on the role of an orange stray cat, which they’ll be able to admire in all its glory because it’s played from a third-person perspective. This much-awaited game was announced in 2020 and finally came out in 2022, immediately gaining an enormous following.
Why should Little Nightmares fans try Stray? Gorgeous artwork, a cyber-punk city controlled mostly by robots, a neat personal drone to keep your character company, are just some minor incentives. Your cat character is focused on exploring the world, solving puzzles and getting to the bottom of mysteries, and interacting with NPCs like only a cat could.
Along the way, you might encounter terrifying enemies that you’ll have to find a way to destroy — but you’ll also have the chance to rub up against strangers’ legs or take a nap.
Can you find your way home against all the odds? This game is too nice not to check out.
- Developer: BlueTwelve Studio
- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
- Release Date: July 2022
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
4. Detention
Little Nightmares players who are hungry for another horror adventure game might enjoy Detention, a Taiwanese indie title set in a world under martial law. Wei falls asleep in class, only to wake up to a chaotic world and a typhoon warning. He’s able to meet up with fellow student Ray, but when the pair try to head into town, they discover that everything’s in ruins.
This is where the horror elements begin to seep into the game. Ray awakens in the school’s auditorium, her friend hung from the ceiling. Enter creepy rituals, puzzles, items that may or may not prove to be useful later on, and desperate attempts to survive.
As in Little Nightmares, you won’t find any combat (which means you’ll have to do your best to stay ahead of the ghosts) but you will immerse yourself in a stunning 2D world with a truly terrifying soundtrack.
The game’s atmosphere is all the more frightening because it was inspired by a real-life historical period, and you really can’t go wrong with this underrated indie title.
- Developer: Red Candle Games
- Publisher: Red Candle Games
- Release Date: July 2022
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Android
5. Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village is a survival horror game played from a first-person PoV and set in a dark Victorian village. You’ll take on the role of Ethan Winters, who desperately searches for his lost daughter in a setting dominated by creepy mutants.
Resident Evil Village is a great next step for gamers who haven’t had their fill of the horror genre yet, but who crave more realistic graphics and are hungry for combat. You’ll be able to roam the entire world freely, scaling structures and using melee or ranged attacks to fight the terrifying monsters that dominate the village.
True — Resident Evil Village is a far cry from Little Nightmares, but it does give you the horror and adventure you’re after, and makes for a nice change of pace.
- Developer: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
- Release Date: May 2021
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Stadia
6. Undertale
Undertale, another indie title that’s gained a cult following, makes for a nice game to play after Little Nightmares. In case you didn’t know yet, this 2D RPG takes players — who take on the role of a child — through a dark realm called the Underground. Now prevented from going home because a magical barrier stands in the way, you’ll have to fight your way back.
You can engage the creatures you encounter in combat or find other ways to defeat them. Undertale is packed full of rich NPC dialogue, and the narrative changes depending on the choices you make. This means that Undertale always offers a fresh challenge. Make new choices during a fresh run, and you’ll be playing a completely different game.
A word of warning: Gamers who love Little Nightmares in large part because of the game’s beautiful artwork might be a little put off by the graphics in Undertale. What Undertale lacks in artistic merit, it more than makes up for in narrative progression, though, so dive right in and discover what all the fuss is about for yourself!
- Developer: Toby Fox
- Publisher: Toby Fox
- Release Date: September 2015
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
7. Fran Bow
Fran Bow is Little Nightmares on steroids — making it a great choice for gamers looking for a horror adventure title with striking (though undeniably creepy) artwork and a truly terrifying plot line.
You’ll be following the adventures of Fran, a mentally ill little girl who’s just lost her parents and is about to be carted off to a 1940s mental asylum that’s definitely the stuff of nightmares. To top it off, the pills she’s given make your protagonist suffer from horrifying hallucinations that tie her to a dark universe filled with monsters and gore.
Players explore, gather potentially useful items, and solve puzzles as they interact with NPCs. Fran Bow also offers a fair amount of minigames to keep things interesting, and all in all, it’s not difficult to see why this Swedish indie game would appeal to Little Nightmares players.
