Xbox Game Passwas already off to a great start this June by offering several incredibly exciting new releases withThe Alters,Space Marine Master Crafted Edition, andFBC Firebreak. Given how many massive titles Xbox manages to acquire month after month for Game Pass Owners, it’s far too easy for excellent games to fall through the cracks. As if these day one releases weren’t enough, the second wave of June’s Game Pass offerings brings with it one classic game you won’t want to miss on July 1.
Even with all the exciting titles coming to Game Pass in recent months, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd of big-budget triple-A releases, requiring unique gameplay and equally identifiable art style. Even if there’s a growing trend of experimentation with clay or stop-motion animation in games,few titles have managed to nail the style as much as one indie series. While its critical acclaim as one of thebest stealth horror gamesmeans you’ve likely heard of this game before, the indie gem still doesn’t get nearly enough of the love it easily deserves.
The Story Of Little Nightmares 1
Getting Caught Up Before Jumping Into The Terrifying Sequel
Although I would highly recommend playing the original beforeLittle Nightmares 2to better understand its characters, it’s not fully required to understand the minimal story of the series, especially with it acting as a prequel to the original. Released in 2017 by Tarsier Studios,Little Nightmaresfollows the unfortunate adventures of a small girl named Six trying to survive on an oversized ship full of giant, grotesque monsters. Rather than explicit dialogue or straightforward explanations,Little Nightmare’s story is experienced through environmental storytelling and character actions.
The originalLittle Nightmaresis not currently on Game Pass, requiring a separate purchase on the Xbox App or other digital storefronts.
Despite her assumed innocence in a world filled with monsters that could only be conceived in a nightmare themselves, Six proves she’s willing to do whatever it takes to survive the cruel world around her. Further into the Maw and faced with insurmountable odds,Six eventually had to resort to cannibalism to survive, followed by absorbing the powers of theLittle Nightmare's final boss. While her newfound powers offer an excellent edge to surviving and taking revenge on the nightmares themselves, each evolution seems to push her one step closer to madness.
Game Pass Overcomes Little Nightmare’s Biggest Barrier
Despite its somewhat short length of roughly 6 hours for a standard playthrough, withLittle Nightmares 2finally becoming free for Game Pass owners, there is no better time to experience the incredibly memorable horror puzzle game. Going far beyond the reaches of the originalLittle Nightmares' oppressive ship, the prequel game takes all the best aspects of the original and takes them to even greater heights. Playing as Mono alongside the returning Six as an AI-controlled companion,Little Nightmares 2expands the game world through the exploration of the even haunting environments of the Pale City.
WithLittle Nightmares 2finally making its way to Game Pass, there is no better time to experience the incredibly memorable horror puzzle game.
AlthoughLittle Nightmares 2already offers several visual and gameplay improvements compared to its predecessor that provide a more seamless experience, there’s even afree next-generation upgradefor PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X owners, that still keeps its creative stop-motion-inspired style intact. Providing an even more immersive horror experience than before,Little Nightmares 2also brings with it more monstrosities like the Teacher and the Thin Man for a story that sets a somehow even darker tone than the original.
Little Nightmares 2 Is A Treat For Any Puzzle Fan
Easily Surpassing Your Expectations Of The Genre
Even if you aren’t a strict horror fan,the dynamic puzzles ofLittle Nightmares 2are often baked into the environments themselves, becoming just as intuitive as they are challenging. Focussing on platforming and stealth to survive the Pale City’s living nightmares,Little Nightmares 2does an excellent job at mixing its incredibly creative environments with tension, especially during terrifying segments that require on-the-fly puzzle solving to survive. With the series' puzzles directly tying into its environmental storytelling, best emphasized in Mono and Six’s partnership,Little Nightmares 2even offers plenty of hidden secrets and shocking moments for curious players.
Even if you aren’t too confident in your puzzle-solving skills,Little Nightmares 2strikes an enjoyable balance between logic and instincts, keeping you on your toes while avoiding too many frustrating moments.AlthoughLittle Nightmaresis still a classic, its sequel alleviates most complaints over the original’s frustrating controls and inconsistent checkpoints, providing a much more enjoyable experience for players of all skill levels. Combined with the announcement ofLittle Nightmares 3releasing on June 29, 2025, there’s even more incentive to playLittle Nightmares 2before thesequel evolves the seriesin exciting new directions.