- Developer: Killmonday Games
- Publisher: Killmonday Games
- Release Date: August 2015
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS
8. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a hand-drawn and 2D side-scrolling game set in the underground kingdom of Hallownest. You’ll be playing as a nameless insectoid warrior in a world ravaged by an infectious disease in this combat-rich game that also features compelling NPC quests and narrative and an exciting non-linear progression.
Hollow Knight might be the game of choice for Little Nightmares players who love adventure but are also excited about boss fights, and who can’t wait to discover the game’s lore through amazingly well-written NPC dialogue.
This cross-platform adventure game is wonderfully open-ended and sets you up for hours of exploration and fun — and a sequel is already on the way.
- Developer: Team Cherry
- Publisher: Team Cherry
- Release Date: February 2017
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
9. Inside
Inside is a Little Nightmares alternative that’s perfect for puzzle lovers. This horror adventure game follows the story of a little boy who takes a tumble down a cliff and winds up in a dystopian, guard-filled, world where he has to solve puzzles to cheat death.
This puzzle platform game has its 2.5D graphical format in common with Little Nightmares, and the dark art style makes clever use of occasional color.
The fact that Inside is nearly completely soundless only adds to the eerie vibes, but when you do hear something, you can count on that being part of the clues you have to work with.
- Developer: Playdead
- Publisher: Playdead
- Release Date: June 2016
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, iOS
10. MADiSON
MADiSON is a brand new first-person horror game that centers around the story of a teenagers who gets a Polaroid camera for his birthday. Little did he know that his new gadget used to be the property of a relentless serial killer… or that it would open up a bridge between the world of the living and the dead.
The protagonist’s camera becomes his trusty tool, as gamers set off on a quest to solve challenging puzzles, scare demonic creatures off, and find answers to mysteries.
This game has a refreshing narrative, beautiful graphics, and all the adventure Little Nightmares players are looking for in their next horror game.
- Developer: Bloodious Games
- Publisher: Bloodious Games, Perpetual Games
- Release Date: July 2022
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox X/S
11. Limbo
Limbo is an oldie but goodie that’s great for PC gamers or players with older platforms.
An unnamed little boy wakes up on the edge of hell, in a deep, dark forest. He’ll go through hell and back if only he can safely bring his lost sister home. Limbo is a puzzle platform game that anyone who has played Little Nightmares will quickly find themselves at home in, as the nameless protagonist navigates through a grayscale 2D world filled with eerie monsters.
Limbo features a nifty physics system that will prove to be a real challenge as players try to solve the puzzles, which depend on mechanical elements. Expect to die plenty of times, because that’s what the developers set you up for as you master the game’s enormous learning curve. Not to worry, though — thanks to Limbo’s checkpoint system, you won’t have to start from scratch when you do succumb to traps or monsters.
Try to get all the game’s achievements under your belt if you’re bored or a try hard, and enjoy the ominous atmosphere that Limbo immerses you in.
- Developer: Playdead
- Publisher: Playdead, Microsoft Game Studios
- Release Date: July 2010
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, iOS, Android
12. Half-Life: Alyx
Half-Life: Alyx has a little bit of everything — combat, puzzles, adventure, exploration, and definitely plenty of horror. This game, designed for VR, doesn’t have the whimsical graphics Little Nightmares players might prefer, but it’s still wonderfully immersive.
You’ll be playing as Alyx, a resistance member who’s about to take on the Combine, the dreadful alien creature of Half-Life fame.
As you fight the enemy, you’ll have to gather new supplies to stay ahead of the game — and you’ll recognize most of the weapons if you’ve explored the Half-Life universe already.
- Developer: Valve
- Publisher: Valve
- Release Date: March 2020
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, Linux
13. Bendy and the Ink Machine
Bendy and the Ink Machine is a horror survival game played from a first-person PoV with artwork that resembles vintage cartoons. Players take on the role of retired animator Henry Stein, who is horrified to find out that a machine has left his studio in ruins while also bringing some terrifying characters to life. These evil cartoons are out for blood, and you’ll have to do whatever it takes to defeat your own creations.
You can explore the map, fight your foes with an impressive range of weapons that include axes, scythes, and plungers — taking great care to consider the right tactics, or you’ll die. Cans of health-restoring bacon soup are strewn through the map, so you better stock up!
You’ll unlock new abilities as you progress through the game, and the checkpoint system in Bendy and the Ink Machine ensures that you won’t lose everything you worked for when you inevitably die.
- Developer: Kindly Beast (Joey Drew Studios, Inc.)
- Publisher: Kindly Beast, Rooster Teeth Games
- Release Date: February 2017
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
14. Neverending Nightmares
Neverending Nightmares is a beautiful, gritty, horror survival game inspired by the creator’s struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and depression. The nightmare never ends, because every time you “wake up”, you land in a worse one. The monsters get worse, and more challenging, too.
Little Nightmares players will enjoy the game’s gorgeous (but bleak) 2D graphics, but should know that Neverending Nightmares is more of a hide and seek game than anything else.
Can you discover what you need to do to finally make the nightmare stop once and for all? Only time will tell, but Neverending Nightmares has a checkpoint system that ensures you’ll never quite have to go back to square one.
- Developer: Infinitap Games
- Publisher: Infinitap Games
- Release Date: September 2014
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
15. Hello Neighbor
Little Nightmares players who don’t mind branching out a bit are bound to enjoy Hello Neighbor, a survival horror game with stealth elements played as Nicky Roth, a young boy who wants to find out exactly what his creepy neighbor is hiding.
Your ultimate goal is simple — you just have to sneak into the basement to discover the neighbor’s dark secret. That’s easier said than done, of course, and Hello Neighbor’s responsive AI changes the neighbor’s behavior as you interact with this foe.
Hello Neighbor isn’t a combat-rich game, but players can try to stun the neighbor. Try this survival horror game out for yourself if you like the idea of solving more mysteries and picking locks. The art style can best be described as “quiet suburban horror” with a side of cartoon.
- Developer: Dynamic Pixels, Eerie Guest Studios
- Publisher: tinyBuild
- Release Date: December 2017
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
16. SOMA
SOMA is a horror survival game set in an underwater world, where the machinery in a research facility appears to have become sentient. Little Nightmares players who are into psychological horror games that rely mainly on puzzle-solving, stealth, and mystery rather than on combat will have a blast with this 2015 title.
You can’t entirely avoid the monsters, though, so watch out for foes while you explore and try to find the clues that get you to the bottom of the mystery.
- Developer: Frictional Games
- Publisher: Frictional Games
- Release Date: September 2015
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
17. Five Nights at Freddy’s
Five Nights at Freddy’s is an entire franchise of survival horror games, with eight main titles and a bunch of spin-offs. Most of the titles invite players to embody the role of a part-time pizza restaurant employee. Nothing is what it seems to be at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, and players will have to grab whatever’s handy to defend themselves against the horrors that will soon begin to make their life hell.
This lore-rich franchise has plenty of puzzle elements, and piecing together what’s really going on is a puzzle in itself. Many of the titles offer interesting minigames, too.
If you’d like to play as a helpless child, like in Little Nightmares, go for Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach. Once you get over the fact that the graphics couldn’t be more different, you’ll have a great time trying to stay alive — because this is another game that very much relies on brain power.
- Developer: ScottGames, Steel Wool Studios, Illumix
- Publisher: ScottGames, Clickteam LLC USA, Illumix
- Release Date: August 2014
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Oculus Quest
Conclusion
This list sets you up with a whole lot of games like Little Nightmares to explore, but which ones should you try first?
It’s always great to discover that a game you love has a sequel (or in this case, a prequel), so Little Nightmares II should be your first point of call if you quite literally want more of the same, in an expanded universe.
Stray, Detention, Fran Bow, and Inside share the most similarities with Little Nightmares beyond Little Nightmares II, but any of the games on this list are likely to keep you busy for a good while, whether you really want more puzzles to solve or are excited to try your hand at combat in an eerie horror universe.
